Change to how the apprenticeship structure in England works has been welcomed for some parts of the coach and bus industry. To others it will likely mean little, because that training mechanism is of minimal to no use to those businesses in its current form.
Figures compiled by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) state that across the sector in England during 2024, 605 drivers and 91 engineers completed apprenticeships. The total figure was up 19% on 2023 – a useful increase – but the majority were undertaken in the London bus market.
The latter caveat no doubt leaves various coach and bus apprenticeship deserts. Those are thus unlikely to benefit from overhaul announced to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week of greater flexibility over English and maths requirements, although a reduction in minimum course duration may be beneficial for driving roles.
Greatest difficulty with apprenticeships is seen among SME operators. Anecdotal evidence suggests that worries about time commitment – which should now be partially ameliorated – and the risk of an apprentice leaving part-way through the course are in play there.
Most prominent according to one such business that has looked at apprenticeships for drivers is a paucity of suitable course providers. The firm abandoned its efforts with apprenticeships as a result. Suitable engineering courses seem to be easier to find, but CPT’s figures show that theoretical demand for driving apprenticeships is much higher.
Nevertheless, a dead-end for one operator’s would-be coach driver apprentices indicates how more than changes to English and maths requirements will be needed to make apprenticeships meaningful for much of the sector.
RHA sees such a relaxation as a benefit; it believes that there are “many instances” of apprentices having been held back by English and maths despite them having got to grips with the rest of the course.
But even the government suggests that the changes to apprenticeships will allow “up to 10,000” more apprentices to qualify per year, across the board.
That is somewhat at odds with what was said in September 2024, when the Department for Education noted that almost one in 10 roles in the UK are in “critical demand.” Promotion of the changes more recently makes no mention of transport at all.
It does reference a “trailblazer” apprenticeship in key shortage occupations that will look to pioneer the new abridged approach; ideal for coach and bus driving, one would think, but not yet. Green energy, healthcare, and film and TV production are the openers, although it is clear that more sectors will follow.
Worries aside, apprenticeship-driven results from some larger operators illustrate that the approach has merit for the transport sector, particularly in engineering. Others observe that apprenticeships in driving have delivered highly competent young staff who do the job properly with better rates of retention.
Apprenticeships as part of a solution to the long-term staffing challenges of coach and bus are arguably low-hanging fruit. The industry will need to do its bit to pick that, but the pace of change to help it do so needs to accelerate at the same time.
