England has launched a series of reforms that champion the institution of apprenticeship, and address some previous weaknesses. The reforms encourage more substantive apprenticeship programmes and a stronger funding framework. Despite these strengths, there is still some way to go to establish an apprenticeship system in England to match those of the strongest countries. This report suggests several ways in which reforms might be adapted to achieve higher quality and better outcomes. An effective apprenticeship system involves various elements such as the development of the apprentice in the workplace by the employer and the broader education of young apprentices. The report argues that England should consider introducing regulations and standards to ensure that these elements are part of all apprenticeship programmes, and that the recently introduced apprenticeship levy supports high-quality training. In comparison to other countries, England has relatively few young apprentices. The report suggests England could facilitate transition from school to work by making better use of apprenticeships targeting school leavers.

1. APPRENTICESHIP IN
ENGLAND, UNITED
KINGDOM
April 2018

2. Apprenticeship in England, United Kingdom:
Compares the English apprenticeship system with those of other countries.
Takes place in the context of reforms redesigning apprenticeships in England.
Assesses the direction of the reforms including: the introduction of apprenticeship
levy, development of apprenticeship standards and degree apprenticeships.
Explores the remaining challenges facing the apprenticeship system and asks what
can be done to further improve the apprenticeship system in England.
Provides policy options for how these challenges could be addressed.
What is the focus of the review?

3. ‘Apprenticeship in England, United Kingdom’ explores how to:
Promote and strengthen youth apprenticeship.
Engage employers in providing work-based learning.
Ensure appropriate funding through the new levy.
Ensure apprentice qualifications and assessment are of high quality.
Promote equity and social mobility through apprenticeship.
Develop apprenticeships in the public sector, in SMEs, and at degree level.
What are the issues addressed in the review?

4. Figure 1. There are large differences in the use of apprenticeship across countries
Current apprentices in programmes leading to upper-secondary or shorter post-secondary qualifications as a share of
all students enrolled in upper-secondary and shorter post-secondary education (ISCED 3 and ISCED 4C),
16-65-year-olds (2012)
Apprenticeship across countries:
How common is apprenticeship?
Notes: In England, there are no qualifications classified at ICED 4C level. The data are based on self-report and may therefore
undercount apprentices in England given evidence that some of them are not aware that they are apprentices. In Japan, Italy, the United
States, Spain, Sweden, Korea and Ireland the estimated share of current apprentices is not significantly different from zero. ISCED:
International Standard Classification of Education, www.uis.unesco.org/Education/Documents/isced-2011-en.pdf.
Source: OECD (2016), Survey of Adult Skills (PIAAC) (Database 2012, 2015), www.oecd.org/skills/piaac/publicdataandanalysis/.

5. Table 1. English apprenticeships are shorter than in many other countries
with an average of around 18 months
Figure 2. Duration of apprenticeships across countries
Apprenticeship across countries:
What is the apprenticeship duration?
Source: Kuczera M. (2017), “Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship”, OECD Education Working Papers, No.
153, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/995fff01-en. DfE (2016), Apprenticeships Evaluation 2015 – Learners, A report by IFF Research with
the Institute for Employment Research at the University of Warwick, DfE, London, United Kingdom,
www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/562485/Apprenticeships_evaluation_2015_-_Learners.pdf
Duration of the programme including off-the-
job period and work placement with the
company
Austria 3-4 years
Denmark 3.5-4 years (typically)
England Min 12 months - average around 18 months
Germany 2-3.5 years
Netherlands 2-4 years
Norway Mostly 4 years (shorter programmes are available for
disadvantaged students)
Sweden 3 years
Switzerland 3-4 years (2-year programmes are available for
disadvantaged students)

6. In England apprenticeships serve both young people and older adults.
In England, apprentices are on average older than apprentices in some other countries
and around half of starting apprentices are incumbent works.
Figure 2. Share of 25-year-olds and older among current apprentices (2012)
Apprenticeship across countries:
How old are apprentices?
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
Source: Kuczera, M. (2017), “Striking the right balance: Costs and benefits of apprenticeship”, OECD Education Working Papers, No.
153, http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/995fff01-en; Data for England: BIS (2014),
“Apprenticeships Evaluation: Learner Survey”, BIS Research Paper, No. 205, www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-
evaluation-learner-survey-2014

7.  Current reforms represent a serious attempt to develop a high-quality
apprenticeship system.
 Data and evaluation are strong.
 Apprenticeships are becoming more substantive and organised according
to new standards.
 A more transparent apprenticeship qualifications system is in place.
 There are interesting initiatives such as traineeships.
What are the strengths of the English
apprenticeship system?

8. How to promote and strengthen youth apprenticeship?
CHALLENGE:
Young apprentices in England receive less general education than their peers in many other
countries. At the same time young people in England lag behind their peers on basic numeracy
and literacy.
FACTS:
•In England, general education, including maths and English, adds up to roughly 50-100 hours
over the apprenticeship duration and is mandatory only for those not meeting the minimum
requirements. This compares to around 400 hours of general education covering a range of
subjects in German and Swiss apprenticeships and nearly 600 hours in the Norwegian
apprenticeships.
•In England nearly 30% of 16-24 year-olds lack strong literacy and numeracy, as compared to 20%
in Germany and 10% in the Netherlands.
POLICY OPTIONS:
Youth apprenticeships should provide more general education, including for apprentices who
already have Level 2 English and maths qualifications.
Selected challenges and policy options

9. How to develop work-based learning?
CHALLENGE:
In England training in the workplace, as part of apprenticeship programmes, is not systematic and
is subject to little quality assurance. Lack of standards with regard to training in workplaces
increases the risk that employers will substitute apprentices for unskilled workers.
FACTS:
•Simulations based on cost-benefit surveys show that a Swiss employer could increase their net
benefits by an average of EUR 22 000 per apprentice over the period of an apprenticeship if the
apprentices performed only unskilled tasks while in the work place
•In England for levy-paying employers, an apprentice at any wage below £6 or below 80% of the
minimum national wage (£7.50) would cost less than employing a worker at the national
minimum wage.
POLICY OPTIONS:
Employer engagement should be encouraged by introducing clear standards for work-based
learning, and investing in the training capacity of employers. Regulations and standards should
also ensure that apprentices are not used solely as unskilled labour.
Selected challenges and policy options

10. How to ensure quality?
CHALLENGE:
England has launched a series of reforms that champion apprenticeship. One of the challenges in
apprenticeship policy is to ensure high quality at a time of rapid change and reform. Proliferation
of apprenticeship standards is one of the risks.
FACTS:
•The Institute for Apprenticeship has already reported concerns that some standards may be
overlapping or amount to micro-qualifications. The House of Commons Select Committee
suggested that as many as 1500 apprenticeship standards may emerge.
•Other countries have limited number of apprenticeship standards. In Austria, Germany,
Switzerland there are 200-300 standards in each country, in Canada apprenticeships are available
in 150 skilled trades.
POLICY OPTIONS:
Apprenticeship qualifications need to be sufficiently broad, and therefore few in number, to allow
apprentice graduates to change employers and develop their careers
Selected challenges and policy options

11. The English review is one of an OECD series of studies on VET and apprenticeships.
Forthcoming country reviews include:
The review of Israel
The review of Estonia
The OECD has provided targeted advice on VET policy to more than 30 countries
around the world. Country studies focus on VET at upper-secondary and
postsecondary level and look at various aspects of VET policy, such as: how to ensure
VET programmes are aligned with the demand for skills from the labour market, how
to ensure VET provision is of high quality, and how to build employers’ support for
VET. All country studies are available here: http://www.oecd.org/education/skills-beyond-
school/countrystudies.htm
Which other countries we are working with?

12. Kuczera, M. and S. Field (2018), Apprenticeship in England, United Kingdom, OECD
Reviews of Vocational Education and Training, OECD Publishing, Paris,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264298507-en
For more information:
www.oecd.org/education/vet
Malgorzata.Kuczera@oecd.org