Apprenticeships: treatment of apprentices as second-class workers will only continue under the Conservatives

EMBARGO: 22.00 Tuesday 28th May

Responding to the Conservative party's announcement on apprenticeships, Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson, Munira Wilson MP said:

"The Conservative party has broken the apprenticeship system and this announcement does nothing to address the major issues the sector faces.

"The shockingly low pay for those on apprenticeships will remain, doing nothing to encourage more people to take apprenticeships up or tackle soaring drop out rates. 

"This treatment of apprentices as second-class workers will only continue under the Conservatives.

"Urgent reform is needed, not more muddled, ill-thought through bluster from a party that has decimated our education sector and our economy."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Research shows that there were almost 160,000 fewer apprenticeship starts in 2022/23 compared with six years ago. Data from the House of Commons Library is here.