Are We Losing Sight of the Employment Element of Apprenticeships?
I’d genuinely value your thoughts on something. This is shared from a personal rather than purely professional perspective.
As a mum trying to support my own child, I was prompted to ask this question by a conversation with my son. He believed he could only apply for an apprenticeship vacancy if he had attended a particular school or booked onto a college apprenticeship open event.
That conversation stopped me in my tracks and made me reflect on how some of our language is landing.
Education and training open events clearly play a very positive and hugely important role in supporting engagement, providing guidance, and often creating opportunities for applicants to meet employers and discuss potential roles. They are a valuable way of helping young people explore options and understand different pathways.
At the same time, they are part of the journey into employment, not a substitute for it.
To become an apprentice, you must first secure apprentice employment. An apprenticeship is a structured programme that combines a job with training; an apprentice is the employed individual within that programme. Employers define the vacancy, recruit and select candidates, while training providers support delivery, development and progression.
I do wonder whether some of the broader messaging around the word “apprenticeship” can unintentionally obscure the fact that employment is a fundamental requirement, particularly for parents and young people encountering the system for the first time.
Could it be that some people attend open events and register with a training provider believing they have secured an apprenticeship role, when in reality they have only taken the first step towards finding one?
This has led me to reflect on whether there is a broader shift towards training-provider-led recruitment and, if so, what might be driving it. For example:
- Administrative or compliance burdens
- Funding or process requirements
- Time and capacity pressures on employers
- Confidence that providers can help pre-engage or better prepare candidates
My interest here is clarity and alignment, particularly for parents and young people navigating what can already feel like a complex system. From a business perspective, I am also interested in whether we are aligning our recruitment and resourcing approaches to employers’ needs.
I’d welcome perspectives on whether this reflects an intentional change in approach or a natural by-product of engagement activity. What is working well? Are employers moving away from the Government’s national Find an Apprenticeship service in favour of more localised advertising and recruitment initiatives?
I’d Love to Hear Your Thoughts
This is a topic I’m still reflecting on, and I’d be genuinely interested to hear different perspectives.
Whether you’re an employer, training provider, educator, parent or apprentice, I welcome your thoughts and experiences.
Please feel free to get in touch at jakki.lovewell@apprentice-employment.co.uk.
Jakki Lovewell
Head of Apprentice Employment Agency
