It seems that recent news has been dominated by the fact that the UK is in the midst of a skills gap, with businesses fighting harder than ever for talented staff, and real concerns over the roles that remain unfilled. To celebrate this year’s National Apprenticeship Week, we asked you about your experiences with both apprentices and apprenticeships; interestingly, the research suggests that apprenticeships are in fact the solution to the UK’s skills gap.
We can now reveal that while the overwhelming majority of today’s workers (81.2%) believe that apprentices are the key to filling the nation’s skills gap, a staggering 86.6% of the nation’s professionals don’t believe that the government is providing enough funding to sustain apprenticeships.
Despite 90.6% of respondents believing that apprentices make a valuable contribution to the workforce, 73.7% don’t think the government is doing enough to support apprentices themselves; an issue which should be tackled head on if apprentices are to pave the way for UK businesses. Apprenticeships can offer direct entry into work, and after completion, provide job hunters with strong career prospects.
While only 21% of our respondents have actually undertaken an apprenticeship, 55.9% believe that doing one would have helped to advance their career, highlighting how these initiatives should be promoted more amongst job hunters. While an apprentice scheme serves up a host of advantages, the general consensus is that the government just isn’t doing enough to raise awareness; only 14.5% of our candidates who have taken on an apprenticeship attributed this to information provided by the government. Disappointingly, almost half (42.2%) found their opportunities by doing their own research.
If the government truly wants to reboot the UK’s labour market, more importance should be placed on apprentice schemes; not only can anyone apply to become an apprentice, but you’ll gain hands on experience and learn on the job.
The skills gained during apprenticeships can shape a career, and by offering a solution to the current skills gap, you’ll likely find yourself with a lot more control over your job hunt. There’s no denying the value of such initiatives, and whether you’re looking for your first job or fancy a career change, an apprenticeship could be the way to go.
If you’re interested in finding out more, why not have a look here and see what apprenticeships are available.
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