Apprenticeships in the UK are set to rise by over +50% to 800,000 in the next five years, according to recruitment firm Alexander Mann Solutions. Becoming an apprentice is proving an increasingly popular choice as employers realise the benefits of recruiting apprentices and seek a broader mix of candidates.

The number of apprenticeships grew by +14% from 2011 to 2012 – numbering 520,600 - with nearly 75% of apprentices now completing their apprenticeships successfully, compared to just 50% in 2006. The sectors currently attracting the most apprentices are business administration and retail.

“There are many bright young people actively opting for apprenticeships over university degrees, and job opportunities for apprentices are growing as employers understand the value they deliver,” says Tim Campbell, Head of Client Services, Emerging Talent, Alexander Mann Solutions.

“It’s a win-win situation – employers benefit from a team of motivated new employees who are keen to learn the ropes, while apprentices become more confident by learning practical workplace skills.”

Campbell, who is building Alexander Mann Solutions’ apprenticeship proposition, is an Apprenticeship Ambassador for the Mayor of London and was also the first winner of the BBC TV Show ‘The Apprentice’.

More than 50% of all apprenticeships are in business administration or retail, followed by healthcare and public services, engineering and manufacturing and construction. London has seen the biggest growth in apprentices from 2011 to 2012 (132%), with the North East coming in second (107%), while the South West has seen the smallest increase (60%).