18 Aug 2023
Many teachers and parents seem to be of the view that school level qualifications are the be all and end all of education and this excludes many pupils who are not as academically gifted as their peers but are better working with their hands or on non-academic tasks. There is a presumption and an attitude that if someone doesn’t get good grades in their exams at school, their life prospects have disappeared before they had even begun.
There is not only one way to succeed in life and it is even possible to successfully transition to a different career at any point in your life. There are multiple routes to success and apprenticeships are one of the best for many young people as they offer a far broader range of choices than are offered in college and university brochures.
Key Things to Know About Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships aren’t as well understood by parents and teachers as other further and higher education options and this can be a disadvantage to young people who may not realise that an excellent option that meets their needs is out there.
Apprentices Earn As They Learn
An apprenticeship is very like a job except that the apprentice will be learning the job while they are doing it. This means they will be getting paid for their work at the Apprentice Minimum Wage rate set by the UK Government. This gives them the chance to get on their feet and get a taste for how the world of work operates, while still receiving help and support from a mentor and attaining an academic qualification on their completion of the apprenticeship.
Apprentices Have Excellent Career Prospects
The career prospects for young people undertaking apprenticeships are excellent with the vast majority of them being hired for the job role that they apprenticed in and up to two thirds being kept on by the company they apprenticed with after the apprenticeship has been completed successfully.
A large proportion of businesses also see apprentices as moving into their management tier within five years of completing their apprenticeship, which is an excellent rate of career progression that compares favourably with other career routes.
Apprentices Can Earn a Degree
Apprentices can earn a degree without attending full-time University education and they can circumvent having to pay the associated tuition fees. This obviously makes degree apprenticeships especially attractive to people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds as it means they avoid the build up of debt that characterises so much of regular student experience.
A degree apprenticeship is worth as much academically as a standard undergraduate degree and although it may take slightly longer to achieve, they will also be gaining valuable experience in the workplace, making good contacts and earning as they learn, rather than sinking into debt.
Advice for Parents and Teachers
Ensure that young people have all the information that they need in order to make the best choices for their future. Don’t discount the possibilities offered by apprenticeships and try not to let them think that poor performance in their exams will define the direction of their lives. It doesn’t have to and there are many different ways to find success.
