Class Plays A Role In Parents Favoring University Over Apprenticeships
- Dato: 05 March, 2019
White-collar parents are more likely to push their children to apply to University despite high-level apprentices earning £50,000 more on average over a lifetime than many graduates.
The research published by the social mobility charity, the Sutton Trust, reveals that there is still negative bias towards apprenticeships.
This week (4-8th March 2019) marks National Apprenticeship Week in the UK, where many employers are celebrating the value of apprenticeships.
Class pays a role in how apprenticeships are perceived, according to the Sutton Trust study of more than 1,000 parents of children aged 5 to 16 who attend school.
“Initiatives like National Apprenticeships Week are welcome and can do much to raise awareness of and dispel myths about apprenticeships but we need to do much more. Most importantly we need to increase the prestige of apprenticeships as is the case in Switzerland and Germany. This includes dispelling the view that apprenticeships are not of high quality and giving parents and teachers access to the information they need.”
Glyn Roberts is managing director of Global Knowledge. He argues that the days of apprenticeships being for school leavers that were not academically gifted are long gone.
“Apprenticeships now provide a credible alternative to university that more often than not fast tracks the individual’s earning potential. Many school leavers feel the opportunity to study to degree level (Level 6 apprenticeship), while gaining work experience and earning a salary is much more appealing than an academic qualification and a student loan.”
Source: Press coverage in Forbes – read the full article.