The attitude of British parents towards apprenticeships is becoming increasingly positive, research has found, with almost half confirming that they would encourage their children to take up an apprenticeship opportunity.
The research – which was carried out by YouGov on behalf of BAE Systems and the Royal Academy of Engineering – surveyed more than 2,000 parents of children aged 11 to 18. It found that 46 per cent of British parents would recommend the apprenticeship route to their offspring, while 29 per cent said that they now see apprenticeships as a “viable option” for their children.
This shows the improving attitude towards the vocational option, as many parents admitted that they would not have even considered advising their children to take up an apprenticeship five years ago.
Forty-two per cent of parents said that they felt far more positive about apprenticeships in the last year, while 67 per cent were happy that the option was now seen as an attractive one for youngsters.
Minister of State for Skills and Enterprise, Matthew Hancock MP, commented: "These figures are encouraging to see. I want choosing to go to university or beginning an apprenticeship to become the new norm for young people, and I'm pleased to see that attitudes are changing.
“There is still work to do though and we have recently carried out an extensive review of Apprenticeships in the UK. I am looking forward to delivering a reformed system that works even better for employers as well as learners,” he added.