More than two thirds of employers don’t offer apprenticeships

More than 50 per cent of employers plan to increase their permanent workforce in the next three months, yet more than two thirds of employers (71 per cent) are failing to attract young talent through apprenticeships, a new employer survey from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) has found.

REC CEO Kevin Green said: “Vince Cable has recently claimed that the government is attacking the country’s scandalous neglect through apprenticeships, however our data shows that there is still a long way to go if the UK is to tackle youth unemployment and the growing skills deficit. The 71 per cent of employers who do not offer apprenticeships need to take a careful look at how they will secure the supply of talent now and in the future.

The REC is acutely aware of the importance of engaging young people and is working to ensure that the recruitment industry can access talented young apprentices. The government must do more to support employers to take on young workers and promote schemes such as the Youth Contract, which according to our previous research, only 18 per cent of employers were aware of and would use.”

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•  In the next three months, 97 per cent of employers plan to increase (51 per cent) or maintain (46 per cent) their permanent workforce, up three points on last month
• In the next year 98 per cent of employers plan to increase (43 per cent) or maintain (55 per cent) their permanent workforce, the same as last month
• In the next three months 94 per cent of employers plan to increase (34 per cent) or maintain (60 per cent) their temporary workforce, up two points on last month
• In the next year 96 per cent of employers plan to increase (30 per cent) or maintain (66 per cent) their temporary workforce, the same as last month

The survey also asked 200 employers an additional question about whether their organisations offered apprenticeships.

•   26 per cent of employers said they did
•  71 per cent of employers said they did not
• 3 per cent didn’t know

JobsOutlook reports the responses of 600 employers questioned about their hiring intentions over the next quarter and the next year. Respondents are drawn from across the public, private and non-profit sector, and from across a range of industries and sizes of organisation.