Apprenticeships - no substitute for experience?

The penny’s dropped. Apprenticeships are the in thing. In fact, this is the week of the apprenticeship The Government has said that there should be at least 100,000 positions readily available and offered by firms by 2014. Apprenticeships have of course been around for many years. But it’s now in the midst of a dilemma to drag this country out of recession that the Government is realising that it needs to do something; something to get the younger generation actively involved, directly and indirectly contributing to the economy (and the recovery). And so they’ve increased the budget aimed at raising awareness and helping to facilitate apprenticeships to £1.4billion for 2011/2012

Not all of us are made for University. Many don’t go. I’ve written various pieces that make reference to the talent and creativity hidden away in so many people. Unless there’s a way of mining for that talent, then unfortunately, in so many cases it stays hidden away.

The fact that not all of us go to University is a blessing. It means that we can get out there and work, that’s what the Government wants. The Government’s been doing its best to reinvent the education system by bringing in the 14-19 agenda. This aimed amongst other things, to create an agenda of activity and plans for development for young people between those ages, involving at the latter stages for example, vocational qualifications (NVQ) which would ultimately leave young people in better stead for their lives in the world of employment.

It’s great what the Government’s doing for apprenticeships, and long overdue, but it’s only half the battle. The perception of apprenticeships should be on par with University qualification. After all, if there’s no substitute for experience, let’s recognise and give apprenticeships the same degree of kudos as we have always done for academia. Let’s implant that message in all our young minds along side that of going to University, and let’s call it a choice of equal importance and equal attainment.