Apprenticeships: Changing the educational landscape

The awareness of apprenticeships is on the rise and with National Apprenticeship Week taking place from the 3-7 February, more people than ever will be discovering the world of apprenticeships and the benefit of learning whilst earning.

The number of people who started apprenticeships in 2018/2019 rose by 17,000 from the previous year, and with over two-thirds of students interested in doing an apprenticeship rather than studying at degree level* after school, there’s little reason to question how those numbers came about.

Surprisingly, the increase in demand doesn’t only come from school leavers. The 35-44 age group showed the largest increase with 21% more starts last year than in 2017/18.

Through the expertise of Alliance Learning, Bolton College and the University of Bolton, ConnectED has been formed as the one-stop-shop for employers, employees and students interested in apprenticeships.

Business management, engineering and clinical practice are just a few of the apprenticeship subject areas that ConnectED provide. These industry-focused areas help people to begin their career journey, but also assist driven adults to advance their knowledge and skillsets.

“We pride ourselves on our ability to provide not only a strong and detailed education for employees and students but a vital workforce for employers. The importance of apprentices is becoming more evident as we have seen a huge rise in people taking this career route.” – Kate Wallace, Head of ConnectED.

Whether you are beginning a new path or trying to reach a higher step on the career ladder, apprenticeships can be a great way to get you where you want to be.

* according to a poll conducted by Ipsos MORI for the Sutton Trust