Backlogs leave thousands of 'distressed' apprentices waiting more than six months for training

The anonymous group of apprentices and parents said the longest waiting time for similar apprenticeships in countries such as France, Germany and Denmark is between four and six weeks.

Apprentices have been left in "very distressing" limbo as just under 9,000 are currently waiting for off-the-job training, almost 4,000 of whom have been waiting for more than six months to progress.

Some 5,150 apprentices have been waiting for up to six months while a further 3,817 have been waiting for more than six months. In addition to learning on the job, apprentices are required to learn in an education centre to progress and become qualified in their chosen field.