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A recent survey has revealed that just over half of graduates say they would have considered an apprenticeship instead of a degree.

Despite this, just 1% of young people received the help and support needed to apply for an apprenticeship during their time at school, compared to the 59% who had support regarding educational and academic options.

This is according to the CIPD’s latest report, Youth Employment in the UK in 2021, which also found that 66% of graduates feel the educational qualifications they hold were necessary to get their current job, but just 41% said they were necessary to do their job effectively.

The report also shows a mismatch between skills supply and demand, resulting in graduates often ending up in jobs that don’t require a degree to do the role.

As a result of these findings, the CIPD is calling for careers advice in schools to give equal focus to vocational and academic routes into employment.

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Lizzie Crowley, senior skills adviser at the CIPD, commented, “While half of graduates say they would have been open to doing an apprenticeship, the number of young people who are actually starting them continues to fall sharply.

“We need to do a better job of preparing young people for the world of work, so they can make an informed decision about what route is going to give them the best chance of having a long and fulfilling career. It’s crucial that young people receive effective careers advice at school so they are aware of the different career choices and routes open to them that meet their interests, strengths and aptitudes, as well as the needs of employers.

“This is not just important for individuals, it’s key to our long-term productivity and competitiveness as recent skill and labour shortages have demonstrated. However, it’s not down to one stakeholder to achieve this: educators, policy makers and businesses all need to work together to help young people develop the skills they and employers need.”

To find out more about contracting please contact Jaime on 01206 591 000 or email jaime.thorpe@contractorumbrella.com.

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