No conversation about social mobility is complete without somebody mentioning what a good idea apprenticeships are. Countries like Germany, where apprenticeships are firmly embedded in the economy, demonstrate the modern day value of one of the world’s oldest systems for vocational training.
But in England, something strange has happened to apprenticeships since government reforms five years ago. There has been a sharp drop in the number of entry-level apprenticeships and apprentices are now just as likely to live in the poshest areas as the poorest ones.
The story of how this happened reveals a lot about the government’s struggle to boost productivity and make the economy work for everyone.