Apprentices

(asked on 28th June 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the effect on people's long-term earnings potential of completing an intermediate level apprenticeship compared with (a) an advanced and (b) a higher level apprenticeship.


Answered by
Anne Milton Portrait
Anne Milton
This question was answered on 3rd July 2019

The apprenticeships reform programme benefits realisation strategy, published in March 2017, sets out a broad range of success measures for the programme. A core benefit of the apprenticeships reform programme is to raise average earnings for apprentices, measured over a period of 5 years.

For learners that achieved in academic year 2010/11, the median annualised earnings 5 years after training were greater at higher levels:

  • £26,700 for higher (level 4) apprenticeships 5 years after training.
  • £21,000 for advanced (level 3) apprenticeships.
  • £17,900 for intermediate (level 2) apprenticeships.

This information was released in October 2018 and can be found in the ‘Further Education: Outcome based success measures: academic years 2010/11 to 2015/16’, available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/748305/FE_learners__outcome_based_success_measures.pdf.

Data published in the ‘Estimation of the labour market returns to qualifications gained in English Further Education’ shows that on average, achievers of intermediate apprenticeships earn 11% more and achievers of advanced apprenticeships earn 16% more, 3-5 years after completing their apprenticeship, than those who started an apprenticeship at that level but did not complete. This information was published in December 2014 and can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/383646/Estimation_of_the_labour_market_returns_to_qualifications_gained_in_English_Further_Education_-_Final_-_November_2014.pdf.

Over the past few years we have introduced major reforms to apprenticeships and, as the system is still adapting, it is too early to know the full productivity and earnings benefits that these changes will bring.

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