Raising the profile of apprenticeships

Article from Teacher Toolkit: https://www.teachertoolkit.co.uk/2019/07/08/apprenticeships/

Is an apprenticeship a viable alternative to going to university?

What hinders the perception of apprenticeships?

Over 36 per cent of parents do not know ‘what an apprenticeship is’ which is clearly a problem with perceptions and attitudes to alternative career choices which is creating skills gaps in key industries. With a lack of knowledge among parents, it is unsurprising that almost three-quarters of young people do not know either.

When asked who or what influenced these decisions, parents were number one reason for their decisions, followed by teachers and school, the lessons children enjoy and then what their friends said or were going on to do in the future.

Engineering for young people …

How can we raise the profile of apprenticeships amongst students, parents and schools?

Just weeks after the U.K. government officially announced its landmark campaign, the Year of Engineering, ABM U.K. launched their Junior Engineering Engagement Programme (J.E.E.P.) to address the skills shortage on the UK’s engineering industry and its productivity and growth.

In a recent podcast conversation, I interviewed Justine Salmon, a divisional director at ABM U.K., who following a successful pilot year with three West London schools, has now welcomed over 200 school children across the U.K. into the second year of J.E.E.P. The course offers four full-day sessions, where students are introduced to the world of facilities management and engineering through experiments in conduction, heat, magnets and more. The students are introduced to what a career may look like beyond the traditional routes of employment.

Resource Pack

You can download ABM’s teacher pack on the Times Education Supplement. These resources are designed to be delivered in school over four full days, providing teachers and pupils with access to facilities management and problem-solving scenarios. In the pack, you will find topics from electricity to magnets, sustainability and health and safety laws.