Zarah ChoudharyAccording to a new report from the CIPD, only 6% of 16 to 24-year-olds in the UK are currently participating in an apprenticeship, a figure that has remained unchanged for the past 20 years.
This statistic underscored a decline in opportunities for young people to combine earning and learning, which the CIPD identified as a critical factor contributing to the perception that many young people are not ‘job-ready’ or equipped with workplace skills.
The CIPD’s report, ‘Changing face of the youth labour market’, revealed that just 28% of employers who have recruited individuals aged 16 to 24 in the past 12 months believe that young people are well-prepared for the workforce.
More than half (52%) did not think that young people are generally ready for work.
The findings also indicated that a significant number of employers believe young people lack essential social skills, with 64% stating that young workers often struggle with these skills and 71% noting that they do not always know how to behave in a workplace environment.
In addition, 56% of employers said that young workers were more difficult to manage compared to previous generations, while 34% expressed concerns about their communication skills.
The CIPD called on the UK Government to introduce an Apprenticeship Guarantee for all young people aged 16 to 24, a policy that previous CIPD research has shown is supported by nearly 90% of employers.
The trade body said such a policy would aim to help young people gain essential skills, including communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, while providing more pathways to employment through vocational training.
The report highlighted that in 2024, only 20% of 16 to 17-year-olds were combining work and study, a significant drop from 42% in 1997.
Just over a third (34%) of 18 to 24-year-olds were engaged in earning and learning in 2024, down from 40% in 1997.
The number of 16 to 24-year-olds who have never had a job, excluding seasonal or holiday work, rose by almost a third over the last 20 years.
The CIPD said that targeted support and structured apprenticeship programs could better prepare young people for the workforce.
Lizzie Crowley, senior skills adviser at the CIPD, said: “There are some fantastic skills and ideas that young people bring to the workplace, but there are also some significant challenges that they face in adjusting to working life.
“While studying for a degree is still the default choice for many, too many young people are disadvantaged because they have limited opportunities to develop an understanding of what’s expected in the workplace, or to take that first step into employment.
“There needs to be bolder action from the government to rebalance the youth labour market by making apprenticeships a viable alternative to university, addressing the collapse in apprenticeships in recent years.
“Currently just 6% of young people participate in an apprenticeship each year, and we need this figure to be much higher.
“The government’s Youth Guarantee is a step in the right direction, but we want to see the government broaden out its ambition to benefit all young people aged 16-24 through introducing an Apprenticeship Guarantee.
“This will help better prepare them for working life and gain valuable skills, earn while they learn and give employers a skilled talent pipeline.”
