More than four-fifths (84%) of young people in the East Midlands insist there is not enough information given to them about apprenticeships when considering their career option – a new survey by BDO has found.
Of this group, 55% say more work needs to be done to connect young people with local businesses and apprenticeship providers, while nearly a third (29%) said that this lack of information means those that already know people in certain industries and businesses have an advantage.
The Young Minds survey of just over 1,000 young people across the UK was commissioned by accounting and advisory firm BDO to provide an indicative snapshot of the career aspirations and challenges of young people, canvassing the views of those between the ages of 18-25 years old.
The survey found that nearly half (48%) of young people polled in the East Midlands still believe that attending university will provide more career choices, yet more than a third (35%) would also consider undertaking an apprenticeship after their degree to upskill, achieve a master’s degree-level qualification or to train in a specialist area or profession.
Kyla Bellingall, regional managing partner at BDO LLP in the Midlands, said: “Apprenticeships play a vital role in building an inclusive and highly skilled workforce of tomorrow, yet many young people in the Midlands feel they are still being denied access. This consistent lack of information and education is creating a bottleneck in new talent.
“Greater connectivity between government, businesses and the education system is needed to allow young people to make more informed decisions and to help match them with employers offering apprenticeship opportunities.
“We need to work together to ensure everyone has access to the information, training and high-quality employment they need to reach their potential.”
Fab Lanza, an audit trainee in BDO’s Nottingham office, started his school leaver apprenticeship in 2022 after taking part in ‘Explore BDO’ during his A-Levels.
He said: “There needs to be more information available to students considering their career choices. I first discovered apprenticeships through my student network when I participated in the Explore BDO Insight programme.
“After I completed my A-levels, I was fast-tracked through the application process because of my participation during the insight week. Now I’m halfway through a Level 7 apprenticeship (equivalent to a Master’s degree) and will be fully qualified within the next couple of years.”
