System needs to catch up with young people’s growing appetite for technical education

Skills minister Jacqui Smith recently described apprenticeships as “tougher to come by than Oxbridge places”. Her assessment points to a striking paradox. At the same time as young people’s burgeoning awareness of – and interest in – apprenticeships, starts among young people are down 40 per cent over the past decade and more than one million young people are not earning or learning.

Awareness is rising  

The legislation requires schools to provide at least six encounters with approved technical education or apprenticeship providers for all students from years 8 to 13.

Data collected by The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) offers, for the first time, a national picture of delivery.

Across England, the disruptive effect of schools thinking actively about promoting all routes is strengthening links with technical and apprenticeship providers.

• 81 per cent of schools now deliver at least two PAL compliant encounters for most key stage 4 students – up from 71 per cent in 2022-23.
• 91 per cent of schools say most of their pupils had encounters with FE Colleges, up from 86 per cent in 2022-23.
• Reporting has increased significantly: over 95 per cent of eligible institutions now submit data – around 400 more schools than when the legislation was enacted.
• Most young people in year 11 (79 per cent) report understanding apprenticeships. This finding has been consistent since 2021-22 and mirrors increasing compliance with PAL among schools.

This shift in awareness and understanding is changing the profile of young people considering technical pathways. For too long, vocational pathways were viewed as second-choice options and lacked the prestige parity of A-Levels and higher education routes.

The challenge now is ensuring the system has the capacity to meet this growing ambition.

Can colleges cope?

Many FE colleges are already experiencing significant pressure on places, facilities and staffing, resulting in students being turned away as demand outstrips space.

Success in raising aspirations cannot be accompanied by a shortage of opportunities. If we want more young people to choose technical education and apprenticeships, we need to ensure colleges and training providers have the resources, infrastructure and workforce required to support them.

As touchpoints increase, so too does recognition of routes

Recent DfE research shows every year 11 student surveyed had heard of apprenticeships, while 81 per cent were aware of T Levels. CEC data from more than 330,000 students show understanding of apprenticeships more than doubles between year 7 and year 11. By the end of key stage 4, understanding of apprenticeships is almost on a par with A levels. Last year, nine in ten schools reported that the overwhelming majority of learners had meaningful encounters with colleges.

This is no accident. It reflects sustained collaboration between schools, colleges,  employers and training providers to ensure young people encounter these pathways early and often.

Where this approach is embedded, the impact is clear. The Cheshire and Warrington Careers Hub shows what’s possible when schools and post-16 providers work in partnership.

By bringing together colleges, sixth forms, training providers and employers, it has expanded access to high-quality encounters and challenged misconceptions about technical routes.

Awareness is not enough

Apprenticeships offer promising routes into skilled employment, but increased awareness among young people must be matched by greater participation from employers.

UCAS and Sutton Trust research finds that nationally, three in five learners do not pursue apprenticeships due to lack of availability.

Reasons are complex and multiple, ranging from transport barriers, skills mismatches and limited access to training options. Equally, if employers create roles but young people are not prepared or supported to access them, those opportunities remain unfilled. Strong transitions depend on all sides moving in step.

Wider access is needed to make the system work

Recent government support through foundation apprenticeships, new V Levels and wider incentives, is a welcome step forward.

But more can be done. The industrial strategy sector jobs plans offer an opportunity to align growth sectors with entry routes for young people. Proposed reforms to social value in public procurement could help stimulate more diverse, local talent pipelines.

Access must be inclusive. Alan Milburn’s review is clear that work-based learning helps young people get into work. But as Milburn points out, the upward drift in level and age narrows opportunity for young people who need it most, especially those leaving school with lower levels of attainment and those at risk of becoming NEET.

Andy Burnham’s long-standing call for a closer line of sight between education and employment makes the case more urgent than ever.

We also need employers to work more closely with SEND institutions to ensure effective job matching and supportive pathways for their learners into employment. Strong examples already exist, including brilliant collaboration between McDonalds and Catcote Academy.

The direction is clear: awareness is rising, and access needs to keep apace.