New five-point plan to increase support for engineering and technology apprenticeships

The report, released today (October 16, 2023), is the culmination of a comprehensive inquiry, seeking to find solutions to the decline in apprenticeships in the engineering and technology sectors over recent years. 

Based on insights gathered from businesses, education providers and young people, the report contains five key policy recommendations for all political parties to consider.

It calls on government, along with employers and providers, to work together as a matter of urgency, to rebalance and refocus apprenticeships to make them accessible for young people.

Lord Knight, inquiry co-chair and former Labour education and employment minister, commented: “Despite 20 years of reviews and reform, Britain is lagging behind our competitors in developing the skilled workforce we need to engineer a prosperous future. 

“This failure to better link schools and skills wastes the great potential of our young people. I hope this bold and practical set of recommendations will be listened to by policymakers and practitioners and finally fix this problem.”