UK – What distinguishes schools which guide significant numbers of pupils into apprenticeships from those which do not?

Recent government figures have shown that despite the overall number of apprenticeships increasing, the number of under 19s starts have stagnated at around 20%. With the support of the Commercial Education Trust (CET), this project explores the characteristics of schools and individuals who buck the trend and asks: what distinguishes schools which guide significant numbers of pupils into apprenticeships from those which do not? What distinguishes young people who express an interest in apprenticeships in their mid-teens and go on to secure one from those who do not?

Recommendations for schools and colleges

i. Support should be provided to schools and colleges to enable teachers to further understand apprenticeships, to raise the confidence of school staff in providing advice to interested students on the range of frameworks and levels available as well as application and recruitment processes.

ii. Increase and diversify the amount of apprenticeship events involving employers, invite ex/current apprentices into school.

iii. Schools and colleges should do more to engage parents as part of wider apprenticeship awareness. In order for apprenticeships to be regarded as a genuine alternative to university, it is important that parents understand their value and potential as a way of helping their children progress in the labour market, as in many cases they will have a significant influence on their children’s career choices.

iv. Do more to promote advanced and higher level apprenticeships.

v. Raise awareness of apprenticeships from a younger age.

vi. Schools and colleges should do more to challenge gender stereotypes and broaden the aspirations of young women who are thinking about apprenticeships.

vii. Tailor recruitment skills provision to reflect the methods and processes that employers now use to hire apprentices

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story at  Teenage apprenticeships: converting awareness to recruitment