Schools should do more to highlight the value of apprenticeships and show that they are just as worthwhile as university and college, a report for the Scottish government has advised.
The report underlines that minority-ethnic school students stand to gain the most from addressing misconceptions about apprenticeships, as they do not see the “labour market advantages” that should reflect their level of education.
The final , a joint undertaking by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB), has been published today to mark .
Information flow from schools
In her foreword, commission chair Sharon Blyfield - head of early careers and apprenticeships at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners - says: “SDS research shows that parents and carers are the biggest influencers on young people when it comes to career decisions, and it’s from schools that much of that information flows.
“It is imperative that schools start to recognise and give equal weighting and time to apprenticeship opportunities as they do to university and college pathways.”
The report shares concerns about the low profile of apprenticeships in schools and beyond.
It finds “a lack of awareness of the range of apprenticeship opportunities, and their value compared to other academic qualifications”, especially among students and their parents.
Key recommendations include:
- That the Scottish government takes action to “ensure schools give equal weighting to apprenticeships as positive destinations”.
- That education leaders step up work with schools to “ensure fuller understanding of the benefits of apprenticeships and their value amongst teachers, careers advisers and pupils”.
- That schools carve out “dedicated time in the curriculum for learning about apprenticeship opportunities” and their place within , as well as time to help students with the apprenticeship application process.
‘Misconceptions about value of apprenticeships’
The report notes that school teachers and careers advisers in particular have “a key role in ensuring that young people have the right information to make choices about their future”, but points to “barriers” created by “misconceptions about the value of apprenticeships compared to other progression routes”.
Its recommendations also include “more targeted promotion” of apprenticeships to groups such as female students and refugees; the report stresses that such an approach could improve the prospects of school leavers from minority groups.
The report cites evidence from the that “despite generally high attainment at school and high rates of entry into further and higher education, statistically minority-ethnic people are not receiving the labour market advantages which should be expected considering their positive educational outcomes”.
Minority-ethnic students, it says, “are more likely to strive for traditional professional routes and may not consider alternative routes”.
The report notes that minority-ethnic students are “more influenced by their school achievements than other factors when making career decisions”, which “contrasts with the broader population, where parental influence is stronger”.
However, a 2020 report commissioned by SDS, [sic], highlighted the “significant influence that parents have on their children’s career choices”.
It stated: “Many minority-ethnic parents viewed apprenticeships as less prestigious than university education, which impacts their support for apprenticeships as a viable option for their children.”
Five years on, members of the Commission on Race in Apprenticeships comment today on “the continuing need to work to break down the misconceptions around apprenticeships”.
Their report states: “Parents often associate these as a route for pupils who have underperformed at school and continue to show a preference for college or university progression routes.”
It adds: “Engagement with parents currently is often minimal, undertaken en masse at school events, and not tailored to the specific circumstances of minority-ethnic young people. There is a clearly articulated need in future to ensure that parents are being engaged regularly and in community settings.”
School-based careers advice ‘critical’
The report advises that minority-ethnic students “benefit from strong, tailored career guidance, particularly from school-based career advisers”, adding: “Ensuring that these advisers are equipped to understand and address the unique challenges faced by minority-ethnic pupils is critical for supporting their successful transition into further education or the workforce.”
The report seeks better training and resources for careers advisers, so that they can “provide comprehensive guidance on apprenticeship opportunities, particularly to minority-ethnic students”.
A Scottish government spokesperson said that it “recognises the importance of improving ethnic-minority representation in apprenticeships, which is why ministers welcome the report and the detailed recommendations”.
The spokesperson added: “We will now consider how these recommendations can be embedded in the skills system as we take forward our reform work.”
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