No train, no gain: An investigation into the quality of apprenticeships in England

10 years ago, the Coalition Government commissioned the ‘Richard Review’ to ensure that apprenticeships in England were “consistently delivering high quality training”. The Review called for a package of reforms that aimed to deliver a “world class” system, which centred around a new ‘employer-led’ approach that has allowed employers to control the design and provision of apprenticeships over the past decade. This report investigates what has happened to the quality of apprenticeships after ministers and civil servants sought to implement the Review’s proposals.