Your Career. Our Priority.
The world of apprenticeships is changing – and so are the conversations happening in schools, homes and workplaces across the UK. Driven by shifting economic pressures, rising costs, an ageing workforce and widening skills gaps, apprenticeships are a sustainable, future-focused route for developing talent. They offer a practical way for businesses to grow, while giving young people the opportunity to earn, learn and start a career without the burden of debt.
In September, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a shift in the country’s education and skills strategy. The Government’s new target aims for two-thirds of under-25s to progress into further or higher education. This time, including “gold standard apprenticeships”, T-levels and industry bootcamps. This marks a major change from the long-standing expectation that 50% of young people should go to university, a target set by Tony Blair more than 25 years ago.
To understand what this shift could mean for employers and the next generation, we asked our Account Director, Matt Edwards, to share his insight.
“It’s fantastic to see the Government putting apprenticeships on an equal footing with universities. That’s not to say universities don’t add value – they absolutely do. But for practically minded people, apprenticeship routes open the door to careers without debt, and with real, hands-on experience.”
With nearly 600 apprenticeship standards available, employers across almost every sector have access to structured, industry-aligned training designed to meet genuine skills needs.
“Each one of these qualifications shows a need for businesses and opens a role for a person to fill. It’s great that the Government are backing it, supporting young people into the workplace, giving them practical experience, securing them a role and increasing staff retention for businesses, as you tend to find most apprentices want to stay with that employer.”
The term refers to apprenticeships that meet high national and employer-driven standards, with structured training, robust assessment and alignment with professional bodies. This ensures that apprentices gain valuable, industry-recognised qualifications, and employers gain talent equipped with the exact skills they need.
“These (“Gold Standard Apprenticeships) ensure that the nationally recognised qualifications are embedded within training. For us, that’s the AAT accreditation with our Accountancy courses, CIM for Marketing and CIPP for Payroll. Making sure there is demand from an employer perspective and that learners have a clear benefit from doing that particular qualification.”
The change in target from the Government shows a shift in the perception of further and higher education; however, there is still a way to go. Students, parents and employers can all benefit from an apprenticeship, but without awareness, the benefits are missed. An employer can take advantage of:
“The fact that the Government are now getting behind apprenticeships will hopefully change the mindset of ‘University is the gold standard’ – when an apprenticeship can offer just as much value, if not more, than education alone.”
The Government’s new target could fundamentally reshape the UK workforce. More young people entering skills-based pathways means a stronger pipeline of well-trained, work-ready talent.
“You find that those who start an apprenticeship often progress to a higher level qualification. By this time, they have years of experience within the role and the company. This is great in terms of succession planning because employers have people who are advocates of apprenticeships, who have done it themselves, who then progress to be the hiring managers for the next set of apprentices coming through the door.
I’ve worked in the sector for just under 11 years, and so many hiring managers I speak with today were apprentices themselves. So, because they understand how the apprenticeship schemes work, they want to impart that knowledge of what they learnt onto the next generation. So, I think it’ll have a really positive impact in terms of succession planning.
We do have an ageing workforce in the UK, and some businesses forget that people are going to retire. Have you got someone who can take over that role when that person does retire?”
Whether your business already supports apprentices or has yet to begin, the landscape is changing. The next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs and future leaders are exploring opportunities now. Apprenticeships offer a structured, sustainable route to bring them into your business, develop their skills and shape them into long-term assets.
