As we mark this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, we have had much food for thought over the future of employment opportunities. 

The White Paper on Levelling Up may have attracted mixed reviews but is clear that the Government’s focus over the next decade will be on improving prospects in disadvantaged areas of the UK.

Where someone grows up can have a huge impact on what they go on to achieve. It can determine where they are able to attend school and whether they can access further education options which might often involve travel on public transport. 

In 2020, the Social Mobility Commission published an index that compared the chances of a child from a disadvantaged area doing well at school and getting a good job across each of the local authority district areas of England. This found that there were significant disparities across the country, with coastal areas and industrial towns becoming particular social mobility “coldspots”.

Whatever we may think of Mr Gove and his missions, it is right to recognise that encouraging geographical flexibility is not the answer to the social mobility challenge. The reality is that there are many young people who are unable to or simply do not want to relocate to study and work. If we want to encourage true equality, we need to ensure that opportunities are available wherever an individual wants to access them.

With that in mind, it is not surprising that there has been much discussion about how apprenticeships can support this goal. Where apprenticeships are not yet mainstream, there may still be a perception that a traditional university degree is the preferred route, or that an apprenticeship is only appropriate in certain industries. However, in my view, this stigma needs to end. Apprenticeships can enable individuals to study and graduate without the financial and social strain of living away from home and are therefore an excellent way of improving social mobility and diversity of thought.

The theme for National Apprenticeship Week 2022 is all about building the future – reflecting on how apprenticeships can help a wide range of individuals to develop the skills and knowledge required for a rewarding career. If we want to work towards creating a better society, there is no better time to evaluate the possibility of apprenticeships in your organisation.

If you would value a conversation about apprenticeships or social mobility more generally, then please do get in touch. 

You can also request a copy of our free Social Mobility Toolkit.