Apprenticeships

Design, fund and deliver outreach and recruitment activities that raise young people’s awareness of apprenticeships, with targeted initiatives to reach under-represented group who are most likely to benefit.

This might include:

• Young people who have been out of work and/or learning for longer periods.
• Young people without Level 2 qualifications.
• Young people whose life experiences put them at higher risk of marginalisation in the labour market, for example those with experience of the care system and/or with SEN.

Discover more about risk factors associated with being NEET.

Also consider how best to identify and engage the most suitable partners and employers for a programme. Engagement should be timely and clear, in ways that raise awareness and facilitate recruitment, enrolment, and sustained engagement.

Effective programmes may use direct community outreach activities for engaging under-served groups, alongside up-to-date local and administrative data, working with public employment services, or advertising vacancies along with eligibility criteria.

Establish effective pre-programme learning and orientation activities to bolster access to and completion of apprenticeships by

• building realistic expectations
• changing misconceptions
• addressing gaps in skills and knowledge, particularly in Maths and English

Explore the Learning and Work Institute’s guidance for designing and delivering pre-apprenticeships and developing skills.

Employers and providers can use the Skills Builder Universal Framework for identifying and addressing gaps.

Design, fund and deliver programmes that:

• are quality assured by appropriate methods where relevant
• support young people to develop a range of theoretical, practical, transferrable and interpersonal skills
• help learners maintain motivation and understand their professional and personal development
• prioritise tailored support for participants, accounting for the complexity and diversity of individuals’ needs, which may include provision of equipment or adapted materials, or referrals to additional services
• include pastoral, wellbeing and specialist support, particularly for apprentices with additional needs or who face additional barriers to the labour market
• monitor and support tutor and manager capacity to reduce administrative and emotional burden, which may include training

Effective programmes may utilise personal advisors or co-designed action plans that align with participants’ goals, aspirations and circumstances. These are most effective when used consistently.

Providers of apprenticeships can use the Learning and Work Institute’s guidance for more info on how to design and deliver programmes that improve apprentices’ experience and engagement.

A strong relationship at all stages between policymakers, learning providers, employers, community organisations and local skills delivery organisations including Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Local Skills Improvement Plan areas supports effective apprenticeship implementation.

This can be facilitated by designated relationship managers in each organisation, clarity on responsibility and roles, and regular opportunities for staff training and good practice sharing.

Read the Institute of Public Policy Research’s report on the role of intermediaries in building partnerships for apprenticeships and increasing provision.

Match apprenticeship provision to opportunities in the local labour market and the skills needs of employers.

This can be supported by effective involvement and support in planning stages, and flexibility within national or regional frameworks to meet the needs of specific groups of learners, sectors, and employers.

Support providers and delivery organisations to accurately and systematically capture and communicate data and milestones and track programme outcomes. This may include structured and standardised tracking forms, or developing realistic programme-specific performance frameworks.

For funders and commissioners – ensure recorded data, reporting and assessment captures a full range of appropriate and relevant youth employment and related outcomes to help rich understanding to ensure rich picture of what programmes do.

Encouraging reporting commonly recognised metrics allows evaluation to be easily comparable and included in the growing evidence base.

Design, fund and deliver apprenticeships that can incorporate staff and young people’s insights and feedback to better respond to needs and improve service delivery, performance and outcomes.

Relevant and strategic adjustments may include changing the intensity, duration of or type of elements, or adapting eligibility criteria or services to fit the needs of young people in the local area.