The majority, or 88%, of UK managers support the Apprenticeship Levy being spent on training for workers of all ages, however 47% believe the Government will not hit its target of three million apprentices by 2020, according to survey data from the Chartered Management Institute.

The apprenticeship levy, which came into force last year, aimed for three million new apprenticeships by 2020 with companies spending £3 billion a year to contribute to the funding.

CMI’s survey, which polled more than 1,600 managers, showed that 63% of those surveyed agreed that the Apprenticeship Levy is needed to increase employer investment in skills. Furthermore, 69% would like to have a management and leadership apprentice in their team.

Despite the support, 47% of all managers expressed doubt that the government will reach its target of creating three million apprentices by 2020. This is paired with concerns from more than half of respondents, or 51%, that the country will need greater investment in skills post-Brexit.

CMI has called on businesses and the Government to work more closely to make apprenticeships more easily available for all at a time when the UK needs to prepare for a post-Brexit future.

“The Apprenticeship Levy should be seen as a “skills investment plan”, and the funds can be used to invest in programmes for school leavers and existing employees,” Petra Wilton, director of strategy for the CMI said. “Businesses may not even be aware that they can use the levy to train managers and leaders at every level.  We now need more collaboration to ensure that this support from managers for apprenticeships translates into a new way of training and upskilling the workforce.”