The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) is marking National Apprenticeship Week by highlighting the vital role apprenticeships in the sector play in building a skilled workforce, strengthening local communities, and supporting the Government’s ambition to reduce the number of young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET).
New figures show apprenticeships in the bus industry are continuing to grow. In the academic year ending July 2025, apprenticeship starts increased from 1,003 to 1,098, up 9.4%, while apprenticeship graduations rose from 696 to 767, an increase of 10%.
At the same time, recent national data indicates that almost one million young people are NEET, representing a 26% increase from pre pandemic levels. CPT believes apprenticeships are a practical and proven route to help reverse that trend, offering structured training, recognised qualifications, and a reliable wage from day one.
Apprenticeships combine on the job learning with nationally recognised qualifications, enabling people to learn while they earn and supporting operators to maintain the highest professional standards. Many employers also report wider benefits from apprenticeship programmes, including improvements in driving standards and reduced incidents, helping to strengthen safety even further.
Apprenticeships can also lead to secure, long term employment and open doors to supervisory and management roles, offering candidates a pathway to build a career, not just take a job. The bus and coach sector offers apprenticeships in a range of different roles, from drivers to engineers – there’s something for everyone.
Commenting, Keith McNally, Operations Director at CPT said:
“Apprenticeships provide an essential route into a sector that keeps communities connected. They offer life changing careers, nationally recognised qualifications, and the chance to learn while earning. With nearly one million young people currently not in education, employment, or training, apprenticeships can play a key role in helping people into rewarding work. At a time when our industry sees a shortage of drivers, apprenticeships are a great way to develop the future generation of drivers that can keep passengers on the move.”
(Picture: Confederation of Passenger Transport)
