Government reforms to simplify the apprenticeship system are yet to be grasped fully by employers, CIPD research has found.

The institute's skills survey, published to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week which begins today, has revealed that although employers support the government’s efforts to increase the number of apprentices, only 7 per cent of 800 employers surveyed have a working knowledge of the National Apprenticeship Service, which it set up to match suitable apprentices with employers.

The CIPD’s learning, training and development adviser, John McGurk, said that the survey found real “warmth” from employers towards apprenticeships, with 78 per cent of respondents agreeing that the government is right to introduce targets to get people into apprenticeships.

“But it’s clear from the findings that the government needs to do more to promote key reforms aimed at simplifying the apprenticeship system,” he added. “Apprenticeships are rapidly re-establishing themselves as part of the skills solution but employers will only continue to engage with these valued training opportunities if they can see the business benefits.”