IT and Engineering Apprenticeship Questions? Please help!

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend is 24 years old and did 2 years at King's College studying Mech Engineering but it didn't work out (long story that I'd like to keep personal) and last year he was doing an apprenticeship in Engineering but that didn't work out either.

He's been applying for other apprenticeships, he's brushing up on Web Development using Treehouse and he's interested in something IT based too... but the problem is that he keeps getting rejected from apprenticeships now?!

He's a very smart guy so I doubt it's anything like that but I can't help but think it's because the full apprenticeship fee is NOT covered by the government, if you're 24 you have to come up with the other half... Could someone clear this up for me please? Do employers have the right to reject someone because they'll have to put money forward to take him on?

He's starting to lose hope, I feel really bad for him and since he's already 24, that's the cut off for any normal government funding, but he also doesn't have the £5,000 that's needed for an apprenticeship since he's 24....

If anyone could shed some light on the subject I'd be really grateful, thank you!