The campaign is for employers of all sizes and sectors, whether levy payers or not. It’s especially relevant for employers with a high volume of entry-level roles, skills gaps, or recruitment and retention challenges. By taking action, employers can turn these challenges into opportunities, shaping a stronger future workforce.

No. Many existing roles can be delivered as apprenticeships. The campaign supports employers to review entry-level positions to see if they can be:

• converted into an apprenticeship
• offered at Level 2 to widen access
• leveraged to benefit the wider supply chain or sector.

Absolutely. SMEs across many sectors are already delivering entry-level apprenticeships with great success. Apprenticeships can be tailored to fit the scale of your business, helping you build the skills you need while supporting young people into work. Explore the case studies above see how SMEs like yours are making apprenticeships work and reaping the benefits.

While Youth Futures doesn’t deliver direct support to employers, we provide evidence-led insights so you can act with confidence and be part of the change.

Through the Make it an Apprenticeship campaign, you can access:

• Practical tools and guidance to get started – like our Apprenticeships Toolkit Unwrapped [LINK] and the other resources signposted on this page.
• Employer case studies showing apprenticeships in action.
• Connections to trusted partners and providers.
• Webinars and briefings with expert insights.

For technical advice on apprenticeship delivery and funding, we recommend exploring the Government guidance on employing an apprentice. At gov.uk, you can also find specific guidance on National Insurance contributions for apprenticeships, and search for local apprenticeship training providers who you can contact as you figure out your next steps.

When organisations join forces, we can grow apprenticeship opportunities across sectors and regions, creating impact at scale.

Employer organisations can play a powerful role by:

• sharing campaign resources with members
• sharing case studies or insights to inspire others
• collaborating on events and learning activities

Get in touch with our team if you’d like to collaborate.

More than 900,000 young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Evidence suggests that apprenticeships can improve young people’s employment prospects, while helping employers build job-ready talent, cut recruitment costs, and boost retention and productivity. Level 2 and 3 apprenticeships present important opportunities for young people, yet these opportunities have declined sharply in recent years.

Supporting employers to create more entry-level apprenticeships is intended to strengthen businesses and improve youth employment outcomes.

National policy reforms in 2025 laid the foundations for an evidence-led, system-wide approach to tackling youth unemployment. With £725m recently announced to support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships, they are positioned as a key piece of the puzzle.

While policy details continue to evolve, fundamentals aren’t changing:

• young people need to access meaningful opportunities
• employers need to recruit and retain talent
• entry level apprenticeships offer a solution

Employers who create entry level apprenticeship opportunities for young people can benefit now, as trailblazers in shaping an employment system that works for everyone.

Yes – a Foundation apprenticeship is a type of Level 2 apprenticeship. Foundation apprenticeships were introduced in 2025 to support growth in specific sectors, and they are only for young people.

The Government’s announcement of an additional £1 billion investment into the Youth Guarantee, alongside major reforms and investment to the apprenticeship system to generate 50,000 more apprenticeships, reinforces the importance of creating more entry-level apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

The reforms include new employer incentives and a renewed focus on expanding opportunities for 16–24-year-olds, responding to the sharp decline in entry‑level apprenticeship starts over the past decade. This aligns directly with the purpose of our Make it an Apprenticeship campaign, which showcases how employers can take action now, rather than waiting for reforms to bed in.

Our campaign provides practical inspiration and real‑world examples of businesses already using apprenticeships to build talent pipelines, fill skills gaps and support young people into meaningful employment—demonstrating that apprenticeships make business sense today. The Government’s announcement strengthens this message: the need is urgent, the direction of travel is clear, and employers can start creating opportunities immediately.