MPs want to know: Were you told about apprenticeships as part your careers guidance?

The Education Committee in the House of Commons has launched an inquiry looking at the effectiveness and range of apprenticeships and they want to hear your views. :h:

Replies to this thread will be considered before the Committee takes evidence from the Minister responsible for apprenticeships, Nick Boles MP, in the new year.

This is a great way to get your voice heard.

How useful was your careers guidance at school?

Did you get any information on apprenticeships?

What happens next?

About the Education Committee

Reply 1

SirMasterKey

When I was at a comprehensive from years 7-11 (which I left in 2008) we were told about apprenticeships. This was mainly during the careers guidance in years 10-11. We were told about Sixth Form, University, apprenticeships and even just going straight into the world of work. During these sessions we had to discuss the pro's and con's of all the different options available to us. I had always wanted to go on to Sixth Form and University but I still found them useful.

When I then went to a local grammar school for Sixth Form the sessions then were heavily, heavily focused on university. I know that not everyone wanted to then go on to university but they were not supported with guidance on the other options available. Instead they were pushed to apply to university anyway.

Reply 2

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by Official House of Commons

Hi SirMasterKey,

Thanks for your response on this one! :smile:

Do you think there should be alternatives to careers guidance when it comes to finding out about apprenticeships? Perhaps events and websites aimed at people looking into apprenticeships/traineeships?

P.S If you're interested in careers guidance, be sure to follow our session with the Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan MP in the New Year: http://goo.gl/PRUfTw

SirMasterKey

Just quoting you in so you see the above :smile:

Reply 3

Official House of Commons

Official Rep

Original post by SirMasterKey

Hi SirMasterKey,

Thanks for your response on this one! :smile:

Do you think there should be alternatives to careers guidance when it comes to finding out about apprenticeships? What about events and websites aimed at people looking into apprenticeships/traineeships?

P.S If you're interested in careers guidance, be sure to follow our session with the Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan MP in the New Year: http://goo.gl/PRUfTw

Reply 4

Planckton

At my school (academy) we were told about apprenticeships in Year 10/11 but the information was aimed at a certain subset of people.
In the school sixth form, there was a group for those who were considering an apprenticeship.
I think that apprenticeships are still seen as less preferable than going to university, and a lot of schools push UCAS applications over apprenticeship applications. It's a shame because I know people who would benefit greatly from an apprenticeship, but who have received 5 uni rejections because they were encouraged to apply for something that didn't suit them at all.

Reply 5

username1200599

At my current school the careers guidance was ok in years 9-11 but was not informed about apprenticeships. Once in year 12 we were informed more about different apprenticeships available to us. In the local area around my school there are a few schemes promoting apprenticeships and providing experience for those going to uni and those not.

Reply 6

SirMasterKey

Original post by Official House of Commons

Hi SirMasterKey,

Thanks for your response on this one! :smile:

Personally I feel that incorporating it into PSHE would be a better idea. Get the idea earlier on that university isn't for everyone and have consistant impartial information available throughout school on the options available. The aim should be to not only increase awareness but to tackle the stigma that is now associated with the other options available, especially with regards to apprenticeships. I know most people in my sixth form felt that they were beneath them even if they did not want to go on to university. I personally did consider it but decided upon university for my love of history.

Events and websites could be good for people looking into them as long as they are highly detailed and of a good quality aesthically. I think most young people today would turn off if looking for information and were given a link to a site that was not easy to navigate and only had very basic details.

The main aspect I would change is the attitude in schools and colleges where apprenticeships are seen as a pathway for the 'low achievers'.

Reply 7

NekoAngel13

Honestly when I joined my school they said to my parents "We are a school which paths our students straight into university."
So it makes sense that from year 7-11 we only really received information about sixth form, university or the army. If you were interested in anything else like college or apprenticeships then you had to go off and find that information because the school didn't bother with that information.
In year 13 at the moment you are told about more options, you can go to the careers advisers and they can tell you about other options and help with work experience but everything is still very geared toward UCAS and University prep.
Really you get no information about internships and apprenticeship unless you ask for it but I don't know if they can help you arrange it because I don't know anyone in that situation.
Essentially we were told that "You get paid a bit but A-levels are better."

Personally I'm only looking into them now because I was told on an open day at my dream uni that my chances were very slim to none at all even with my extenuating circumstances.
It's very difficult and there isn't really the support there for people who don't know what career they want. You get told to go to uni and you'll work it out there... seems an expensive way to make a decision.
I'm starting to think that uni may not be for me but I don't see any other options that might apply to me.
It seems to me that there isn't much out there for young people apart from uni, armed forces or college but that's from what my school teaches. It's cutting people off from other options which can't help in the long run.

Reply 8

megan061

When I was at school, I was basically informed that an apprenticeship was for those who couldn't get into Sixth Form or College. I also was told that apprenticeships only existed in areas such as Bricklaying, plumbing, hairdressing and catering. As a B grade student across the board, I didn't even consider apprenticeships. I undertook my A-levels and got really good grades, then I came to the predicament where I was unsure where to go next. It took a lot of research off of my own back to find out the massive range of Apprenticeships that there are, as I recieved no guidance from Sixth form about apprenticeships. If I had known at the time, I would have tried to source a Higher Apprenticeship.

I am now doing a Level 3 Business administration apprenticeship and believe it was absolutely the right choice for me. Next year I am going to be undertaking the Level 5 Business Innovation and growth apprenticeship which I am really looking forward to.

I feel that all of my friends from school who are now at university percieve me as being at the bottom of the pecking order in terms of my education, but I'm sure in 2 years time I'll be the one laughing to the bank when I've got 4 years worth of work experience, money in my pockets and a qualification as well compared to their degrees in mickey mouse subjects such as sociology and art + £50000 worth of debt.

Reply 9

Balloon Baboon

I was shipped off to fight in **** holes across the world. So, no.

Reply 10

Official House of Commons

Official Rep

Thank you for all the contributions!

Some of you commented on a 'stigma' being attatched to doing an apprenticeship as opposed to going into further/higher education...any more thoughts on how to overcome this?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 11

sr90

Volunteer Team

My sixth form never mentioned anything other than university/UCAS. Everyone was encouraged to apply for university, the stereotypical view was that apprenticeships were for people who didn't get good grades at school. Vocational qualifications were considered inferior or second class. I remember in Year 12, one boy in my class was adamant that he didn't want to go to university. My teacher responded by saying ''What are you going to do instead, join the dole queue?''. Such snobbery has to end (Clegg & Cameron have both said this before), however i'm not too sure how this can actually happen.

For me, the main appeal of university was to move out and get away from the god awful place where I lived with my parents. The place where I live now has much better job prospects, however I don't think having a History degree has given me any kind of advantage in the job market. I was pretty much told ''go to uni and you'll figure out what you want to do''... well i'm 24 in a couple of months and still nothing. I'm unemployed at the moment and don't have a clue what to apply for.

Reply 12

megan061

Original post by Official House of Commons

I think that the blame lies with teachers. They, along with parents tend to be a trusted source of information when it comes to further education. Therefore the message they are transmitting to students needs to be up to date, relevant and reliable.

In my apprentice job role, I visit secondary schools around the county I live in and I have witnessed several different approaches that teachers have gone for. The best approach I have seen is allowing everybody to hear about apprenticeships, to give them the information to know that apprenticeships are for EVERYONE. The worst approach I have seen, which happens in around 50% of schools I visit, is that only the worst behaved students or those who were never going to achieve grades suitable to get into college or sixth form were allowed to recieve advice about apprenticeships.

What I think teachers don't appreciate, is that apprenticeships are probably harder to get into than college. You've actually got to go and get a job, go through the interview process and possibly even have certain grades before you start. Then, once you've got the apprenticeship, not only have you got to work a full time job, you've got to do the coursework that goes with it!

:yikes:

Reply 13

RailDeMusique

Apprenticeships were not spoken about in my school! I go to a grammar school, so the only post 18 plan spoken of was university.

Reply 14

Official House of Commons

Official Rep

Thank you for all your comments. The Committee will use your feedback during Wednesday’s session with Nick Boles MP, Minister of State for Skills and Equalities, Department for Education.

Watch a live streaming of the session on apprenticeships and traineeships for 16-19 years olds on Wednesday 14th January, starting at 9:30 AM http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=16923

(edited 9 years ago)