Table 1 shows the percentage of LSC-funded apprenticeship starts in England in 2005/06 to 2007/08 at each type of provider. It is not possible to specify exactly the number of apprenticeships with a private provider. Numbers in many categories are too small to provide regional level analysis.
Projections on apprenticeship volumes are available at national level only and are not available by provider type.
Percentage Provider type 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 Chamber of Commerce/Trade 1.3 1.1 0.7 Charitable 4.8 4.6 7.2 City Technology College — — — External Institution 0.1 0.2 — General FE College incl Tertiary 22.1 23.3 21.5 Higher Education Organisation 0.2 0.2 0.2 Independent school or college — — — Local Authority 0.5 0.4 0.1 Local Education Authority (LEA) 1.4 1.4 1.5 Non-Charitable — — — Organisation in Business in its own right 62.2 59.5 55.3 Other Local Authority 0.3 0.1 0.3 Other Private Organisation 3.2 5.1 6.0 Other Public Organisation 2.3 2.8 6.0 Other Voluntary Organisation — — — Sixth form college 0.2 0.2 0.1 Special college—Agriculture and horticulture 1.3 1.1 1.0 Special college—Art, design and performing arts — — — Unknown — — — Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 Total number of apprenticeship starts 175,000 184,400 224,800 ‘—’ indicates a figure of 0 per cent. when rounded. Notes: 1. Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 0.1 per cent. Source: WBL ILR
I am pleased apprenticeship completion rates are improving. In 2007/08 we saw 64 per cent. of apprentices successfully completing their apprenticeship up from 37 per cent. in 2004/05, and since 1997 we have witnessed a renaissance in apprenticeships from a low point of 65,000 to a record 225,000 apprenticeship starts in 2007/08.
We have established a matching service to help those apprentices in the construction sector at risk of redundancy to find alternative employment and to complete their apprenticeship. We are currently working with the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to explore how this approach might be extended to other sectors. More generally, providers and the LSC have procedures to advise and relocate apprentices in cases where providers or employers fail, to help ensure that they are able to continue in work and complete their apprenticeship. Where alternative work is not available local advice agencies working with training providers and colleges will help find other training opportunities. Such arrangements are being used, for example, to help former Woolworth apprentices complete their apprenticeship framework and find alternative employment or training.
The £140 million package announced by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in January for an additional 35,000 apprenticeship places will help fund new provision in both the public and private sectors, and will extend the opportunities available to people facing redundancy. This package will further boost the number of people starting an apprenticeship.