Mark Sweeney, CEO of de Novo Solutions, examines the UK’s tech future, stressing the need for government and industry collaboration to prioritise modern apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are by no means a modern concept: historians can point to numerous medieval examples of young people being sent to learn a trade by shadowing an expert. In fact, a formal national apprenticeship system was even introduced as far back as 1563, leading the way for the government schemes in place today.
Modern-day apprenticeships blend academic depth with cutting-edge, on-the-job experience, producing apprentices who are not only qualified but also commercially experienced, client-ready, and fluent in the technologies shaping the future.
In an AI-driven, rapidly changing world, the UK faces a perfect storm: a well-documented digital skills gap, over a million 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment, or training, and a pace of technological change that outpaces traditional learning routes. To remain a leading technology hub, both government and industry must treat modern apprenticeships as a strategic priority – building fresh, eager-to-learn talent from the ground up.
Why tech apprenticeships matter
It has now been a decade since the age at which young people could leave education was raised to 18, and we know that, for many, the ideal way to do so is to enter an apprenticeship. Classroom-based learning may enable some young people to thrive, but it simply isn’t the best environment for everyone – and it heavily restricts the amount of hands-on experience they can acquire.
While it is important that students understand the theories, science and regulations around the work they are doing, especially in the complex technology sector, a classroom can never replicate the real-world learning an apprenticeship can offer – applying knowledge to live business challenges under the guidance of seasoned professionals
The significance of entering a work-based environment, with all its expectations and opportunities, should also not be underestimated. Alongside the financial benefits of ‘learning while you earn’, it avoids the average debt of £53,000 that many 2024 graduates left university with, according to The Guardian. For employers, they’re not just a recruitment tool but a talent accelerator: growing people in-house who already understand the organisation’s culture, clients, and strategic priorities.
Perhaps The Richard Review summed it up best, when it stated that apprenticeships matter because ‘many jobs are best prepared for whilst on the job’.
Collaboration is key
In Wales, there is a target of 100,000 new apprenticeships, with 59,565 beginning between the last quarter of 2020/21 and Q3 of 2023/24, according to Medr, the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research. Yet the number of new starts was set to fall by nearly 6,000 in the 2024/25 academic year due to a 14% funding cut.
Industry has a vital role to play in the future of apprenticeships, with companies (and entire sectors) needing to use their voices to lobby governments to sustain – and even increase – funding in future years. The lifetime earning power of those properly trained and skilled in core roles, which enables them to contribute positively to the economy going forward, and the significant role these young people can play in reducing the skills gap and boosting industries, must be highlighted as key reasons to prioritise spending on apprenticeships.
Across the UK, according to EngineeringUK, there were 97,120 apprenticeship starts in engineering and technology-related subjects in 2023/24 – representing 29% of all apprenticeships that began that year.
The tech industry recognises the critical need to bring on board new talent who can not only harness and improve the emerging technologies of 2025, but also learn the vital skills necessary from seasoned experts to build upon this and pave the way for future automations and advancements.
Whether we are discussing the AI revolution, the growth of cloud-based software, or advancements in cybersecurity, almost every aspect of the digital world has undergone significant changes in the past few years.
It’s the government’s job to recognise that the UK needs investment in new talent to sustain its place as a centre of excellence, at the forefront of innovation and invention. But our leaders also need to recognise that the work the technology sector is doing right now is powering improvements in most other industries too; it is tools like AI which will underpin the efficiencies the government is looking to find across the board, from the health service and local authorities to the defence and education sectors – enabling efficiencies that benefit the entire economy.
The wider impact
Looked at in isolation, empowering a company to take on a few apprentices might be beneficial for the individuals directly impacted – those who now have skills and qualifications to launch a successful career.
But in reality, the impact is much wider: focusing on apprenticeships helps us close the gap between what employers need and the skills job seekers currently have (otherwise known as the skills gap), it drives down the number of NEETs (young people not in education, employment or training), and it boosts the business world – particularly among SMEs who rely on a pipeline of young talent to help them grow.
Plus, when we are talking about tech apprenticeships in particular, we are sustaining the UK’s reputation as a hub for tech innovation by consistently upskilling workforces and bringing on board new talent.
And we know it’s not just the tech sector which benefits. The apprentices currently working their way towards qualifications while gaining on-the-job experience are the very people who will support government organisations by reforming their systems to become more efficient. They are the ones who will support the NHS in reducing waiting times by relying more on automation for back-office tasks. And they will go on to help businesses across all sectors thrive by assisting them in implementing value-added software.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that handing young people the opportunity to begin a tech apprenticeship puts them at the centre of the most exciting digital revolution we’ve ever seen, and they could very well end up being one of the minds behind the next big breakthrough which changes all of our lives for the better.
Could there be a more compelling reason than this for Government and industry to collaborate and prioritise apprenticeships – unlocking their full potential for the UK’s future?
