On-the-job training Toolkit resources

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On-the-job training

On-the-job training supports young people’s engagement in work and training longer term, with marked positive impacts on apprenticeship participation.

Last updated: 26 August 2026

Education

Employment

Training

Little or no difference made to recent employment

For every 100 young people who are NEET and take part in on-the-job training as a component of a targeted youth employment intervention, around the same number of young people are in employment 12 to 24 months later compared to those who did not take part. This component makes little or no difference to recent employment. However, it does have a low positive impact to employment longer-term at 24 months.

Key findings

Headline insights about this component based on current high-quality evidence

Longer-term employment and work quality

Improves work outcomes

On-the-job training is associated with a low positive impact on employment at 24 months after the start of the intervention and is associated with higher wages and longer time spent employed.

It is also likely to be associated with a reduction in the number of young people who are NEET at 24 months after the start of an intervention (with >27% probability of a high positive impact).

On-the-job training has moderate positive impacts on work quality. It is associated with higher income from work (80% probability), and with a longer time spent in employment.

Learning and training

Young people who engage in on-the-job training may increase their participation in level 2 qualifications and apprenticeships.

The impact of on-the-job training on getting a level 2 qualification at 24 months after the start of an intervention is very small. However it is associated with a small positive impact on participation in qualifications of this kind, at the same time point.

It is also associated with increased participation in some kind of training, and with a 74% probability of having high positive impact on participation in apprenticeships.

Good quality apprenticeships – delivered to those who are well-equipped to pursue them – can have a positive effect on employment, especially for young people from marginalised backgrounds.

Insights from Kickstart Scheme

A recent process evaluation of the UK Government’s Kickstart Scheme indicates it may support young people to find paid employment with the providing employer, or progress into further education or training.

The scheme provided funding for further learning and training, alongside employer incentives to create new jobs for 16- to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who were at risk of long-term unemployment. Three in ten young people who participated in the scheme were employed seven months after the scheme. And the majority who were in work said that the skills and experiences they gained had been important in helping them find work.

What is on-the-job training?

Young people are placed with an employer to gain experience in tasks associated with a job in the relevant workplace or sector, and to gain training in relevant technical and interpersonal skills.

Typically on-the-job training

has an occupational focus, providing training in specific technical and soft skills associated with a particular role or sector
places a young person in a temporary role with an employer
may not pay the young person if they are already receiving social welfare benefits or other government funding
may be included in youth employment programmes with other complimentary components such as off-the-job training

In the context of the Toolkit, on-the-job training does not include qualifications and training that young people undertake independently or as part of the formal education system.

Who is on-the-job training for?

People aged 16 and over on employment benefits who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Who can offer on-the-job training?

Any UK organisation — business, charity, public-sector body or social enterprise — that meets legal requirements such as:

providing a safe working environment
complying with working-time rules for young people

How long is on-the-job training?

Most on-the-job training lasts lasts up to six months and sometimes longer, or occupies a number of hours within a larger programme.

How is on-the-job training funded?

On-the-job training programmes are independently funded by the central government.

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

On-the-job training can support young people to:

develop new skills and experience of the workplace
enhance long-term employment, earning and progression prospects
help provide a greater direction, experience, and confidence to take forward into future roles

Benefits for employers

On-the-job training can help employers:

build a skilled and loyal workforce by tailoring training to business needs while assessing talent for future roles
access a wider pool of talent
support employers’ diversity and social responsibility commitments, while strengthening their reputation as an employer of choice

The cost rating for on-the-job training is highhigh

Calculations are based on insights from available high-quality studies on the complexity of delivery requirements and estimated associated costs.

Outreach and recruitment activity

Tailored and varied with associated staffing, materials, scheduling and administrative costs. Delivery to young people with complex needs or vulnerabilities may require a more targeted approach to recruitment.

Delivery intensity

Most on-the-job training lasts six months and can be embedded within a larger youth employment programme

Delivery partners

Employers, training providers and potential intermediaries need to co-ordinate in partnership, supported by programme planning and management, requiring additional admin resource

Delivery expertise

Specialist and varied, including tutoring and curriculum design, specific curricula and assessment, learner support and skills to conduct needs assessments requiring specific staff recruitment or training

Wages, financial assistance or incentives

Recruitment costs and wages for specialist tutors, and provision for programme administration and management staff where appropriate

Delivery settings

Varied, integrated into existing workplaces of participating employers and college, university, or independent training provider in-person or virtual.

Outreach and recruitment activity	Tailored and varied with associated staffing, materials, scheduling and administrative costs. Delivery to young people with complex needs or vulnerabilities may require a more targeted approach to recruitment.
Delivery intensity	Most on-the-job training lasts six months and can be embedded within a larger youth employment programme
Delivery partners	Employers, training providers and potential intermediaries need to co-ordinate in partnership, supported by programme planning and management, requiring additional admin resource
Delivery expertise	Specialist and varied, including tutoring and curriculum design, specific curricula and assessment, learner support and skills to conduct needs assessments requiring specific staff recruitment or training
Wages, financial assistance or incentives	Recruitment costs and wages for specialist tutors, and provision for programme administration and management staff where appropriate
Delivery settings	Varied, integrated into existing workplaces of participating employers and college, university, or independent training provider in-person or virtual.

Considerations for decision makers

Based on existing evidence, we’ve identified some common features that support the commissioning, design and delivery of effective youth employment programmes:

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 benefit

Design, 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.

Build-in preparatory learning to support access and completion

Read more about Build-in preparatory learning to support access and completion

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 developing skills.

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

Tailor and structure programmes well to support access and maintain engagement

Read more about Tailor and structure programmes well to support access and maintain engagement

Design, 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.

Recognise local economic priorities and align with needs and opportunities

Read more about Recognise local economic priorities and align with needs and opportunities

A strong relationship between policymakers, learning providers, employers, community organisations and local skills delivery organisations including Mayoral Strategic Authorities and Local Skills Improvement Plan areas supports effective youth employment support programmes.

Design, fund and deliver programmes that foster collaboration with education providers such as colleges to improve access to relevant teaching experience.

Many 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.

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 base

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.

Prioritise staff recruitment, retention and training to build trust and reduce turnover

Read more about Prioritise staff recruitment, retention and training to build trust and reduce turnover

Design, fund and deliver programmes that:

recruit staff as early as feasible, allowing time for training which can support initial engagement and familiarisation
pay staff appropriately and seek where possible to employ staff on long-term or permanent contracts to ensure consistency and continuity of delivery
hire staff with appropriate knowledge, experience and/or qualifications, and provide sufficient training, ongoing support, and opportunities for peer learning
consider hiring staff with similar lived experiences to the target population and/or prior experience of working with young people in the local area
ensure low staff-to-participant ratios where possible, to support capacity to engage with participants on resource-heavy tasks such as co-designed action plans
clearly define roles and responsibilities and communicate intended outcomes and benchmarks to strengthen accountability

About the evidence

What’s included in the analysis?

Read more about What’s included in the analysis?

Included studies	43
Location(s)	High-income countries (mainly USA)
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 on-the-job training as a component of a targeted intervention to support youth employment outcomes

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 on-the-job training can be found on page 178.

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.

The evidence strength ratings for on-the-job training reflect the comparatively smaller numbers of studies included in the meta-analysis.

On-the-job training has been under-evaluated in the UK. In the case of of the education outcome (school completion), a high proportion of evidence from a single country (the USA).

The evidence for vocational education and training has a lower confidence rating because of relative imprecision of the estimate.

Limitations

Implications for evaluators and commissioners

Read more about Implications for evaluators and commissioners

The 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 on-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.

Case studies

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Employer case study: Supported Internships - Amazon

Intern Wayne, Operations Manager Stephen Day, and Workforce Community Engagement Project Manager Olivia Grimsley, discuss Amazon's Supported Internship Programme.

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