SKILLS for Employment Policy Brief

Measuring the costs and benefits of apprenticeship training

This policy brief provides an overview of the current debate and research efforts to measure cost and benefits of apprenticeship training. It introduces the methods and challenges associated with collecting data and attaching a monetary value to apprenticeships, for enterprises, learners and society. Despite the limited number of studies that exist, the policy brief shows that apprenticeships, if of a certain quality and regulated, are not only profitable for enterprises, but significantly increase employability and employment perspectives for apprentices, and in doing so, reduce the overall risks of unemployment and therefore potential social costs. The policy brief also discusses how the findings of cost-benefit analysis can be used as an effective marketing tool by governments, trade unions and employers associations to boost the overall attractiveness of apprenticeships.