Steep fall in apprenticeships take-up by young people

New starts fell by 19 per cent among 16- to 18-year-olds (from 131,400 to 106,600), and 26 per cent among 19- to 24-year-olds (from 153,900 to 113,700), between 2015/16 and 2017/18.

The bleak picture was echoed more widely, with levels across all ages down by 26 per cent, significantly down from pre-2017 reform levels, when the apprenticeship levy was introduced, according to the NAO report on the programme's value for money.

The government's target of creating three million apprenticeships by 2020 is therefore likely to be missed, unless the Department for Education does "much more to meet its ambitions", said NAO comptroller & auditor general Amyas Morse.

With many of the placements being aimed at vulnerable and disadvantaged young people - for whom apprenticeships are a vital route into employment - the fall is a major blow.

In its 2015 spending review, the government assumed that apprenticeship starts among 16- to 18-year-olds would stay at around 128,000 a year, while the number of starts for older age groups would rise, according to the report.

To meet its target, the DfE would have to double the rate of starters taking up the scheme before March 2020.

Overall, numbers dropped to 375,800 in 2017/18, from 509,400 in 2015/16 which the last full year before reforms.

Morse said: "Despite making changes to the apprenticeships programme, the department has not enticed employers to use available funds or encouraged enough potential recruits to start an apprenticeship.

"If the DfE is serious about boosting the country's productivity, it needs to set out clearly whether its efforts are on track to meet that aim."