In England, apprenticeships are an important route for people to enter the workforce with on-the-job experience and a qualification. These programs are of three distinct types. They range from Intermediate through Advanced, Higher and Degree apprenticeships, all tailored to the rigorous education-to-the-world real standards the country expects. From January 2024, the government of England will extend funding for apprenticeships to individuals aged 16-21, as well as for existing apprentices pursuing Level 7 qualifications.
The flexible design of apprenticeships makes room for a wide variety of opportunities. The Intermediate level is equivalent to GCSE, and the Advanced level is equivalent to A-level. Higher apprenticeships cover Levels 4 to 7, aimed at individuals looking for a foundation degree or above. Degree apprenticeships currently only go up to Levels 6 and 7. They give people the chance to complete a bachelor’s or master’s degree, all while developing important in-field experience.
Just last week, we heard that there were 736,500 apprentices in England last year. Yet the dropout rate for these programs is a sad reality. Too many apprentices don’t make it through—nearly half drop out of their programs. A Department for Education report released in March 2022 has confirmed a shocking reality. Only four in ten workers who exited their apprenticeship for personal reasons.
Looking to make your apprenticeship program more inclusive and diverse? Beginning in August 2025, the minimum length will be reduced from 12 months down to a mere eight months. This change is intended to make the programs more accessible and attractive to prospective candidates. And in fact, during the past 2023-24 academic year, just 23% of new apprentices were aged 19 or younger. This figure came up far short of the former Conservative government’s target, which sought 67% of apprentices be in that age group by this time.
Figure 3 Education, health and social care apprentices accounted for the majority of new apprentices in 2022-23. Business, administration, and law followed closely behind in popularity. This rising trend reaffirms the vital need for trained workers to address the high-level demand in these crucial fields.
Compensation for apprentices ranges from below the state minimum wage to above it, depending on age and experience. Apprentices aged under 19 or in their first year of apprenticeship are paid at least £7.55 an hour. Younger apprentices earn a lower wage. Apprentices aged 19 and 20 earn £10 an hour. Currently, those 21 or older benefit from a £12.21 per hour minimum wage. Usually, apprentices are on-site four days a week and spend the fifth day learning towards their qualification.
In response to encourage participation, the government has funded the full cost of apprenticeships for small companies hiring individuals aged 21 or under since last April. This pilot program provides tremendous assistance to younger workers. More importantly, it supports the growth of small businesses by lowering the training costs’ economic weight.
In Scotland, apprenticeships are divided into three categories in their system Foundation, Modern, and Graduate levels. These SCQF levels correspond to traditional Scottish education levels from Highers through to master’s degrees. These structural differences illustrate diverse regional focuses and strategies towards vocational training while still sharing common overall goals of skill development and job readiness.
Apprenticeships are currently grappling with dropout rates, as well as disparities among who participates demographically. There is much enthusiasm and commitment to increasing completion rates and improving the efficiency of these programs. In 2023-24, approximately 60.5% of apprentices completed and passed their final assessments, indicating a steady commitment among those who remain enrolled.
