We respond to the latest research from the Sutton Trust

Our response to findings from the Sutton Trust on disadvantaged young people and apprenticeships.

Young worker(1)Responding to the Sutton Trust's launch of its Better Apprenticeships report,�West Yorkshire Combined Authority Chair and�Bradford Council Leader Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe said:��The figures shown in our recently launched Labour Market Information (LMI) Report support the data revealed by the Sutton Trust today. Across Leeds City Region we see that disadvantaged pupils are less likely to enter an apprenticeship than other pupils on the completion of key stage 4."

The report argues that more advanced and higher apprenticeships, targeted at younger age groups would give young people a way of progressing to higher level learning and careers. It also recommends people beginning on lower level apprenticeships should able to progress seamlessly to higher levels including degree apprenticeships.


Priority

Cllr Hinchcliffe said:��Ensuring our young people have access to skilled, well-paid jobs via whichever route they choose, be it academic or technical, is a priority to the Combined Authority and our partners in education and skills.

"Across the City Region we�re already working to improve outcomes for our young people. Last year, we created more than 21,000 opportunities for young people to interact with local employers and, this year, we have pledged to create two or more opportunities for 6,000 of our most disadvantaged young people. And, in doing so, we will be on our way to increasing their earning potential and improving their likeliness of progressing onto further education, employment and training.

�Our research recognises too that demand for apprenticeships in our key sectors of digital, engineering and construction is growing, which is why we�re working with our university partners to increase the number of higher and degree level apprenticeships to give our young people routes to fulfilling careers with the skills our businesses need.

�I welcome the Sutton Trust drawing attention to this issue. By better understanding the additional challenges faced by our school pupils who are most in need, we can, and will continue to, work with our partners to reduce the disadvantage gap for our young people and future workforce.�

Find out more about the support Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership can provide for small or medium sized businesses based in Leeds City Region, wanting to take on an apprentice (opens in new tab).

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