The future of apprenticeships: Higher and often?

Abstract

Policy changes to apprenticeships in England have focused on meeting the needs of employers, including offering higher apprenticeships and being offered to adults and young people. labor market predictions indicate a reduced need for lower-level skills and a greater need for higher level skills over the next ten years. This paper considers key aspects of labor market demand notably management skills, and skilled workers in both construction and social care, and the apprenticeship offer in those areas. Further, it identifies trends towards apprenticeship pathways and the growth in adults and higher apprenticeships. These combine to conclude that apprenticeship delivery is adapting to labor market demand by offering opportunities to obtain higher level skills and at different times during a career, contributing to our understanding of apprenticeship policy and its links to the labor market.