Britain’s apprenticeship landscape is expanding beyond its traditional roots and new Indeed data shows the North of England is fast becoming a key hotspot for opportunities. Childcare, technology and healthcare are now emerging as major apprenticeship sectors, standing alongside more traditional routes like engineering and skilled trades.
Between January and July 2026, childcare had the highest prevalence of apprenticeship opportunities of any occupation analysed, with apprenticeships accounting for 6.58% of all childcare job postings on Indeed. Pharmacy followed closely at 6.47%, while IT infrastructure, operations and support ranked third at 4.07%.
The data also highlights how far apprenticeships have moved beyond their traditional roots. In 2025 marketing apprenticeships accounted for 1.83% of apprenticeship postings, compared with 1.18% for construction, while IT infrastructure, operations and support (5.02%) was more than 10 times as prevalent as software development (0.46%).
Newcastle is Currently the UK’s Apprenticeship Hotspot
Location matters too, with Indeed’s analysis revealing significant differences between Britain’s biggest cities.
The North of England performs particularly strongly, with three northern cities – Newcastle, Leeds and Sheffield – appearing in the UK’s top 10 cities posting apprenticeship roles.
UK’s Top 10 Cities for Apprenticeship Opportunities
Apprenticeship share of all job postings, January–July 2026
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Newcastle upon Tyne – 1.62%
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Southampton – 1.47%
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Birmingham – 1.32%
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Derby – 1.29%
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Leeds – 1.23%
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Sheffield – 1.18%
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Leicester – 1.16%
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Cardiff – 1.11%
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Reading – 1.10%
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Nottingham – 1.09%