Figures show a decline in each of the past three years, but minister says that, despite marked reduction in volume, tech and other key professions have been prioritised by department
The Department for Work and Pensions has sharpened its focus on recruiting budding digital talent – despite wider numbers of apprentices declining by half in the past three years.
During 2022, a total of 1,824 people started apprenticeships at the department. This figure has declined in each year: to 1,348 in 2023; to 1,142 in 2024; and, finally, to 907 last year – less than half the number recorded just three years previously.
According to the DWP’s minister for transformation Andrew Western, “numbers have been limited in recent years by headcount restrictions in the civil service”.
But, alongside these limitations, the department has “diversified our entry routeways including an increased focus on our other life-chances schemes such as Movement to Work, in addition to apprenticeship opportunities”, Western said, in response to a written parliamentary question from Conservative MP Peter Bedford.
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“We have also focussed on improving the overall quality and relevance of our apprenticeship programmes to ensure that they support colleagues to develop the right skills and capabilities for DWP roles, particularly in priority areas such as digital and counter-fraud,” the minister added.
Movement to Work, which works with government agencies and a range of big businesses, is a charity that is intended to provide work placements and employment opportunities for young people.
And, while the department has taken advantage of these alternative options as the number of apprentices coming through the door has declined, Western stressed that “as the policy holder for apprenticeships and skills, the DWP recognises the value of apprenticeships in building skills and kickstarting careers”.
“We are committed to creating meaningful apprenticeship opportunities within our department and are proud to be 6th in the Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers ranking,” he said. “Since 2022, we have created opportunities for over 500 Universal Credit claimants to start a Level 2 or 3 apprenticeship with entry-level work experience within the department through our Social Mobility Apprenticeship scheme, with many apprentices securing permanent employment in DWP. We have also created apprenticeship opportunities for young people who would have otherwise been at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training through our School Leaver SMA scheme.”
