Apprenticeships Case Studies
How cities boost the apprenticeship system and make it relevant to their local needs by using our case studies library.
How cities boost the apprenticeship system and make it relevant to their local needs by using our case studies library.
Apprenticeships are an increasingly important element of the UK’s skills and employment policies. They are regarded by employers and policymakers as providing an important pathway from education into employment, as well as a way to fix the country’s skill gaps and improve productivity.
Cities can boost the apprenticeship system and make it relevant to their local needs by raising awareness among employers and students, overcoming administrative and financial barriers for businesses and matching employers with training providers.
Use the table below to find out more about how and what cities in the UK and abroad have done to support and improve their apprenticeships offer. These case studies highlight what the cities did and their self-reported outcomes.
To find out more about what types of policy interventions have an impact on local economic growth from across OECD countries, as well as evidence-based policy design guides, take a look at the What Works Centre pages on Apprenticeships and Employment Training.
| Case study | Policy aim | Location | Country | Lead organisation(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Using employer’s networks to inform the apprenticeship design | Meet the skills gaps of local economies | Liverpool | UK | Liverpool Chamber of Commerce |
| 2. Using labour market intelligence to inform the apprenticeship offer | Meet the skills gaps of local economies | Boston and other US cities | US | Year Up |
| 3. Providing incentives using the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers | Overcome financial barriers faced by employers in taking on apprenticeships | Greater Manchester | UK | Greater Manchester Apprenticeship Hub |
| 4. Funding apprentices’ wage subsidies for employers | Overcome financial barriers faced by employers in taking on apprenticeships | Glasgow | UK | Glasgow Guarantee |
| 5. Enhancing national programmes | Overcome financial barriers faced by employers in taking on apprenticeships | Birmingham | UK | Birmingham Young Talent for Business |
| 6. Matching employers and training providers using local networks | Find the most appropriate training provider for employer’s needs | Humber LEP region | UK | Humber Apprenticeship Support Service |
| 7. Employers collaborating on training solutions | Find the most appropriate training for employer’s needs | Charlotte | North Carolina, US | Apprenticeship 2000 |
| 8. Managing HR and administrative functions on behalf of employers | Support SMEs in creating apprenticeships | Glasgow | UK | Glasgow Guarantee |
| 9. Lowering costs for employers with Apprenticeship Training Agencies | Support SMEs in creating apprenticeships | London | UK | London Apprenticeship Company |
| 10. Getting the Mayor involved in campaigning for apprenticeships | Raise awareness about apprenticeships among employers | London | UK | Greater London Authority |
| 11. Sharing information through word of mouth | Raise awareness about apprenticeships among employers | Plymouth | UK | Plymouth Apprenticeship Managers Network |
| 12. Establishing frameworks in professional sectors | Make the case for apprenticeships in financial and knowledge based services | London | UK | PwC |
| 13. Creating professional apprenticeships for SMEs | Make the case for apprenticeships in financial and knowledge based services | London | UK | PwC, Greater London Authority |
| 14. Getting apprentices to share their experience through schools | Promote apprenticeships among young people and their parents | Plymouth | UK | Plymouth Apprentice Ambassador Network |
| 15. Recognising high quality, impartial careers advice | Promote apprenticeships among young people and their parents | Humber LEP region | UK | Humber Local Enterprise Partnership |
| 16. Adopting various approaches to information and guidance in schools | Promote apprenticeships among young people and their parents | Greater Manchester | UK | Greater Manchester Apprenticeship Hub |
| 17. Supporting hard-to-reach youth through pre-employment training | Bridge the gap between school and the workplace | Tower Hamlets | UK | City Gateway |
| 18. Supporting pre-apprenticeships with council and government funding | Bridge the gap between school and the workplace | Walsall | UK | Walsall Works |
| 19. Increasing employer involvement in the design of training programmes (I) | Provide training relevant to local needs | Greater Manchester | UK | Greater Manchester LEP |
| 20. Increasing employer involvement in the design of training programmes (II) | Provide training relevant to local needs | Sheffield city region | UK | Sheffield City Region LEP |
| 21. Working with employers to create training that replicates real jobs | Close the skills gap between supply and demand | Chicago | Illinois, Us | After School Matters |
| 22. Developing strong partnerships with employers | Ensure young people develop the skills employers want | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Rotterdam’s port |
