As A level results loom, parents have become more likely to encourage their child to apply for an apprenticeship than to university after leaving school, according to research from Grant Thornton.
Its survey of 2,000 parents with offspring aged 12-21 showed that 44 per cent are more likely to encourage their child to apply for a school leaver apprenticeship than for university (40pc). The chance to gain practical on the job experience; get paid while gaining a certified qualification and avoiding student debt were the main reasons cited. Two thirds of parents also believe that the cost of a university degree delivers less value than it used to, significantly more than in a similar survey taken six years ago. A similar share of young people also share this view.
Charlotte Anderson (right) , practice lead for Grant Thornton UK in the East of England, said: “Our region is home or near to several world class universities but there are other alternative paths that can be taken and apprenticeships can be a brilliant place to start. It’s clear from our research that there has been a significant change in attitudes towards school leaver apprenticeships. This is likely partly due to the quality of some of the programmes on offer, which is starting to reshape the traditional views on post-school options.”
