Apprenticeships in England: what next?

Abstract

This paper examines recent development in Apprenticeship training in England. Since the introduction of Modern Apprenticeships in the mid-1990s this form of training has been subject to much analysis and reform. This paper summarises the current situation and highlights some of the challenges and opportunities which face Apprenticeship over the short to medium term as it seeks to establish itself as a main alternative to the academic pathway through further education.

Keywords:

• workplace learning
• vocational education and training
• VET and the labour market
• policy issues
• further education

Notes

1. Large employers can also contract directly with Government such that they can act as their own training provider, though this is quite an onerous undertaking (Ryan, Gospel, and Lewis 2007).

2. Training providers might not choose to obtain a share of the training cost from the employer, in which case they will bear the cost.

3. Programme-led Apprenticeships refer to those situations where the apprentice is not in employment and the Apprenticeship is delivered, at least in its early stages, by the training provider.