Statistics show a continued increase in the number of people taking up apprenticeships. The provisional data shows that for the full 2011/12 academic year (August 2011 to July 2012) 502,500 people started an apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship starts rose from 457,200 in 2010/11, at all levels, with particularly strong growth at advanced and higher levels.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: “Hitting the half-million mark is a momentous achievement for this Government’s apprenticeship programme.

“It shows our passion for skills, and is a ringing endorsement from employers and apprentices alike, who are reaping the benefits of a more highly-skilled workforce.

“This rise comes despite tougher rules to make apprenticeships more rigorous.

“I am particularly pleased to see such a big increase in the number of people signing up for advanced level and higher level apprenticeships, which open the road for people wanting to become engineers, lawyers and accountants.

“More must be done to ensure apprenticeships are more rigorous, higher quality, and more employer focused. We are introducing tougher standards, including a stipulation that all apprenticeships must last a minimum of 12 months.

“There is much more to do to ensure everyone in our country fulfils their potential, but the apprenticeship programme shows the Government’s passion for delivering the skills Britain needs.

“And my message to employers is simple: apprenticeships make good business sense. I urge all employers to get involved.”

The data also showed higher levels of learners on Skills for Life courses to improve their basic skills, with 1,545,500 participating during the 2011/12 academic year.

Commenting on the statistics, Tim Thomas, Head of Employment and Skills at EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said: “The provisional data showing the number of Apprenticeship starts has risen again to over 500,000 will be welcomed by manufacturers. They will be particularly pleased to see increases in advanced and higher apprenticeships, which the UK needs in greater numbers to remain globally competitive. It is also important that Apprenticeship growth comes from those subjects that are beneficial to businesses across all sectors, including manufacturers and also at higher attainment levels. We would therefore like to see a 25% increase in STEM Apprenticeships at Level 3 or above in the next five years.

“We must also continue to focus on driving up Apprenticeship standards, ensuring that applicants have the required levels of attainment expected by employers in key subjects such as maths and English. Government must now accelerate the provision of providing funding directly to employers in order to achieve a truly demand-led system and drive competition in the training market.”

Simon Waugh, Chief Executive of the National Apprenticeship Service added: “Apprenticeships continue to go from strength to strength with a record number of starts in the last academic year and an increase in growth across all ages, levels and sectors. The consistent growth across all ages shows that Apprenticeships are helping young people to get into work and gain a qualification as well as supporting employers to invest in improving the skills of their workforce.

“These are positive steps in our ambition to see Apprenticeships provide more and higher level skills and qualifications in even more industries and sectors. Hand in hand with this growth we will work with partners and employers to continue to raise quality standards across the Apprenticeship programme and to meet our ambition for a new era for Apprenticeships in all sectors.”