For those choosing the latter option, but wanting to improve their future prospects through a nationally recognised training programme, an apprenticeship is the perfect route. Over the past 12 months apprenticeships have matured, and are increasingly considered a viable and attractive option for many young school leavers and competition for placements is growing.
The opportunity to earn while they learn as well as secure nationally recognised qualifications and the appeal of a full time job at the end of the programme is enormously attractive. When the alternative is years of study and accrued debt, it's no surprise we're hearing of record number of schools inviting training providers in to talk about the benefits of apprenticeship programmes.
For many 16-year-olds, the choice of what to do after Year 11 is the first major decision of their young lives. For many young people, the expectation has been to follow the well-worn path of A-levels, followed by university or entry into the world of work. However, changes to the funding model for higher education, combined with external economic pressures and a lack of well-paid graduate jobs, are making this route less attractive.
As a result, a growing number of young people are taking up apprenticeships at 16 as a bona-fide route into education and work. In fact, a recent Parliamentary report found that there are currently more than 520,000 apprentices, and this number has been increasing since 2009.
Apprentices follow a nationally recognised framework and get paid a training wage. Crucially, they are getting on-the-job training. Youngsters often say that employers offer work to those who have experience - but of course to gain experience you need to have worked. That's where apprenticeships can make such a difference. Apprenticeships give people the opportunity to train, gain valuable experience and earn while doing so.
And what are the benefits to an employer? Many businesses complain that young people who are out of school - or university for that matter - are not work-ready. That's hardly surprising. Soft skills and work etiquette that many of us take for granted, such as turning up to work on time, team work or your tone of voice on the phone, are skills that most schools or universities don't teach. Compare that to an apprenticeship programme and almost all apprentices learn these skills as part of their training. As the training is delivered by a specialist training provider, it is also cost effective.
The process of securing an apprentice begins with a training provider working in consultation with the employer and the apprentice. The training provider ensures that the learning framework includes units that meet the exact requirements of both the employer and the apprentice. In a nutshell, the apprentice is moulded to fit the specific role within the business.
Furthermore a number of businesses are also choosing to develop their own programmes with training providers to build an effective talent pipeline and secure staff they could train and nurture from the onset. Apprenticeships in management and leadership, customer service and sales have all been tailored to fit the exact requirements of employers.
Then there is also the £1,500 government grant to support wage costs as a sweetener for organisations looking to secure apprentices. If an organisation employs less than 1,000 members of staff, has not taken on an apprentice in the last 12 months and is looking for an apprentice who is 16-24 years old, then it is eligible for the £1,500 government grant.
What's important to bear in mind is that the traditional academic route is not suited to everyone. There are those who do enjoy studying and can perform well at exams. And then are those who are very hands on where practical and applied learning via apprenticeships could be far more effective than A-levels and a graduate qualification. That's why it is important for parents to explore all the options available to their children. There are some fantastic opportunities for youngsters, from healthcare to childcare and from hospitality to ICT. Surely, it is better to be working, learning and earning than graduating from university, being unemployed and saddled with sky-high debt?
Rachael Fidler (pictured) is managing director of HTP Training
