Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, with reference to figure 31 of the Apprenticeship Pay Survey 2014, published in December 2014, what proportion of apprentices aged 25 or older were working for their employer before starting their apprenticeship in each academic year since 2009-10.

The 2014 Apprenticeship Pay Survey is not directly comparable to earlier Apprenticeship Pay Surveys (in 2005, 2007, 2011 and 2012) due to substantial changes in both coverage and questionnaire design.

However, the 2014 Apprenticeship Evaluation: Learner Survey[1] shows that, of those apprentices aged 25+ who completed or were undertaking a Level 2 or Level 3 apprenticeship between August 2012 and March 2013, 91% worked for their employer before starting their apprenticeship. The proportion is unchanged compared with the previous year[2].

[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-evaluation-learner-survey-2014

[2] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-survey-learners