Larger businesses take on fewer apprentices from deprived backgrounds.

 

In 2015, there was less than a one percentage point difference in the share of apprentices from deprived backgrounds hired by SMEs and by large businesses. As of 2019, this gap has nearly quadrupled. In 2019/20 (i.e. after the pandemic started) 21.8% of apprentices in SMEs were from deprived communities, compared to 19.2% in large businesses.

READ Related Report
REPORT
Course Correction: Why we need to reform apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are failing working class school leavers, and will undermine efforts to level up without significant reform.