The number of young people beginning an apprenticeship has fallen to its lowest level in a decade, according to the latest figures from the Department for Education.
Despite cash incentives to try to boose take-up apprenticeships starts fell by 18% in the academic year 2019-20, to 319,000.
Many employers, uncertain of what the future holds, have been forced to put their apprenticeship schemes because of pandemic.
From 23 March to 31 July there were 58,160 apprenticeship starts. This compares to over 100,000 in the same period in 2019. A real concern will be the fact that the worse affected group at 16 to 18-year-olds, who make up just 10% of new starts. A year ago, they were 17%.
