Women represent just 9% of both Engineering/ Manufacturing apprenticeship starts and achievements…
Apprenticeship starts
Engineering and Manufacturing apprenticeship starts fall to
This represents
of the total starts across all subject areas
Start rate of women in Engineering/Manufacturing apprenticeships
Start rate of women across all subject areas
The start rate of women apprentices in Engineering/Manufacturing disciplines is similarly declining, decreasing from 11% to just 9% year-on-year.
This sits in stark contrast to 56% of women starts across all subject areas.
Apprenticeship achievements
In terms of achievements, the 2022/23 output (c25,000k) across all Engineering & Manufacturing subject areas remained below the pre-pandemic output, despite delayed achievements from the 2019/20 and 2020/21 cohorts. Whilst inching up, just 9% of achievements in 2022/23 were attributed to women.
Engineering and Manufacturing 2022/23 apprenticeship achievements
are still below pre-pandemic output, despite delayed achievements from the 2019/20 and 2020/21
Of these achievements
attributed to women
Our recommendation
The fact that employer draw-down of the Apprenticeship Levy has notably improved (with just 4% returned to the Treasury in 2022/231) is encouraging. And, whilst numbers of Engineering & Manufacturing Technology apprenticeships are declining overall, employers appear to be finding that the Advanced (Level 3) and Higher level qualifications are a valuable training route in to key STEM sectors.
Considering these encouraging trends, organisations should explore the potential benefits of incorporating apprenticeships into their hiring and talent development strategies.
With women apprenticeship participation and achievement rates (both 9%) so much significantly lower than the overall level within STEM occupations (27%)2, employers must focus more attention of making apprenticeship appealing to women – or face this training channel having a detrimental impact on gender balance.
2. APPG: Regional STEM Skills Equity Report, July 2023