Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

ApprenticeshipsLatest NewsLearning & development

New apprentices aged over 25 increase by 277%

by Kat Baker 15 Jul 2009
by Kat Baker 15 Jul 2009

The number of new apprentices aged over 25 has rocketed by 277% as employers look to upskill and motivate their existing workforce during the recession.

Government figures have revealed that 46,800 over-25s joined apprenticeship schemes this year, compared to only 12,400 in 2007-08.

This increase comes as the number of 16- to 18-year-olds signing up for apprenticeships fell by 8.3%, and the number of 19- to 24-year-olds joining schemes dropped by 2%.

Richard Marsh, business development manager for the National Apprenticeship Service, told Personnel Today that over-25s being made redundant during the recession and turning to apprenticeships was not the main cause of the sudden increase in uptake.

The majority of apprenticeships in this age group came from people joining schemes within their existing organisation, he said, indicating employers were taking advantage of government support to develop and motivate staff during the downturn.

Marsh said: “During the recession, employers are not taking on new staff but they are still keen to train existing staff, and apprenticeships is a great way of doing that. Most over-25 apprentices are not new to organisations, most have been there for 12 months or more.

“It’s absolutely a sign that employers are trying to invest in their staff. We hope that it will keep going up and that the recession will encourage employers to value their employees more highly in the long-term.”

Gill Lewis, director of retail HR at B&Q, which launched a new apprenticeship scheme this month for 161 existing employees, said the scheme was great for boosting staff engagement and loyalty. Of the 161 apprentices, more than 60% are aged over 25, while 12% are aged over 45.

Lewis said: “Investing in the workforce like this is something that drives stability and commitment. Over-25s bring more diversity to the programmes that we would have otherwise missed out on. They are people with experience of other roles and they can bring this breadth of experience to the programme.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Earlier in the week, Personnel Today revealed 36% of apprentices due to complete their courses last year dropped out, and this figure is predicted to rise during the recession.

[Edited: Originally published with the growth figure of 377%]

Kat Baker

previous post
Whistleblowing details to be passed on to regulators under government plans
next post
HR news today: Royal Mail strike; job cuts affect two out of three people; BA strike action; UK maternity and paternity

You may also like

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

How neuroscience can unlock employee recognition

22 May 2025

UK universities fret over fall in international students

22 May 2025

HSBC employees warned of office attendance link to...

22 May 2025

The Law Society: Navigating the new world of...

22 May 2025

Workplace stress: Why it’s time to rebrand resilience

22 May 2025

Restaurant tips should be included in holiday pay

21 May 2025

Fewer workers would comply with a return-to-office mandate

21 May 2025

Redefining leadership: From competence to inclusion

21 May 2025

Pay awards in real terms could fall for...

21 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+