“Too many apprentices still do not receive sufficiently high-quality training.” This is the clear message coming out of Ofsted’s survey into the current frameworks of apprenticeships.

According to the critical report, Ofsted inspectors found that in a third of the providers visited, apprenticeships did not provide sufficient high-quality training; long-term value to individual companies was not added; skills shortages were not tackled sufficiently; collaboration between providers and employers was lacking; English and maths skills were poorly developed; too few 16 to 18 year olds were starting apprenticeships (blamed on poor promotion in schools); and progression through the apprenticeship route was weak.

Some low-level, low-quality apprenticeships were “wasting public funds” with some learners unaware that they were even on an apprenticeship.

It was not all bad news. There was evidence of high-quality apprenticeships but these were typically found in industries that have a long-established reliance on employing apprentices to develop their future workforce such as motor vehicle, construction and engineering industries.

To tackle the long list of failings in the report, its recommendations focus on raising the quality and profile of apprenticeships and not just on increasing the numbers:

• The government should build on the reforms underway, ensure skills and prospects for long term employment are enhanced, provide better promotion of the benefits, focus on the right industries, enable SMEs to be fully involved, develop routes to apprenticeships, improve information about local skills priorities, and hold providers to account for the value of their apprenticeships.
• Schools, FE and skills providers should provide impartial careers guidance about apprenticeships to all pupils and their parents, including to those pupils expected to achieve high grades at GCSE, and prepare students to develop employability skills
• Providers of apprenticeships should ensure provision is of a high standard that leads towards higher skills needed by employers and long term employment, ensure expertise and resources to develop English and maths, promote apprenticeships to people with special needs, and meet regional and national skills needs.
• Employers should agree their contribution with providers, do more than assess existing skills, and give greater consideration to the benefits.
• Ofsted should ensure that inspections focus on evaluating the impact of apprenticeships on enhancing the nation’s skills set.