Recruitment vs Retention – The Real Apprenticeship Challenge

There’s a lot of noise right now about how many apprentices we need in the UK. Targets are being set. Big numbers are being thrown around. And once again, the focus seems to be on recruitment.

How do we get more young people in? How do we fill the gap? How do we make the numbers look better?

But here’s the thing. Recruitment isn’t the problem. Retention is. In construction, for example, almost half of apprentices drop out before completing their programme. That’s a huge waste of time, money and effort for the employer, the training provider and the apprentice themselves.

Too many employers take someone on without the right processes in place. Too many new starters are left unsupported on site or in the workplace. And when it doesn’t work, it’s seen as a “bad experience” rather than a learning opportunity.

The result? Apprentices leave, employers stop trying and the cycle continues.

If we’re serious about apprenticeships, the conversation has to shift. It’s not just about getting people through the door. It’s about keeping them there.

That means:

• Support for SMEs – Small businesses are the backbone of apprenticeship training. They take on the majority of apprentices, but they’re also the ones with the least time, money and resource to spare. If they aren’t properly supported, the whole system struggles. Funding, mentoring support and practical help should go directly to SMEs, not just into new initiatives or large organisations. If we want more apprentices to succeed, the support has to reach the people actually doing the training.

• Recruitment done properly – One of the biggest reasons apprenticeships don’t work out is because employers rush the recruitment process. They need someone in quickly, so they take on the first person who applies, and then wonder why it doesn’t last. Hiring an apprentice isn’t like bringing in an experienced worker. What matters is potential, attitude and resilience. That means having a more robust process: clear job descriptions, proper interviews, trial days or practical assessments where possible, and really thinking about whether this is the right person for the business. A bit more effort at the start can save a huge amount of frustration, wasted time and cost later on.

• Clear prospects – An apprenticeship should be a first step, not a dead end. If apprentices can’t see a future in the business or in the wider industry, they’ll leave. Employers need to show what progression looks like, whether that’s moving into a qualified role, further training or even management opportunities. People are far more likely to stay if they know where they’re heading.

• Culture – This is often the biggest make-or-break factor. Apprentices don’t expect it to be easy, but they do expect to be treated fairly and kindly. If they feel like valued members of the team, they’ll give their best. If they’re ignored, treated badly or used as cheap labour, they won’t stick around. Building a positive, supportive site or workplace culture is essential if we want apprentices to stay in the trade and build careers for the long term.

Why it matters

If retention doesn’t improve, recruitment figures don’t mean much. Bringing thousands of people into the system every year isn’t a win if nearly half of them leave before the end.

Apprenticeships should be about building skilled, capable people for the future. That only happens if businesses, training providers and government shift the focus from how many start to how many succeed.

It’ s not about how many you bring in. It’s about how many you keep.

Until we start valuing retention as much as recruitment, we’ll carry on throwing money at the front end while losing people at the back end. And the skills gaps will only get wider.

It’s time to stop asking “how many can we bring in?” and start asking “how many can we keep?"