Let's build a system that works for everyone

As I come to the end of my time as Apprenticeship Coordinator at the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, I’ve had the chance to reflect on what’s changed, and what hasn’t, in how we support young people into work. After thirty-four years as both an employee and an employer, working alongside hundreds of young people, this role has given me a new perspective. It’s been rewarding, but also frustrating. The White Paper, the Youth Guarantee, and the Growth and Skills Levy suggest a moment of reset. But I worry that, without clarity and coordination, these initiatives will breed confusion and deliver little impact. Too often, efforts to boost apprenticeship starts focus on awareness. A huge amount of time and resource is spent on telling young people about apprenticeships, but awareness about apprenticeships has never been higher.

Perhaps most critically, engagement with SMEs remains minimal. I’ve spoken with thousands of small businesses, and the level of awareness and understanding around apprenticeships is simply not where it needs to be. The current system places the responsibility for employer engagement on training providers (all 1,800+ of them), assuming they will inform and support businesses. But the levy system skews their priorities toward upskilling existing staff and targeting larger employers. The time, patience, and relationship-building needed to support an SME that might take on one apprentice every few years is often left behind. Worryingly, employers are sometimes only offered the apprenticeship options that providers can deliver, not necessarily what’s best for the business or the apprentice. I’ve had too many conversations with employers who’ve chosen a standard that doesn’t suit their needs, simply because it was recommended by a provider.

What’s missing is impartial advice. Employers need a service that isn’t trying to sell, cover costs, or fill cohort gaps. They need someone who will focus on their business, help them shape a plan to recruit young people, select the right apprenticeship standard, and guide them through choosing a provider. They need answers about funding, pay, and working hours. And most importantly, they need someone who can tell them when an apprenticeship isn’t the right solution and offer alternatives. Across England, there are pockets of people offering this kind of support. The National Apprenticeship Hub Network is a collective of like-minded professionals tackling these issues head-on. But they face a constant battle for funding, squeezed by ever-tightening local government budgets. As a result, the support available is a postcode lottery, both for young people and for employers.