Call to make youth apprenticeships 'engine of social mobility'

In evidence submitted to the education, skills and the economy sub-committee’s apprenticeships inquiry, the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission said the number of young people undertaking and completing apprenticeships has fallen recently, and government plans to boost numbers will not improve the quality of placements.

It has called for “renewed focus” on youth apprenticeships being “an engine of social mobility”.

The government aims to improve vocational options for young people and has pledged to increase the number of apprenticeships by 30,000 over the next four years. 

But the commission said rather than increasing the number of apprenticeships overall, the plan needs to focus on giving greater priority to the proportion of apprenticeships that provide a clear route to improving a young person's social mobility. 

Data from the commission suggests there were around 1,000 fewer young adults aged 19 to 24 starting apprenticeships in 2014/15 compared with 2011/12.

There has also been an increase in the number of young people who don't complete their apprenticeship.

The commission's figures show the average rate of completion in 2013/14 was 68.9 per cent compared with 76.4 per cent in 2010/11.

The commission has recommended that the government:

• Increases the number of young people on higher apprenticeships – which lead to qualifications equivalent to a higher education certificate, foundation or bachelor degree – from the present 4,200 to 30,000 by 2020.

• Implement a “Ucas-like system” that brings together courses and their outcomes to better inform young people.

• Publishes regular data on the progress towards improving the social mobility potential of apprenticeships.

Chair of the commission, Alan Milburn said: "The government is committed to giving all young people a chance to make something of their lives, but the current drive to increase the number of apprenticeships isn’t delivering for people under the age of 24.

"The number of young apprentices has flatlined since 2010 and many of these apprenticeships don’t offer young people a foundation they can build on.

"The government needs to increase the quality of apprenticeships on offer to young people and make sure that every apprenticeship offers a genuine route to success."