Although the academic route, from GCSEs and A-Levels into university, is right for many, different options are available. These include apprenticeships and TechBac – the City & Guilds curriculum for 14-19 year olds, which combines industry specific and general workplace skills development with on-the-job experience.
Both academic and more technical career paths remain valuable to employers: Research released by the City & Guilds Group and Emsi earlier this year highlighted that skills shortages are set to stifle UK businesses – with one in ten already struggling to recruit the skilled staff they need and nearly a third (32%) reporting that staff do not have the right skillset.
Two thirds of UK employers think that the skills gaps in their businesses are likely to get worse or remain the same in the next 3-5 years. As a result, despite most industries in the UK being predicted to grow between now and 2024, employers predict that their productivity will be hit.
Despite some recent negative headlines, apprenticeships are still set to remain one of the key answers to this challenge, as 38% of employers stated that the role they plan to recruit for most in the next 3-5 years is apprentices, and the same number stated that an apprenticeship programme is the top method they plan to use to encourage entrants into the workplace. The new Apprenticeship Levy, introduced in 2017, is helping this role adapt and stay relevant for today’s employers.
Furthermore, with the forthcoming rollout of the Government’s new T-Levels being phased in from 2020, it’s never been a better time to secure parity of esteem between academic and technical routes into employment.
Commenting on the 2018 A-level and GCSE results, Kirstie Donnelly, Managing Director of City & Guilds and ILM, said:
“Now more than ever, young people have access to an array of different routes into education and employment. While A-Levels or GCSEs may be exactly the right approach for many, these should not be seen as the only way to gain employment or a successful career. If we deter young people from alternatives to academia, it’s not just them that will suffer, but UK businesses too.”
“Our recent research has highlighted that the UK faces a significant shortfall of skilled and talented people, with ongoing uncertainty around Brexit set to exacerbate this. It’s essential that young people understand the full range of options ahead of them, which can pave a way into industries including engineering, construction, hospitality, media or the built environment sector.”
“Parents too, need to be more aware of the current reforms to technical education in the UK, so they can fully understand the expanded role schemes like apprenticeships can play in businesses. These have traditionally long been associated with low wage jobs – but this is simply no longer the case. Technical routes into the workplace can give young people the skills they need to enter some of the UK’s most exciting industries.”