Five questions answered on apprenticeship application rises

Applications are up 32 per cent year on year.

The National Apprenticeship Service has said that its data shows online applications for apprenticeships have significantly increased. We answer five questions on this latest jobs data.

By how much have online applications for apprenticeships risen?

According to the data, applications are up by a third. Applications are up 32 per cent year on year, with over 1,403,920 applications made for vacancies in the past 12 months.

How many apprenticeships are there currently available?

National Apprenticeship Service says apprenticeships are popular with employees. It stated that close to 129,000 vacancies were posted online in 2012/13 compared to 101,000 in 2011/12, representing a growth of 27 per cent.

Demand is outstripping supply, but only marginally. There is an average of 11 applicants for each of the 129,000 vacancies posted online.

What are the most popular apprenticeships applied for?

Business and administration is the most popular, with 384,840 online applications made. Second is childcare with 102,450. Third is customer service, with 98,210 applications. Fourth is IT, Software, Web and Telecoms Professional, with 83,760, and fifth is vehicle maintenance and repair with 67,750.

What has the government said about these latest figures?

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “We want to see it become the norm that young people either go to university or into an apprenticeship.

“To match the growing popularity of apprenticeships, I would urge more employers to consider how hiring an apprentice could benefit their business.”

What has The National Apprenticeship Service said about the figures?

Jaine Bolton, Director of the National Apprenticeship Service said: “With such strong demand for Apprenticeships, it is vital that we encourage more employers to take advantage of the benefits that Apprenticeships bring. With dedicated support from the National Apprenticeship Service and the AGE 16-24 grant available to small and medium businesses, there really has never been a better time to recruit an Apprentice.

“86 per cent of apprentices stay in employment after their initial Apprenticeship finishes (vi), so it’s no surprise that more than half of young people would choose an Apprenticeship if one was available.”