This is according to the Trades Union Congress (TUC) who say that some apprenticeships offer training that is either of poor quality or is non-existent.

Apprentices under the age of 19 currently do not have to be paid the minimum wage, a policy that the TUC is urging the government to review, as the Low Pay Commission has recommended.

Launching an advice guide for apprentices, TUC Deputy General Secretary, Frances O’Grady said that while the drop-out rate for apprenticeships is improving, less than half actually complete the full programme.

He also highlighted the widening pay gap between male and female apprentices:

“That's largely because women are heavily concentrated in sectors such as care work, hairdressing and retail. Men, on the other hand, are more likely to work in construction or engineering. And apprenticeships dominated by men can pay up to twice as much as those in sectors with a higher concentration of women.”