Apprenticeship Achievements and Starts 2014/15

WISE analysis of 2014/15 STEM apprenticeship data

8 September 2016

Whilst it is reassuring to see that the number of women taking key STEM apprenticeships has increased over the past four years, the proportion of female apprenticeships remains small. It is extremely disappointing to see that the overall percentage of female STEM apprentices remains static and that there has been no significant increases in the uptake of these apprenticeships by women in this period.

This lack of change is despite increasing awareness of the importance of diversity, particularly its role in addressing the current skills gap, and despite active steps being taken by major employers to target this problem. If the current gender divide in STEM apprenticeships is to be effectively tackled, a co-ordinated approach is needed - WISE, Semta and ICE have launched the Apprenticeship Toolkit which contains practical guidance on how employers and training providers can increase the number of women on their STEM apprenticeships.

Apprenticeship Achievements

Females completed 16.9% (1,460) of ICT apprenticeships, 8.2% (1,590) of Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies apprenticeships and just 1.7% (200) of Construction, Planning & the Built Environment apprenticeships.

The top five STEM types of apprenticeships completed by number of females in 2014/15 were: Industrial Applications (1,300), IT User (810), IT & Telecoms Professionals (650), Engineering (290) and Construction Skills (140).

The proportion of women completing apprenticeships across STEM frameworks has remained mostly static when compared to last year, with the exceptionof the Industrial Applications framework in which there was a 3% increase in the number of women completing an apprenticeship. Of the top five, IT User apprenticeships were the least segregated, with 39% females completing, followed by Industrial Applications with 13% females.

Apprenticeship Starts

Females represented 11% (1,660) of apprenticeships started in ICT, 7.6% (2,610) of starts in Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies and just 2.1% (520) of starts in Construction, Planning & the Built Environment.

The top five STEM types of apprenticeships started by number of females in 2014/15 were: Industrial Applications (2,010), IT User (1,510), IT & Telecoms Professionals (1,150), Engineering (600) and Construction Skills (370).

There were no significant trends in the proportion of females starting STEM apprenticeships, across frameworks there was either no change or changes in either direction were small. Of the top five, IT User apprenticeships are the least segregated, with 41% females starting, followed by Industrial Applications with 12% females starting.

The Data Service provides data on apprenticeships. This page analyses apprenticeship data from 2014/15. The commentary is about all apprenticeships started and completed by combining intermediate, advanced and higher apprenticeships. The data presented is for three sector subject areas: Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies; Construction, Planning & the Built Environment and Information & Communication Technology.