Concerns have been raised about the futures of the region's young people - with 2,700 fewer apprentices taken on by Norfolk companies compared to five years ago.
Bosses at Norfolk County Council said coronavirus has contributed to the drop in apprenticeship starts to 4,890 in 2019/20 from the 7,670 in 2016/17.
Young people aged 16 to 18 and those starting level 2 apprenticeships - the intermediate level - have been worst affected, with the most significant decline in 2020/21.
Apprenticeships, however, are not just for young people, with all ages able to take them up.
Officers said Covid-19 cannot be completely blamed for the fall, given apprenticeship starts have dropped for five years on the trot.
Other issues include national apprenticeship reforms - including the introduction of an apprenticeship levy - which have increased the complexity for companies to offer apprenticeships.
However, the council has put together a new strategy to try to get numbers up.
That strategy came under the spotlight at a meeting of County Hall's scrutiny committee on Wednesday.
Graham Plant, Conservative cabinet member for growing the economy, said increasing apprenticeships was a "core goal" of the council.
He said the council was increasing its own apprenticeships and that £1.9m was being used to stimulate an increase use of the schemes by supporting companies and incentivising them.
He said: "We are improving the situation. We are putting in resources to make it happen. We would all like to come out of the pandemic to a brighter future."
Richard Price, Conservative councillor for South Smallburgh, questioned whether a lack of public transport in rural areas was stopping people.
Officers said money was available to help people pay for transport.
Jamie Osborn, Green councillor for Norwich's Mancroft ward, questioned whether the pay for apprentices was putting people off.
Katy Dorman, the council's apprenticeship strategy manager, said pay rates varied and it did depend on the employers.
But she said a three-month long council study found that, although the national minimum wage for an apprentice is £4.30 an hour, the average in Norfolk was over £5.50.
And she added the minimum wage would be increasing from April next year.
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