Wigan named best place to be an apprentice in England, new analysis finds

Multiverse’s ‘Top 20 Towns & Cities to be an Apprentice’ ranks areas using criteria from government and ONS data including the number of apprentices per business, growth in the number of new apprentices, the area's employment rate, growth of businesses, and how affordable renting is across the towns and cities.

Wigan came in first place, ranking highly for the number of apprentices, where there is an average of 30 for every 100 businesses in the area. The North Western town also boasts high levels of affordability for a one bedroom rental property (£450), boosting the area’s attractiveness for an apprentice looking to start their career.

Data shows that six in ten people are in work in the town (61%), while there has been a 6% increase in businesses in the area between 2019-2022. These factors have led Wigan to secure its spot as the most vibrant place to do an apprenticeship in the country.

The analysis has found that almost half the towns and cities in the top 20 ranking are in the North of England, with three in the North West. In addition to Wigan, Chorley (8th) and St. Helens (11th) secured their spots on the list largely thanks to high rates of business growth and affordability of one bedroom rental properties for apprentices.

The analysis has found that Wigan is the best place to be an apprentice in the North West, with only two other towns in the region - Chorley (8th) and St. Helens (11th) - making it into the overall top 20.

The research saw Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme take the second and third spots in the list.

A Multiverse spokesperson said: “Wigan is a fantastic place to do an apprenticeship - and it is great to celebrate the town’s success this National Apprenticeship Week. From strong numbers of apprentices compared to the number of companies in the town to growing numbers of businesses, being an apprentice here means having a strong start to your career.”

Euan Blair, CEO at Multiverse, said: “Apprenticeships are an incredible vehicle for social mobility across the UK - and at Multiverse we’re proud to have apprentices in every corner of the country. Access to our apprenticeships has been unlocked by the use of tech to scale our offering nationwide and has allowed us to reach often overlooked areas.

"The spread of opportunities supports our belief in the ability for apprenticeships to be the tool that enables equitable access to economic opportunity, for everyone.”