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How can the government make foundation apprenticeships work?
Against a chequered history of pre-employment and Level 2 employability skills training programmes, this research by MH&A explores what it would take for a new foundation apprenticeship programme to really work.
The UK government’s announcement of a new growth and skills levy marks a significant policy shift, allowing levy funds to support non-apprenticeship training, including the introduction of foundation apprenticeships. This new model aims to offer a high-quality ‘taster’ of the workplace to young people aged 16–24 and those in vulnerable groups. Designed to prioritise employability, foundation apprenticeships will be shorter than traditional apprenticeships, span multiple occupations within a sector, and feature simplified end-point assessments.
While the intent is welcome, the UK’s history with pre-employment and Level 2 programmes is mixed. Future Jobs Fund (FJF) was discontinued because of concerns over cost-effectiveness and targeting, and although traineeships showed promise, they failed to scale up. To ensure foundation apprenticeships don’t follow the same path, Gatsby commissioned researchers MH&A to undertake detailed desk research and extensive consultation with employers, colleges, training providers, sector bodies and community partners.
Since the introduction of the levy, the apprenticeship participation has skewed towards older incumbent workers often taking higher-level apprenticeships. Apprenticeships are no longer fulfilling their original purpose of supporting young people into skilled work.
The resulting recommendations centre on creating a meaningful and distinct pre-employment offer for young people, without diluting the value or clarity of the established apprenticeship brand.
In response to rising numbers of young people not in education, employment, or training (NEET), the government is once again turning to apprenticeships as a potential solution. While it is encouraging to see a renewed focus on supporting young people at the start of their careers, we are concerned by the assumption that the newly announced Foundation Apprenticeships are the right vehicle for this goal. Not only does this risk undermining the apprenticeship brand, but international evidence suggests that it is longer, more structured apprenticeships – not shorter ones – that are associated with lower NEET rates.
Many of those who are NEET, or at risk of becoming NEET, will need a far more structured programme which should be designed to help them to overcome the barriers that they face, but also to ensure that they provide career progression that the individual values whether that is a good job, an apprenticeship or further study.