#LookBeyond the stigma around #apprenticeships
#NAW2020 – New @CityandGuilds research finds adults living in England think apprenticeships trump university for skills development and value for money…
Yet, the majority would still choose university as a route to upskill.
The New research published today by leading skills development organisation City & Guilds Group reveals a clear stigma when it comes to apprenticeships, with people reluctant to choose this training route, despite being fully aware of the advantages.
City & Guilds Group is calling for schools and Government to collaborate with businesses to raise awareness of the career-boosting benefits of apprenticeships, in particular for young people.
The research polled almost 2,000 adults in England and found that apprenticeships are considered to outrank university education when it comes to:
- Value for money (57% vs 5%),
- Longevity of skills (39% vs 13%) and
- Preparing young people for the workplace (54% vs 6%).
Apprenticeships are also seen as the best route for setting up young people for future career success, out of all training options currently available to under 25s:
- Three quarters (73%) of respondents believe apprenticeships are good at preparing young people for future careers,
- While just over half (52%) would say the same for undergraduate degrees
However, when asked what they would consider as a route to develop their own workplace skills, the vast majority of respondents said that they would be more likely to go to university (50%) than do an apprenticeship (30%).
Here is @K_DonnellyCEO on @BBC_Worklife this morning discussing how we can change the preconceptions surrounding apprenticeships. #LookBeyond #NAW2020 pic.twitter.com/gBvJ6lUEV4
— City & Guilds Group (@CityGuildsGroup) February 3, 2020
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In light of these findings, City & Guilds Group is calling on Businesses, the Government and schools to take action, including the implementation of funding and policy levers to drive changes in perceptions and choices at the very earliest stages of people’s working lives:
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City & Guilds Group’s findings are closely aligned with the Government’s latest Social Mobility Barometer, which found that overall, apprenticeships are thought to provide young people with the best opportunity for progression.
And yet, young people themselves are more likely to believe that the best opportunities lie in university education.
Research shows #Apprenticeships provide the best opportunity for progression… yet, young people themselves are still more likely to believe that the best opportunities lie in university education #LookBeyond #NAW2020 https://t.co/6M9dkWt6FM
— FE News – The #FutureofEducation News Channel (@FENews) February 3, 2020
The new research from City & Guilds Group highlighted that other vocational training routes are also valued by people living in England. When it comes to the best qualifications and training routes for setting up young people for future career success, BTECs / City & Guilds and similar technical qualifications were ranked second best (57%), after apprenticeships, scoring higher than Undergraduate degrees (52%), A-Levels (52%) and GCSEs (52%).
This research highlights that there continues to be a stigma attached to taking an apprenticeship.
Despite people telling us that they are aware of the benefits that apprenticeships can bring, there’s clearly still significant work to be done to make sure everyone understands the array of well-paid and challenging careers that an apprenticeship could unlock.
More must be done now to promote apprenticeships both within schools and, more generally, amongst the public. We would like to see greater collaboration between businesses, the Government and schools to promote this fantastic training route to people of all ages.
Apprenticeships will be vital to enabling the UK to deliver key pieces of planned Government strategy, such as the National Infrastructure Plan as well as helping to fill roles in growing industries such as Health and Social Care. However, currently they are likely to struggle to meet the demand if more isn’t done to encourage people of all ages to consider an apprenticeship as a good option.
Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Interim CEO, City & Guilds Group
About the research: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1914 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14th – 15th January 2020. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all English adults (aged 18+).
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