Can apprenticeships provide an alternative pathway?

Apprenticeships have a long and interesting history in the UK but this history goes beyond the remit of this editorial. Following a long period of decline in funding and apprentice numbers from the 1970s, the apprenticeship programme was re-launched in England in 1994 to try to meet the changing economic situation.

Apprentice numbers increased steadily to reach 200 000 by the year 2000 and to just under 300 000 by 2009 (Steedman, 2010). There are in excess of 190 apprentice occupations in England and unsurprisingly, Health and Social Care is in the top ten of the sectors chosen by apprentices.

Amongst the health and social care apprenticeships available are occupations such as children’s care, learning and development; dental nursing; pharmacy technicians and assistants; housing and youth work (National Apprenticeship Service, 2010). In April 2009, a new organization, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), was officially launched with the task of bringing about a significant growth in the number of employers offering apprenticeships (National Apprenticeship Service, 2011).