In terms of the best combination of academic education, on-the-job experience and accredited qualifications, apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways to transition from schooling to the world of work.

With the help of the right providers, supportive employers and the right mindset, apprentices can get a head start on their careers, avoiding the student loan debt traps that can start many graduates on the back foot when it comes to their careers.

However, an apprenticeship has a lot of working parts, given that it is a delicate interplay between in-class and on-the-job training courses that requires everyone to work together closely to ensure the best outcome for an apprentice and that they complete the course they have started.

A 2021 survey on employer and apprentice evaluations found that two-fifths of the people who did not complete the course (41 per cent) cited an apprenticeship being poorly organised as a reason for them not completing the course.

Similarly, 43 per cent cited training that was not as good as was hoped, and 44 per cent cited not having enough time to learn as reasons for dropping out of the course, all of which emphasise the importance for employees to choose the right provider to provide an engaging, relevant, useful course.

Outside of this, the other reasons that were cited for no longer continuing with an apprenticeship include a career change (11 per cent), caring for a dependent (8 per cent) or mental health issues (9 per cent).

Whilst the latter two are not the fault of employers or providers, there are contingencies available to support apprentices going through difficulties and a degree of flexibility could have led some apprentices to feel like they could continue the course.

As well as this, it is important to note that the average duration of apprentices has increased over recent years, which does affect the completion rate compared to the tendency towards shorter courses in previous eras of apprenticeships.