How do we make sure apprenticeships are high quality and accessible?
How can we build high quality technical education that works for all?
Apprenticeships and technical education are important ways for people to improve their skills and build a career, and for employers to meet their skills needs.
This is particularly true for young people, as well as for people looking to retrain or update their skills. However, the number of apprenticeships for young people is lower in the UK than in many other countries. Access to apprenticeships is unequal, with significant gender segregation in subject areas along with inequalities for gender, ethnicity and some socioeconomic groups. Many apprenticeships are world-class, but there is further to go to ensure that all apprenticeships meet this standard.
Take-up of technical and vocational education is also lower than in many other countries. Changing this requires high-quality routes which can be easily understood. Building these will need engagement with young people, adults, parents and guardians, employers and education providers.
Our work is focused on understanding the challenges and opportunities in widening access to high quality apprenticeships and technical education. This includes research to understand current inequalities in participation, working on projects testing how to make a difference, and helping to shape policy and practice in order to support high quality, accessible routes for young people and other adults.
Our work evidences that apprenticeships can be a great way to for employers to get the staff they want and it also helps apprentices to combine learning with earning.
Our research shows that quality traineeships and pre-apprenticeships can help develop the skills, experience and confidence young people need to move into work.
Our work on technical and vocational education shows it is essential to help people build skills and careers and for employers to meet their skills needs.