When considering the future for their employment or further education, some young people may not be aware of all the options in front of them. A vast majority will turn to their parents for advice and support, but how many would actively promote apprenticeships as a viable option instead of university?
National awarding organisation NCFE recently carried out research amongst 2,000 parents with children between 3-18 years, to discover their attitudes towards apprenticeships.
The results were encouraging, and show that perceptions are changing for the better. 68% of parents believe that apprenticeships are an excellent way to learn, and in terms of attending university, 62% of those surveyed believe university study doesn’t suit everyone while 41% don’t view degrees as being as valuable as they used to be.
When asked how they would feel about their child going into a vocational trade, 47% of parents claimed they would be pleased, with 91% disagreeing with the perception that apprenticeships lead to low paid, low skilled jobs. Just 11% of those surveyed think their child needs to go to university to compete in the job market and 93% of parents don’t believe an apprenticeship will slow their career progression.
Interestingly, 88% of parents weren’t encouraged to take an apprenticeship themselves, which shows that university and further education have for many years been promoted more than an apprenticeship. This is supported by the 2014-15 Ofsted annual report which stated that some schools and colleges weren’t promoting apprenticeships equally, favouring university as the main route.
The results from this survey certainly show a positive change towards appreciating the benefits that come from an apprenticeship, which is highlighted when comparing these results to previous surveys. Research conducted in 2013 by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) showed that 63% of parents didn’t understand Apprenticeships well enough to explain them to their children.
Apprenticeships are fast becoming a more prominent way for young people to reach their potential in their chosen career path, with more high quality apprenticeships being launched, such as Degree apprenticeships, and more employer engagement to design the programmes to ensure long lasting and productive employment.
To find out more about becoming an apprentice you can contact the team at Aspire Training Team, apprenticeship provider for roles in business administration, childcare and health & social care across Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. They can be contacted on 01202 551553 or you can email them at info@aspiretrainingteam.co.uk.
