England has one of the most diverse apprenticeship systems in the world. But while that diversity brings choice to apprentices and flexibility to employers, it has allowed poor quality training to proliferate.
The resulting system is failing young people, employers and our economy – which desperately needs skilled workers.
The Sutton Trust’s latest report, A World of Difference, written by technical education expert Simon Field, compares English apprenticeships with those on offer in other countries, and finds plenty of room for improvement.
All trades, no standards?
England’s apprenticeships range widely in duration, education levels and occupations.
They are short by international standards, taking from as little as eight months to six years. This compares to 3.5 years in Germany, or two to four years in Ireland.
England’s apprenticeships also span a far wider range of education levels covering International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) levels 2 to 7, compared to just levels 3 to 4 in both Germany and Australia. They also cover a broader range of occupations, from very narrow skillsets (like dual-fuel smart meter installers) to very broad ones (like teachers).
But the biggest issues are with quality and training expectations.
While there are good-quality apprenticeships in England, far too many fall below reasonable expectations. Additionally, off-the-job training requirements in England are loose, complex and widely ignored, with a heavy reliance on online training.
In principle, apprentices in England should receive around six hours’ off-the-job training per week. But too often even these minimum standards are not met. In 2023, around 300,000 apprentices received less than their training entitlement, and nearly 75,000 had no training at all.
Meanwhile, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland require that apprentices are trained by a qualified or suitable trainer.
Poor dropout rates
Given these issues, it is perhaps unsurprising that drop-out rates in England are high, at 40 per cent.
While rates are similarly high in Australia (45 per cent) and Denmark (38 per cent), they are far lower in several other countries, including France (27 per cent), Germany (25 per cent) and Ireland (20 per cent for craft apprenticeships, even lower for non-craft programmes).
Some countries have national schemes to help reduce dropout. In Germany, volunteer coaches provide direct support to learners experiencing workplace issues.
Funding and employer incentives
England is not generous to employers looking to take on apprentices.
Many are asked to contribute to training costs, and employers only receive additional financial incentives in special circumstances such as modest incentives to take younger apprentices.
Conversely, Irish employers receive a subsidy, pay nothing for off-the-job training, and during these training periods wages are paid by the government. In Northern Ireland and Wales the government pays 100 per cent of off-the-job training costs.
Improving access
Crucially, for apprenticeships to deliver for social mobility they need to be accessible for all young people. That includes providing pathways for those not ready to start an apprenticeship immediately.
Many countries have large pre-apprenticeship systems, or modified programmes for those with limited prior attainment. Here, planned foundation apprenticeships could fill that gap.
Some countries also run programmes for disadvantaged groups. Ireland’s 15-week Access to Apprenticeships programme gives young people from lower income backgrounds the chance to sample apprenticeships in multiple sectors. The government also provides an access and inclusion bursary of about £2,500 to support young people on the programme.
Learnings for England
Too many young people in England are being failed by the apprenticeship system.
Learning from what works well internationally, we need greater standardisation and a re-introduction of the 12-month minimum duration for apprenticeships, alongside shorter foundational programmes.
There should be minimum requirements for face-to-face off-the-job training, with tighter enforcement.
And the government should fund specific incentives to support apprentices from lower socio-economic backgrounds, taking learnings from similar programmes overseas.
Apprenticeships can break down barriers to opportunity. The government must ensure England has a high-quality apprenticeship system that provides a genuine alternative career route from academic study, and that can truly deliver for social mobility.
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