- South East and North West of England had the most starts on apprenticeships.
- The most popular apprenticeship in the country is for early years teachers, with programmes for nurses, data technicians, engineers, accountants, and police constables also in the top 20.
- Sectors with most people starting on apprenticeships include construction; business and administration; health and science; education and early years; engineering and manufacturing; and digital – with more engagement needed with the likes of catering and hospitality; transport and logistics; and creative and design.
- IfATE is publishing its study into apprenticeship engagement to encourage more businesses to recruit apprentices and work with us to shape future training in support of National Apprenticeship Week (5 to 11 February).
The regions in England where most people started on apprenticeships last year were the South East (51,630) and North West (48,690).
IfATE wants many more large and small employers to recruit apprentices and help us shape future programmes, which is why our study released for National Apprenticeship Week (5 to 11 February) is drawing attention to regions and sectors that are well engaged and where there is more to do.
Jennifer Coupland, chief executive of IfATE, said: “It’s brilliant to see that so many people are reaping the benefits of world class apprenticeships, designed by employers. They are popular across the country and with a really good variety of occupations. Demand is in fact outstripping supply for apprenticeship places. What we now need is for many more large and small businesses to invest in training up their workforce by offering apprenticeships.”
Dr Jo Saxton, UCAS chief executive, added: "At UCAS, we know more than 40% of all undergraduate applicants who come to us each year are interested in apprenticeships. It's right that young people have access to high-quality choices to make an informed decision as they discover and decide on their futures. As interest in apprenticeships grows, more opportunities will be needed to allow everyone to fulfil their ambition on this learning journey."
Table showing number of people who started on apprenticeships in 2023-23 in the different regions across England:
| Region | 2022-23 |
| South East | 51,630 |
| North West | 48,690 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 38,344 |
| West Midlands | 37,972 |
| South West | 37,970 |
| London | 36,119 |
| East of England | 33,586 |
| East Midlands | 30,470 |
| North East | 18,454 |
| Outside of England and unknown | 3,901 |
| Total | 337,136 |
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships
We have also looked at engagement with individual training programmes, and the apprenticeship with most people starting on it in 2022-23 was for early years teachers. Apprenticeships for engineers, accountants, data analysts, police constables, and nurses are also in the top 20.
Table showing most popular apprenticeships by starts for 2022-23 (Top 20 – 1 being most popular):
| Rank | Apprenticeship | 2022-23 Starts |
| 1 | Early Years Educator | 14,849 |
| 2 | Team Leader or Supervisor | 14,013 |
| 3 | Business Administrator | 12,900 |
| 4 | Lead Adult Care Worker | 10,182 |
| 5 | Operations or Departmental Manager | 9,770 |
| 6 | Accountancy or Taxation Professional | 9,547 |
| 7 | Adult Care Worker | 7,460 |
| 8 | Installation and Maintenance Electrician | 7,418 |
| 9 | Early Years Practitioner | 6,778 |
| 10 | Senior Leader | 6,105 |
| 11 | Engineering Technician | 6,033 |
| 12 | Data Analyst | 5,376 |
| 13 | Children, Young People and Families Practitioner | 4,709 |
| 14 | Hairdressing Professional | 4,631 |
| 15 | Customer Service Practitioner | 4,567 |
| 16 | Carpentry and Joinery | 4,551 |
| 17 | Police Constable (Integrated Degree) | 4,524 |
| 18 | Nursing Associate (NMC 2018) | 4,524 |
| 19 | Data Technician | 4,306 |
| 20 | Teaching Assistant | 3,974 |
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships
Meanwhile, sectors (also referred to as occupational routes) with most people starting on apprenticeships include construction; business and administration; health and science; education and early years; engineering and manufacturing; and digital – with more engagement needed with the likes of catering and hospitality; transport and logistics; and creative and design.
Table showing number of people who started on apprenticeships in the different occupational routes last year (2022-23):
| Route | Grand Total |
| Business and Administration | 62,712 |
| Construction and the Built Environment | 33,610 |
| Health and Science | 31,422 |
| Care Services | 30,768 |
| Education and Early Years | 30,282 |
| Engineering and Manufacturing | 30,195 |
| Legal, Finance and Accounting | 24,02 |
| Digital | 22,488 |
| Sales, Marketing and Procurement | 21,060 |
| Protective Services | 15,222 |
| Catering and Hospitality | 11,662 |
| Transport and Logistics | 8,541 |
| Agriculture, Environmental and Animal Care | 6,629 |
| Hair and Beauty | 6,440 |
| Creative and Design | 1,489 |
| No Route | 590 |
| Grand Total |
337,136 |
https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/apprenticeships-and-traineeships
We are urging more employers to recruit apprentices because:
- 92% of companies that have taken on apprentices believe this leads to a more motivated and satisfied workforce
- 86% said apprenticeships helped them develop skills relevant to their organisation
- 80% have seen a significant increase in employee retention
- The estimated yearly gain for employers during an apprenticeship training period is between £2,500 and £18,000 per apprentice during their training period.
Apprenticeships are now all shaped by thousands of employers, with support from government arms-length body IfATE, to make sure they meet their skills needs. This also works for apprentices who can be confident they are learning skills businesses need. We want many businesses to work with us on designing future programmes and updating current ones.
Employers who want to find out more about how to support IfATE’s work can visit our website and follow links to becoming a Trailblazer (groups of employers who design and update apprenticeships) or joining a Route Panel (groups of employers who approve apprenticeships).
To find out more about recruiting apprentices or signing up for an apprenticeship, visit the Skills for Life government webpage.