Edge Foundation and 28 business leaders and sector stakeholders who are partners in the Apprenticeships Work campaign have signed and sent a letter to Pat McFadden MP, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, to urge the Government to take decisive action to help more small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) recruit apprentices. We believe this would unlock opportunities and growth across the country. Apprenticeships Work partners include the Federation of Small Businesses, Amazing Apprenticeships, the Association of Apprentices, Specsavers, the Co-Op, the Sutton Trust, the National Apprenticeship Hub Network, Greater Manchester Learning Provider Network, City and Guilds, Liverpool City Region and more than fifty other organisations.
We welcomed the Chancellor’s decision in the Autumn Budget to fully fund all apprenticeships for under-25s in SMEs. This is an important step towards easing training costs for small and medium-sized businesses. However, training costs are only one of several barriers that limit SME engagement with apprenticeships.
Alice Gardner, Chief Executive of Edge Foundation said, “We’re calling for the Government to expand support services for SMEs and break down the barriers that hold them back from engaging with the apprenticeship system. The government has already started the process, with the announcement in the Budget that all apprenticeships for under-25s in SMEs will be fully funded, but they can do much more. Our two recent reports, Chaos to Coordination and Agents of Change form the background to this campaign as does Edge’s broader mission to expand apprenticeship opportunities for young people and this letter reiterates those aims.”
SMEs are the backbone of our economy and are often where young people get their first experience of work. Yet despite their vital role, their participation in apprenticeships has declined markedly. This decline matters. 70% of apprenticeships in non-levy paying employers, mostly SMEs, are taken by 16–24-year-olds. These businesses are a critical driver of youth opportunity, local prosperity, and social mobility. Without stronger support for SMEs, we risk losing these vital entry-level pathways that build skills, confidence, and careers for the next generation.