The majority (58%) of the public believe that skilled
apprenticeships offer more secure job prospects than a university
education, according to a new poll by the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers.
The findings follow Government plans, as part of the
Industrial Strategy, to establish a technical education system
that is on a par with the UK’s academic system and news of a 59%
decline in apprentices taking up trainee posts since the
Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in April.
The survey showed concerns over the lack of
information about technical and vocational career paths that
schools offer. Over half of the public (56%) believe that school
career advice is not adequate enough to enable students to make
informed decision about their futures, with only a small
proportion believing that schools offer the right advice
(18%).
Peter Finegold, Head of Education and Skills at the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers said:
“Apprenticeships are increasingly being seen as a
viable alternative to the well-trodden route of a university
education, particularly given the financial burden of gaining a
degree.
“But much more needs to be done to champion the
opportunities that vocational careers can offer and overcome the
cultural prejudices that parents might have.
“For those students who do not have engineers in
their family, or who come from parts of the country without
engineering heritage, we need to embed within their schooling
experience how fulfilling engineering can be and broaden their
exposure to what engineers do on a day-to-day basis, and the
creative and conceptual skills required.
“Post-Brexit, our education system must equip young
people with the skills and knowledge of the different career
paths available to allow them to embark on fulfilling careers and
enable UK businesses to compete on the global stage. Which is why
we look forward to reading the government’s long-awaited careers
strategy.
“Both teachers and parents alike play an important
role in influencing a student’s choices. We need to inspire more
young individuals, and work with employers and teachers to change
the perception of engineering apprenticeships so that it is seen
as the fascinating and highly skilled career path that it is.
Technical training produces valued technical specialists who are
well-paid and who often progress to the highest levels within
their chosen field.”
There was broad support (79%) for initiatives already
in place such as the STEM Insight scheme, where teachers spend
one or two weeks in industry to enhance their understanding of
the different career paths available in engineering and
manufacturing.
When asked whether parents were aware if their
child’s school had discussed technical training as a possible
career path, only 28% of parents were aware that any such
discussions had taken place.
Furthermore, only 53% of parents felt confident about
explaining to their child what engineering is and what engineers
do.
The survey of 2,004 individuals was conducted by ICM,
on behalf of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers on 13 – 15
September.
To read the full results , see
attachment.
