Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reduction in (1) the percentage of apprentices under the age of 19, and (2) the number of entry level apprenticeships; and what plans they have to reverse this trend.

The government wants more young people to benefit from apprenticeships that offer high-quality training and opportunities for progression.

There have been 56,200 apprenticeship starts by people under 19 so far in the 2021/22 academic year, compared to 38,800 in the 2020/21 academic year, and 58,100 in the 2019/20 academic year. The proportion of apprenticeship starts in the under 19 age group have recovered, following the decrease seen this time last year, with under 19-year-olds now accounting for 27.6% of total starts.

Employers have developed 647 apprenticeship standards, 140 of which are at Level 2, which is equivalent to GCSE level, and 210 of which are at Level 3, which is equivalent to A level. The department continues to welcome the development of high-quality apprenticeship standards by employers at all levels. There have been 55,300 apprenticeship starts at Level 2 so far in the 2021/22 academic year, compared to 41,500 in the 2020/21 academic year, and 65,000 in the 2019/20 academic year. Starts at this level equate to 27.1% of total starts.

There have been 88,100 apprenticeship starts at Level 3 so far in the 2021/22 academic year compared to 69,100 in the 2020/21 academic year and 87,600 in the 2019/20 academic year. Starts at this level equate to 43.2% of total starts.

Starts at both Levels 2 and 3 still account for 70% of all apprenticeships. Further breakdowns on apprenticeship starts by age and level are published each month and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships-may-2022.

The department is continuing to improve the apprenticeship system for employers. We are making apprenticeship training even more flexible, so that employers across all sectors can access apprenticeships. We are also helping employers choose more flexible training models like flexi-job, front-loaded, and accelerated apprenticeships.

The department has a range of work underway to ensure that young people can access apprenticeships more easily. This includes working on new ways to connect young people in schools and colleges with employers and providers much earlier in their final year, when they are considering their options. It also includes working with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education to identify and promote standards most suitable for those starting their careers. We are also working with employers and providers to highlight the benefits of hiring young apprentices, and increase their use of our free recruitment tools so that vacancies are accessible through our ‘find an apprenticeship’ service.

Additionally, the department is exploring options with the Office for Students to allocate up to £8 million from the strategic priorities grant to accelerate the growth of degree apprenticeships. Degree apprenticeships offer a high-quality alternative to traditional university study. They have a key role to play in ensuring that young people are doing courses that give them the skills and knowledge to move into high-value employment that benefits them and the economy.