The FINANCIAL — New research from Barclays Apprenticeships has on May 10 revealed that parental prejudice towards university alternatives are a major barrier to students starting apprenticeships.
The study of 1,000 parents found that the vast majority believe university is the best route for their child (65 per cent), a view that becomes particularly prevalent if they have attended university themselves – rising to 80 per cent.
The study, which also surveyed 1,000 university students, revealed that parents were far and away the most important influencer on their child’s decision when it came to further education and careers with 42 per cent of students citing them as the most key influencer, compared to careers advisors (6 per cent) and teachers (12 per cent).
Despite this, parents actually underestimated their own influence with only 36 per cent thinking they were most responsible for their children’s decisions, and perceived careers advisors to be much more influential on their children’s choices than they actually were (31 per cent).
With parents having such a sway on their children’s future it is concerning that almost 80 per cent of university students had never spoken to their parents about apprenticeships as a viable career route, and more than half (57 per cent) worry that they didn’t consider all options available to them before choosing university.
This could be because parents are not aware of the wide variety of apprenticeships available to young people today, with 51 per cent per cent admitting they know very little to nothing about apprenticeships and only 8 per cent confident in their understanding. Old misconceptions around apprenticeships being exclusive to trades such as plumbing and construction are still prevalent with parents as 37 per cent say they’re unaware of roles available outside these industries. However, although there is increasing awareness of opportunities in areas such as finance (37 per cent awareness) and management (32 per cent awareness).
The Barclays Degree Apprenticeship Programme, which allows young people to earn a 100% funded degree on top of their paid apprenticeship, is just one of many apprenticeship opportunities available to young people. Currently only a sixth of parents have heard of Degree Apprenticeships despite them offering a balance between university qualifications and entering the world of work.
Mike Thompson, Head of Apprenticeships at Barclays said:
“Apprenticeships are continually evolving and there is a need for re-education on the benefits they offer – to people of all ages and experience. Going to university to study for a degree will always be a popular option, however many young people and their parents aren’t aware of the benefits alternative routes such as apprenticeships can offer and will often see them as a back-up option. Aside from earning from day one and getting on-the-job training, apprentices can gain a qualification, boost their confidence in the work place and jumpstart their career – without the debt. At Barclays we know that talent can come from anywhere – rather than focusing on qualifications and experience, we look for candidates who show real potential. That is why we have committed to providing 800 apprenticeship roles in 2016.”
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