Background

This is an update to the blog I posted on 19^th May and summarises the situation one week later.

During the week of 18^th to 22^nd May I recorded 10 new Degree Apprenticeship vacancies and 22 new Higher Apprenticeship vacancies in England.

Findings (since 23^rd March 2020)

In the 9 weeks immediately prior to ‘lockdown’ (20^th January to 20^th March) I recorded:

• 790 new degree apprenticeships and 733 new higher apprenticeships giving a total of 1,523 and an average of 169 new vacancies each week.

In the 9 weeks since the start of lockdown (23^rd March to 22^nd May) I have recorded:

• 191 new degree apprenticeships and 143 new higher apprenticeships giving a total of 334 and an average of 37 new vacancies each week.    

This now represents a 78% reduction (marginally worse than the previous week when it stood at 77%).   

I have also updated my ‘league tables’ in which I record the number of new vacancies in England broken down by what I loosely term ‘occupational areas’, which I find more useful in guidance than strictly adhering to the names of different  apprenticeship standards.

Since the ‘lockdown’ date of 23/3/20, the top 10 in each category are now as follows:

Degree apprenticeships:

1. Digital Technology Solutions (current total – 48)
2. Accountancy & Taxation
3. Financial Services
4. Chartered Management
5. Control Engineers
6. Data Scientists & Analysts
7. Broadcast & Media Systems Engineers
8. Chemical Engineers
9. Building, Property & Valuation Surveyors
10. Civil Engineers; Electronic Engineers; Materials Scientists; Quantity Surveyors (all equal, with 2 vacancies each).

In total 22 occupational areas are represented so far and minimum starting salaries still range from £8,092 to £25,065pa.

Higher apprenticeships:

1. Software Developers (current total – 28)
2. Science Laboratory Technicians
3. Project Management
4. Broadcast & Media Systems Technicians
5. Data Analysts
6. Electrical Power Distribution
7. Manufacturing Engineering
8. Accountancy & Taxation
9. Information Systems Business Analysts; Network Engineers; Software Testers (all equal, with 5 vacancies each).

In total 25 occupational areas are represented so far and minimum starting salaries still range from £6,474 to £29,000pa.

Going forward

I will continue to observe how it pans out this week and I aim to post another update next Monday.

© Alan Bullock, 26/5/2020