In recent years, apprenticeships have increasingly emerged as an aspirational programme instead of the “good choice for other people’s children” as they were often seen in the past.
Much of that shift in attitude has come in line with the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy back in 2017, which, six years on, has sparked an important debate among policymakers and higher education institutions about how we improve take-up, particularly among those learners who could benefit most.
David Kernohan’s recent piece analysing data on apprenticeships argues that while apprenticeships are, on the whole, a good thing, they are not a silver bullet for social mobility. Yet, the data shows a more optimistic picture, highlighting how apprenticeships are one of the critical pathways for individuals to climb the social and economic ladder.
There is growing evidence from employers, training providers and learners that the apprenticeship reforms and development of these high-quality courses have created new routes and allowed take-up that would not otherwise have happened – both from existing employees and new hires.
