An end to earning while learning?

National Apprenticeship Week (running from 10 to 16 February) should be something for us all to celebrate, however, the government is currently rethinking its funding for level 7 apprenticeships, which has the potential to seriously impact social mobility in the legal profession. Launched in 2016, the level 7 (higher or professional) apprenticeships create a qualification path for graduates that is the highest level of apprenticeship in the UK. Apprentices spend 80% of their time working for their employer, and the rest of their time working towards their level 7 qualification through a training provider. How this route differs from many others into the legal profession is that the apprentice is paid, and they don’t have to pay for training.

City Century, a collaboration of 50-plus City of London law firms, was launched in 2022 to help promote these apprenticeships. It described the path as ‘a debt-free option where students can earn while they learn.