Discrimination and work, Employer Hub, News, Policy hub
Research brings more understanding on barriers minority ethnic young people experience in accessing and completing apprenticeships
Apr 08, 25
A new report, commissioned by Youth Futures Foundation and conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), is part of ongoing work to better understand the disparities in access and completions of apprenticeships between ethnic minoritised young people and their white peers.
The qualitative report, published today (8 April), explores the experiences of young apprentices from Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds – representing groups who have some of the lowest employment outcomes – as well as insight from employers, training providers and expert stakeholders.
In line with findings from our Discrimination and Work report in 2024, interviewees reported instances of racism and discrimination that led to feelings of alienation among minority ethnic apprentices. They also reported a lack of awareness or understanding about apprenticeships, particularly among parents and family networks. Financial barriers were widely raised alongside regional and sectoral variations.
International evidence brought together in our Youth Employment Toolkit shows that apprenticeships are likely to have a high positive impact on youth employment outcomes, particularly for those most marginalised. But participation rates have fallen sharply overall for young people in recent years. Furthermore, access to and progress within apprenticeships is not equal for all young people; analysis that will be published shortly in our complementary quantitative report takes a closer look at the data and what it tells us about the disparity that exists between young people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and their white peers on apprenticeship starts and completions.
At a time when the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) is on the rise at nearly a million, it is essential we better understand both the overall drivers and the specific barriers experienced by those young people most marginalised. The 2021 census shows that a quarter of England’s future workforce will soon come from a minority ethnic background, yet we know that too many are facing barriers to employment. Evidence tells us apprenticeships have the potential to be transformative, and we know from our survey of over 3,000 minority ethnic young people last year that better access to these opportunities is something young people want to see. Our ongoing research in this area is designed to help policy makers, employers, training providers and others better understand the barriers that exist for these young people and to inform the collective action needed to help dismantle them so all our young people have a chance to thrive.
Barry Fletcher - Chief Executive, Youth Futures Foundation
This study addresses a long-standing evidence gap on the drivers behind ethnic disparities in apprenticeships in England. By centring the voices and experiences of Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi young people through qualitative research, we now have a solid foundation to drive meaningful change and advance toward equitable access, participation and outcomes from all apprentices in the future.
Nathan Hudson - Head of Social Equity, The National Centre for Social Research
This important research is welcome and timely. Race disparities in apprenticeships have persisted for a long time and show no sign of being closed. The exceptionally low start rates for Black young people are especially disturbing. There is more work to do with employers, schools, careers services and ethnic minority communities. It is time for the government to galvanise and connect these stakeholders through national and regional race equity actions plans.
Jeremy Crook OBE - Chief Executive, Action for Race Equality, member of the Advisory Group for this research project
The findings from Youth Futures’ research provide a vital snapshot of the ongoing barriers faced by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds in accessing and succeeding in apprenticeships. From the lack of awareness and financial obstacles to experiences of racism and the absence of role models, it’s clear that significant disparities persist. The research underscores the importance of improving access to apprenticeship information, fostering inclusive environments, and supporting diversity at all levels.
Raheem Mohammad - Director Hamara, a lead partner of Youth Future’s Connected Futures programme
