The North is beating the South in apprenticeship numbers

Over a third of all apprenticeships began in the region last year, more than the number started in the South.

Over a third of all apprenticeships began in the region last year, more than the number started in the South.

School leavers in the North of England are taking up more apprenticeships than their peers in the South, new figures show. Less than a quarter of the nation’s workforce live in the region, but more than a third of all apprenticeships were started there in 2017.

There were 173,680 northerners starting training schemes in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber last year, compared to 161,520 southerners enrolling. This made up 35.4% of the national total. 45%of the apprenticeships started in the North were either Advanced or Higher Apprenticeships.

This is in spite of research that shows parents in the region are less than enthusiastic about the programmes. Last year, AllAboutSchoolLeavers’ annual research survey showed that, over 30% of parents in the North thought their child was “too smart” an apprenticeship.

Despite a recent push to increase the number of people taking up apprenticeships in the UK – the new Apprenticeship Levy being introduced a year ago, the government’s goal of creating three million new apprenticeships by 2020, the raising of the National Minimum Wage for apprentices in April, and the introduction of Degree Apprenticeships – many parents remain uninformed about the different opportunities these programmes present, and still think they are for less high-achieving young people.

There were 173,680 northerners starting training schemes in the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humber last year, compared to 161,520 southerners enrolling. This made up 35.4% of the national total. 45%of the apprenticeships started in the North were either Advanced or Higher Apprenticeships.

AllAboutSchoolLeavers looked at parents’ attitudes to apprenticeships as part of its annual school leaver careers market research. When asked “To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: ‘I think my child will be/is too smart to do an apprenticeship’?” more parents in the North selected Agree or Strongly Agree than the rest of the UK, followed closely by London. Parents in the Midlands were the least likely to hold this view.

Minister Jake Berry told the Sun last month: “The Northern Powerhouse is leading the country on apprenticeships with some of the biggest global brands such as McLaren and Siemens choosing the skilled North as their hub to train a new generation of employees.”

He added: “The vocational revolution we’re seeing across the North of England is preparing the economy for the opportunities and challenges that come with Brexit.”

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