Apprenticeships forging the way says Make UK

As it is National Apprenticeship Week, Make UK is celebrating the success of manufacturing apprenticeships which are providing a much needed skills boost for our sector and playing a key role in upskilling employees for new exciting digital roles as in automated production.

Make UK has complied key facts about apprenticeships in the manufacturing industry and their importance for the wider economy.

The organisation says skilled people are central to UK manufacturing and powering growth, with manufacturers constantly retraining their existing workforces to take advantage of technological change and embed it in their businesses.

Make UK says 76% of manufacturers are currently offering apprenticeships to secure the skills they need and 68% of manufacturers plan to spend their training budget on technical engineering skills.

For level 3 manufacturing apprentices, there was a 76% completion rate. (Source: DfE, 2020) and according to Make UK 58% of manufacturers use their training budget to re-train workers for another part of the business.

Average pay for engineering apprentices is almost double the minimum rate (BEIS Apprentice Pay Survey)

However, Make UK also says there is more work to do revealing statistics such as only 4% of students at state-funded mainstream schools and colleges went on to an apprenticeship after key stage 4 compared to 61% that went on to a UK higher education institution (DFE, 2020). In addition, the number of girls taking on engineering apprenticeships was only 8% (Engineering UK, 2018)

“While it is clear that manufacturers are investing heavily in apprenticeships and are increasing the number of young people joining the sector, there is still more that can be done to engage schools. Joint collaboration with Government is vital when shaping different educational pathways and without a clear strategy and much-needed reform, students will continue to believe that Higher Education remains the default route to a successful career,” said Make UK Alice Tranter, Labour Market & Skills Policy Advisor.

“With manufacturers offering apprenticeships at all levels including degree, school leavers have ample choice and flexibility to earn whilst they learn and gain the transferable skills required for a changing modern workforce.”

She adds: “National Apprenticeship Week is the perfect platform for manufacturers to highlight the opportunities apprenticeships bring and how our sector is fuelling the next generation of innovators who will be taking British businesses to the next level on the global stage.”