Off-the-job training
Job-specific technical skills can be highly effective in driving young people’s engagement in education and training, which supports their longer-term employment prospects.
Last updated: 26 August 2026
Medium positive impact
Consolidating
Negative impact
Consolidating
Medium positive impact
Emerging
High - likely to require intense, complex and specific resource needs for effective delivery
For every 100 NEET young people, around 6 fewer may be in employment compared to service as usual 12 to 24 months after the start of the programme that includes off-the-job training – however, a higher proportion will be in various types of training and education. At 24 months after the start of an intervention the impact on employment is in the ‘low or no’ category, suggesting that more young people start to move into work (rather than learning) at this point.
Key findings
Headline insights about this component based on current high-quality evidence
UK case study
Insights from impact evaluation of SWAP
Very few impact evaluations of programmes including off-the-job training are available for the UK, but a study of the Sector Based Work Academy (SWAP) programme suggests for every 100 people who started the programme, substantially more would be in employment 24 months than would have been without the intervention.
This effect may be stronger for people who had previously been further from the labour market.
Analysis of UK data suggests that getting a vocational qualification or a degree is associated with better long-term outcomes for employment and learning. Young people who engage in these activities may have lower employment rates in the short term, but are building their long-term employability and career prospects.
Reducing NEET
At two years following the start of an intervention, off-the-job training is associated with a lower likelihood of young people being NEET (not in education, employment or training).
Alongside the findings for employment at 24 months post intervention start, this may reflect higher engagement in learning and training.
International studies of programmes with a substantial off-the-job training element suggest that these programmes may often have a positive impact on employment outcomes, but that this may only be observed after a relatively long period following the end of the intervention.
The analysis for the Youth Employment Toolkit suggests that this may reflect the positive impact of off-the-job training on engagement in training and learning, including getting a school leaving qualification, taking part in vocational training, and starting a degree.
Work quality
Positive impacts on income
Off-the-job training is likely to improve income young people earn from work.
Off-the-job training is likely to have positive impacts on income from work, with median effects in the ‘moderate’ range.
Little or no impact on hours spent at work or the length of time for which young people work may reflect more time spent in learning and/or training.
What is off-the-job training?
Young people learn about the specialised knowledge and vocational or technical skills required for specific occupations or industries.
Typically off-the-job training
- adopts a “train first, then place” approach where young people receive intensive training in a classroom or educational setting before transitioning into employment
- is short-term
-
is offered as part of a youth employment programme
An example of a UK programme that includes off-the-job training is the Sector-based Work Academy Programme (SWAP).
In the context of the Toolkit, off-the-job training does not include qualifications and training that young people undertake independently or as part of the formal education system.
Who is off-the-job training for?
Read more about Who is off-the-job training for?People aged 16 and over on employment benefits who are at risk of long-term unemployment.
How long does off-the-job-training last?
Read more about How long does off-the-job-training last?Programme length varies, but most are shorter than six months.
Who can offer off-the-job training?
Read more about Who can offer off-the-job training?- UK employers including business, charity, public-sector body or social enterprise that meets legal requirements
- Learning and training providers can offer and manage delivery
How is off-the-job-training funded?
Read more about How is off-the-job-training funded?Off-the-job training programmes are independently funded by the central government.
What are the delivery settings?
Read more about What are the delivery settings?- Workplaces of participating employers
- College, university, or independent training provider in-person or virtual
- Schools and communities
Benefits for young people
Off-the-job training programmes are likely to increase a young person’s:
- work-readiness by developing new skills and understanding of a workplace
- long-term prospects for employment, earning, and progression in work
Benefits for employers
In the longer term, off-the-job training can support employers to:
- recruit and retain young people with relevant job-specific skills
- access a wider pool of young candidates who are work-ready
The cost rating for off-the-job training is
Calculations are based on insights from available high-quality studies on the complexity of delivery requirements and estimated associated costs.
Considerations for decision makers
Based on existing evidence, we’ve identified some common features that support the design and delivery of effective xx:
01
Ensure outreach and awareness activities are effective and targeted to reach those most likely to benefit
Read more about Ensure outreach and awareness activities are effective and targeted to reach those most likely to benefitDesign, fund and deliver outreach and recruitment activities that raise young people’s awareness, 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 delivery 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.
They also seek to match opportunities to young people’s interests and motivations, assessing via pre-programme information and orientation.
02
Build-in preparatory learning to support access and completion
Read more about Build-in preparatory learning to support access and completionEstablish 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 developing skills.
Employers and providers can use the Skills Builder Universal Framework for identifying and addressing gaps.
03
Tailor and structure programmes well to maintain engagement
Read more about Tailor and structure programmes well to maintain engagementDesign, fund and deliver programmes that:
- are quality assured by appropriate methods where relevant
- support young people to develop a range of transferrable workplace skills and role-specific skills
- help learners maintain motivation and understand their professional and personal development
- include opportunities for group work and project-based learning, which can be facilitated through partnerships with colleges and learning providers
- 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
- have suitable resources, suitable equipment and delivery premises
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.
Content and design vary depending on the sector in which off-the-job training takes place.
04
Ensure programme delivery time is sufficient to see benefits
Read more about Ensure programme delivery time is sufficient to see benefitsMost of the programmes where a positive impact on participation is seen last for at least a year (and in most cases two or more years).
05
Recognise local economic priorities and align with needs and opportunities
Read more about Recognise local economic priorities and align with needs and opportunitiesMany programmes align their content closely with opportunities and skills needs in the local labour market. This relies on strong partnerships with local employers as well as good-quality labour market intelligence. Flexibility within national programmes can help local providers to adapt to conditions in their region or sector, and to adjust in response to changing contexts and opportunities.
Employer input to programmes helps to align training with the needs of the local economy and with opportunities for further training or employment.
06
Encourage systematic monitoring and evaluation to help build and strengthen the evidence base
Read more about Encourage systematic monitoring and evaluation to help build and strengthen the evidence baseSupport 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.
07
Prioritise iterative design and implementation strategies
Read more about Prioritise iterative design and implementation strategiesDesign, 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.
About the evidence
What’s included in the analysis?
Read more about What’s included in the analysis?| Included studies | 41 |
|---|---|
| Location(s) | High-income countries. USA (%) - Care should be taken when translating policy and practice to the UK context |
| Outcome | Labour force status, earnings, employment duration, hours worked, and education & skills |
| Comparator | 'Services as usual' |
The Youth Employment Toolkit brings together evidence from robust studies in high-income countries that:
- measured the intervention’s impact against what would have happened without it
- defined off-the-job training as a component of targetted youth employment programme
Find details of individual studies, as well as other systematic reviews of youth employment evaluations, in the Youth Employment Evidence and Gap Map.
More information about included studies can be found in page 55-60 of the full CNMA report. The specific evidence profile for off-the-job training can be found on page 100.
The evidence strength ratings reflect the comparatively smaller number of studies that contributed to the meta-analysis. The evidence for vocational education and training and for NEET has a lower confidence rating because of relative imprecision of the estimate, and a high proportion of evidence from a single country (the USA).
Studies were scored on reported design, sample size, approach to attrition, and definitions of interventions and outcome measures. More detail can be found in the technical guide.
Limitations
Read more about LimitationsFindings relate only to short-term off-the-job training as part of a youth employment programme.
The following are excluded:
- Training accessed independently through schools, further education, or vocational and technical training systems. For example young people who progress from school to vocational programmes in college would not be included in this data.
- Apprenticeships, or the off-the-job training element of an apprenticeship.
- Training offered by employers to established workers
Implications for evaluators and commissioners
Read more about Implications for evaluators and commissionersThe current evidence can be strengthened by taking a consistent approach to incorporating standardised metrics for education, employment and training outcomes as well as outcomes that indicate work quality.
High-quality impact evaluations of programmes that feature an off-the-job training component in a UK context, particularly those provided to young people who face additional barriers to employment, would be of great value in identifying the most effective approaches to recruitment, design and delivery, as well as quantifying the costs and benefits in terms of employment and education outcomes.
Explore how employers can transform the lives of marginalised young people and futureproof their workforce.
Additional Resources
Share feedback
If you have feedback or a question about the Toolkit, please get in touch.