Apprenticeships are changing – and attitudes towards apprenticeships need to change too. 

Over the last few months, apprenticeships have had a major rebrand. There are now a huge range of apprenticeships available in all sectors at all levels – from entry-level courses to degree-level qualifications. These reforms have helped apprenticeships gain the respect of employers, but many young people and their parents still have an old-fashioned view of vocational training.

Parents in particular are unaware of the sheer scope of apprenticeships today. They remember apprenticeships being reserved to trades like plumbing, motoring and construction – but this is simply not the case anymore.

Modern apprenticeships are a valid and equally prestigious alternative to higher education. Apprentices can earn while they learn, boost their confidence in the workplace and gain the specific skills they need for their future career – giving them the best chance to fully transition in to world of work.

The benefits of apprenticeships are obvious to us – but obviously, we're preaching to the converted here.

It's parents we need to convince. 

A recent study conducted by Barclays revealed that parents in particular have a negative opinion of apprenticeships and a positive opinion of universities. 65% of 1,000 parents surveyed said they thought university was the best option for their child – and this went up to 80% if the parent had been to university themselves. But kids don't care what their parents think, right?

Wrong! 43% of young people stated their parents had the biggest influence over their career choices – followed by teachers at 12% and career advisors at 6%.

So what does this mean for the future of apprenticeships?

We've got a battle on our hands. We need to work together to educate parents about the benefits of apprenticeships. Many parents simply don't know how much apprenticeships have changed since they were at college – in fact, 37% of parents aren't aware apprenticeships even exist outside of trade roles. However, parents are starting to learn more about courses in retail, finance, hospitality and management.

What are parents concerned about?

• • The variety of courses available
  • Low wages
  • Long-term career prospects
  • Fast career success

With the introduction of the new standards, the apprenticeship levy, and higher and degree-level courses, attitudes are changing. The benefits of higher apprenticeships are huge, so it should be easy to inform parents about all the opportunities available for their children.

To get started, download our parent's guide to apprenticeships.

We cover:

• • What are apprenticeships?
  • The common misconceptions
  • The benefits of higher apprenticeships
  • Apprenticeships vs university