Apprenticeships are a valued career path option for school leavers, according to largest snapshot survey to date

Almost three quarters of parents of Year 13 pupils say they would encourage their child to consider an apprenticeship when leaving school, a survey of 2,826 parents and carers from 52 Hertfordshire secondary schools has revealed.

Now in its fourth year, the Hertfordshire Parent and Carer Apprenticeship Awareness Survey, commissioned by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and Hertfordshire Careers Hub, and conducted by Amazing Apprenticeships, saw participation increase dramatically from 2021’s 22 schools and 1,676 participants and 2019’s 14 schools and 845 respondents.

64% of all parents who responded in the largest sample size to date said they would encourage their child to consider an apprenticeship after school. This leaps to 71% for parents of children in Year 13.

The biggest drivers to taking up apprenticeships were gaining relevant skills and experience in an area of interest and gaining valuable experience in the workplace while earning a salary. Discouraging factors included the perception that employers valued graduates more than apprentices, along with concerns about the quality of training and missing out on the social side of university.

There was also a surge in the number of children who had identified a career interest – up from 48% in 2021 to nearly 3 in 4 (74%). This is evidence that more students have greater awareness of future career possibilities and suggests that there is better careers information available to them. The top 5 most popular careers were  identified as Creative & Media , Computing, Tech & Digital , Science & Research , Sports & Leisure and Business & Finance.

Every industry saw a percentage increase in interest, except Health & Social Care which had a 40% drop. This decrease could be explained by the heightened interest and exposure for this industry during the pandemic last year. This year, Sixth Form pupils identified Business & Finance as the most popular career choice, ahead of Creative & Media which was the most popular choice in 2021.

While nearly three quarters (73%) of parents and carers said they wanted to be kept informed about apprenticeship options, the survey also revealed 73% of parents/carers were not aware of degree apprenticeships while 81% did not know about T Levels. Parents and carers felt that the biggest question they had relating to their child’s future career was knowing how to choose the right option.

Caroline Cartwright, Hertfordshire LEP’s Skills, Employment and Apprenticeship Lead, said: “We are highly appreciative of the thousands of parents who took time out to respond to the survey and provide us with our fullest picture yet of the knowledge and needs of school children when it comes to making their future career choices.

It was also welcome news that nearly three quarters of respondents’ children had already identified a career interest and that the most popular choices included the county’s growth sectors which the LEP is actively promoting and investing in.

We believe this is evidence that more students have greater awareness of future career possibilities and suggests the careers information available to them is improving. Our premier gateway for careers, Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal, our Generation X events and Enterprise Adviser networks have been pivotal in this.

However, the survey has also revealed there is more to be done to ensure all young people are aware of the options available to them, to enable them to reach their full potential.”

The report sets out a series of recommendations to continue to raise confidence, interest and awareness of apprenticeships. This includes continuing to invest in the highly successful series of in-person Generation Hertfordshire careers events delivered by Hertfordshire LEP, which schools could encourage parents and carers to attend. The online skills and employment portal HOP (hopinto.co.uk) was also seen as part of the solution by providing information and further resources that families could use to help them to explore their options.

Andy Baker, Recruitment Manager –Early Careers Programmes at MBDA, said: “MBDA is proud to offer a range of apprenticeships that ensure we can recruit and retain talented young people with the knowledge and behaviours to meet the needs of our UK business.

We remain committed to helping shape careers advice across schools and colleges, and work to ensure our process is fair and transparent and our opportunities are open to all.

As a large Hertfordshire employer, it is vital that we know how apprenticeships are perceived by schools, young people, teachers and parents. This report, commissioned by the Hertfordshire Careers Hub, is incredibly helpful for us as an employer to read and digest and will enable us to improve the way that we promote our career opportunities.”

Read the report: Hertfordshire Parent and Carer Apprenticeship Awareness Survey 2022

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About Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership
Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is a business-led, multi-sector partnership focused on accelerating sustainable economic growth, job creation and raising workforce skills within the local area.  Working in partnership with businesses, government, investors, education and not-for-profit organisations, the LEP puts people at the heart of growth.

Hertfordshire is home to thriving sectors of international importance including creative media, film and TV, life sciences and advanced manufacturing, with an economy delivering £41.57bn for UK plc annually.Our dedicated team is focused on driving the local economy by boosting inward investment, key sector, clean and inclusive growth. It provides skills leadership, detailed economic intelligence, and a comprehensive package of support to Hertfordshire’s business community. Find out more – www.hertfordshirelep.com