A recent analysis reveals a significant drop in the number of apprenticeships started by individuals under the age of 19 over the last seven years of Conservative governance. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) reported a 26% decline in apprenticeship start rates for under 19s and a 15% decrease for 19-24-year-olds between 2017 and 2024. Accompanying this trend, achievement rates also saw a decline, with a 44% drop for under 19s and a 31% decrease for 19-24-year-olds.
Furthermore, TUC’s separate analysis highlighted that in the 2022/23 period, 14.8% of 16-18-year-olds who transitioned from school or college to work, further education, or training did not complete or continue their chosen path, an increase from 12.9% in 2017-18. Notably, young people with special educational needs exhibited a dropout rate of 25.9%, while those on free school meals faced a higher rate of 26.8%.
The TUC emphasized the need for urgent reforms in apprenticeship programs to address the persistent challenges faced by young individuals under the Tory administration. The Labour Party’s initiative, known as the youth guarantee, aims to rectify the shortcomings of the previous regime. Opposition leader Keir Starmer has pledged to improve opportunities for young people, shifting focus from a university attendance target to ensuring that 50% of youth engage in university, further education, or high-quality apprenticeships by the age of 25.
In a bid to revamp the apprenticeship system, the Government has introduced a new growth and skills levy, replacing the existing apprenticeship levy and introducing foundation apprenticeships. This updated levy aims to provide funding for shorter apprenticeship programs, granting learners and employers increased flexibility in training compared to the previous structure.
TUC urged policymakers to broaden the reach of the new levy, which currently applies to only 2% of employers, in the upcoming Budget session. Expanding the levy’s scope would incentivize more employers to invest in training and hire new apprentices, benefiting both the workforce and aiding in reducing youth unemployment.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak expressed disappointment in the past Tory government’s failure to invest adequately in the futures of young individuals, resulting in nearly one million youths disconnected from work, education, and training. Nowak acknowledged Labour’s efforts to address these issues but stressed the necessity for further apprenticeship reforms, citing the value of practical work experience in combating rising rates of worklessness and asserting that such investments would yield long-term benefits for the economy.