Parents urged to be proud of apprenticeships as university places.

Apprenticeships are a great alternative to those put off by the 9k annual price tag of today’s university degree; Trade Skills 4U explains why...

Since Education Minister, David Willets announced an increase in university tuition fees in 2010, students considering further education have been forced to contemplate cheaper alternative routes. In a new push for apprenticeships in 2012, Shadow Education Secretary Stephen Twigg is calling to parents to be more supportive over these alternatives. “Apprenticeships are the gold standard of post-16 vocational education" and "parents should be as proud of their children for securing a top apprenticeship as they are if they go to university.”

Whilst degrees will always be a very valuable qualification, the annual £9,000 tuition fees, the battle with rising living costs and the very possible outcome of unemployment lurking at the end of it all has begun to steer students away from this educational route. This year has already seen an 8% decrease in university applications as UCAS, ‘Universities and Colleges Admissions Service,’ recently reported that 283,680 people that have applied to university from within UK compared to the 306,908 who applied last year.

Since the costly tuition fee increase, alternative education options such as ‘apprenticeships’ are being thoroughly explored by prospective students looking to further their learning. Such terms have seen over a 100% increase in online searches since the initial announcement concerning university tuition fees from Willets back in November 2010.

Please see Google Insight research on term 'apprenticeship' below:

Whereas online search activity for the term 'University' has suffered a slow decrease in search. See below:

“Apprenticeships have always been a big part of Britain and it’s great that the idea of taking an apprenticeship still has such great appeal,” says Carl Bennett, Director of Trade Skills 4U. “Apprenticeships can be excellent routes into an industry as they combine the theory elements of a course with the important practical side; it is this key ingredient that degrees generally miss.” Mr Bennett is the Director of Britain’s Premier Electrical Training Company who currently hold three apprenticeship courses from two of the UK’s Leading qualification bodies; City & Guilds and EAL.

“Many still regard the apprenticeship as the best route into work combining technical education with practical experience helping to enable business and industries to acquire skilled labour. It has added appeal today because it soaks up the growing fears of entrenched youth unemployment as the effects of the recession continue to be felt and the unskilled are left further behind.”

“We’re holding FREE taster days during National Apprenticeship week for young people aged between 16 – 19 years old. We’ve almost sold out on these free places, so young people who are interested need to give us a call if their interested on 01293 529777. These electrical taster days aim to give young people a sample of the industry by detailing what is involved in an electrical career plus some practical training to help you decide if this is right career for you - It’s a great way of test driving a potential new career.

Click here to book your spaces or you can call our team to find our more on 01293 529777. 

www.tradeskills4u.co.uk.

Imagesource@myhammer.co.uk