Databases

Among its activities on apprenticeships, Cedefop provides systematic evidence on apprenticeship systems and schemes in all EU Member States, plus Iceland, Norway and the UK, through:

  • Cedefop European database on apprenticeship schemes – it offers information about apprenticeships at the country level[1] for all EU member states, Iceland, Norway and the UK (also at sub-national level for Belgium and the UK) and at the scheme level[2]. The database covers only apprenticeship schemes considered as such in the national official definitions, that have a stable/valid legal basis, are system-level or mainstream schemes and share the following features: lead to formal qualifications, foresee a formal contractual relationship between employer and apprentice and compensation for the latter. Information is being revised and updated by Cedefop and its community of apprenticeship experts (2019). 
  • Cedefop’s database on financing apprenticeships in the EU – it provides information on how apprenticeship schemes are financed in the EU Member States and the UK, at the level of financing arrangements (i.e. the whole system of financing apprenticeship scheme, such as sources of funding, actors involved, main financial flows, level of key costs) and at the level of financing instruments that are in place to incentivise employers and individuals (training funds based on levies, tax incentives for companies and individuals, and grants for companies and individuals.

The databases contain UK data and analysis based on research conducted before the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union on 31 January 2020.
 

[1] Country fiches describe apprenticeship systems in relation to their legal bases, official definitions, educational level of apprenticeships and how well they are established in the country (questions 1 to 5).

[2] Scheme fiches are organised around the following content categories (questions 6 to 39): target group, overview of the scheme, duration, alternation of work-based with school-based training, formal relationship with the employer, compensation and responsibility of employers.