National Apprenticeship Week, currently running from February 9 to 15 2026, is once again shining a spotlight on the myriad benefits apprenticeships undeniably bring to learners, employers and the UK’s wider economy.
If you’re an employer, it presents the ideal opportunity to shout about your apprentice successes, past and present – and if you’re hiring, it can help you promote and fill your apprenticeship vacancies.
So, why not link up with your college or other training providers to highlight your apprentices’ achievements through social media posts, videos, online case studies and media stories? It’s always great to hear how young people are enhancing their life chances – and, from a broader perspective, their success is good news for jobs and economic growth.
NAW also presents an opportune moment for employers to take stock of their training needs. It’s helpful to stop and consider what’s worked/working well and what could have been done better on their programmes – especially when it comes to managing apprentices’ learning journeys.
Taking on an apprentice is a big commitment for your business or organisation, so you’ll want to get it right.
The UK government sees apprenticeships as key to driving economic growth by boosting skills, filling skills gaps and tackling youth unemployment.
At the end of last year, it pledged £725 million towards delivering apprentice programmes for young people, and unveiled measures aimed at matching training with local job openings. Ministers also promised to improve access to apprenticeships for SMEs by covering their full apprentice training costs.
By announcing its package of reforms, the government also hopes that employers who haven’t previously offered apprenticeships will now feel more inclined to get on board.
In the last full academic year – August 2024 to July 2025 – apprenticeship starts in England rose to 353,500, up 4.1% on the previous 12 months. Apprentice participation levels grew by 3.4% to 761,480, while the number of learners achieving their programmes increased by 11.3% to 198,330 over the same period.
These statistics, comprise everyone from school leavers under 19 starting out on level 2 and 3 courses through to learners embarking on higher apprenticeships. They clearly indicate that ‘learning while earning’ remains a sought-after route to employment for learners of all ages, at all stages and of all abilities.
At Onefile we’re keen to support learners, training providers and employers in every way we can. As the leading learner management platform, we know that there’s a lot to get your head around – especially for employers making their first foray into apprentice training. But there is no need to worry.
From enrolment and onboarding, through on and off the job learning to end point assessment, we have the tools, experience and expertise to guide you through the process every step of the way.
Our Edtech brings huge benefits for employers and training providers – such as managing learner progress, tracking learner activities and assessing them remotely. It also includes vital data reporting and compliance tools such as the Onefile ILR tracker (Individualised Learner Record) so you can be sure submissions to DfE for funding and audit purposes are always accurate, complete and on time.
To learn how Onefile can support you with your apprenticeship delivery, book a discovery call.