Apprenticeships grow in popularity in Derbyshire, says National Apprenticeship Service

Apprenticeships are growing in popularity among both employers and young people in Derbyshire according to figures released today by the National Apprenticeship Service.
Apprentices shortlisted for British Barber of the Year awardApprentices shortlisted for British Barber of the Year award
Apprentices shortlisted for British Barber of the Year award

The quarterly Apprenticeship Index reveals a 41% increase in Apprenticeship vacancies in Derbyshire posted online on the Apprenticeship vacancies website between August and October 2013 (Academic Year Q1 2013/14) compared to the same period the previous year – 650 vacancies were advertised over the three months versus 460 in 2012.

But with the number of online applications for Apprenticeships also increasing by 72% (to 10,870) in Derbyshire, the Government is urging employers to create more Apprenticeship positions in order to meet the demand.

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Nationally, the Index also reveals that Apprenticeships are attracting increasing numbers of applications from female candidates. Online applications from women have increased by more than half since 2012, with 216,100 applications made by females in the three month period, a 55% increase.

This has also served to narrow the male gender bias, with 47% of all applications for Apprenticeships made by females in 2013 compared to 43% the previous year. Matthew Hancock MP, Skills and Enterprise Minister, said: “These figures show that Apprenticeships are growing in appeal to young people, and yet more young women are seeking out this unique opportunity to earn while they learn and gain a recognised qualification while notching up vital work experience. 

“With new independent research revealing that one in five employers currently have former apprentices working in senior, board level, positions, it’s also very encouraging to see vacancies increasing and new employers coming on board. But with each online position attracting an average of 12 applications, demand continues to outstrip supply and I would urge more employers to consider how they can take advantage of this available pool of talent and grow their business through Apprenticeships.”

Nationally, the greatest numbers of both applications and vacancies were in the Business, Administration and Law sector with 165,410 applications made during the period for some 15,550 Apprenticeships. The sector with the highest ratio of applications to vacancies was Education and Training, which attracted an average of 27 applications per vacancy, followed by Arts, Media and Publishing (26) and Information and Communication Technology (20). The lowest ratio, 10 applications per vacancy, was to be found in Retail and Commercial Enterprise and Science and Mathematics.

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