The report revealed that there were 91,100 apprenticeship starts from August to October 2020.
This might be a 28% drop compared to the same period pre-COVID in 2019, but for apprentices aged 25 and older, the numbers grew year-on-year throughout 2020, suggesting that last summer’s clouds of uncertainty are starting to disperse for the apprenticeship market.
“This is a positive step forward for apprentices in professional roles as many are seeing the well-timed positive impact of online learning within the virtual workplace,” says Simon Matin, Apprenticeship Programme Manager.
The report points out that the data ‘covers a period affected by varying COVID-19 restrictions which will have impacted on apprenticeship and traineeship learning. Therefore, extra care should be taken in comparing and interpreting data presented in this release.’
“Some of the statistics available in terms of what apprentices bring to the business is just one of the reasons why having an apprenticeship scheme is important,” says Simon.
Figures from the recent Apprenticeships Evaluation 2018-19: Employers research report by IFF has shown that 86% of employers have developed or improved future skills in the business because of hiring apprentices, whilst 78% of employers said their apprentices supported improved productivity. And according to Apprenticeships.gov.uk, 74% of employers have seen improvements in the goods and services offered through the support of apprentices.
“Apprenticeships are 100% government funded and many people aren’t aware that the funding can be used to train and upskill both new or existing employees. They’re a fantastic way to support those within their early careers,” adds Simon.
