New research has found that 61% of job seekers have considered an apprenticeship in order to upskill or reskill for their intended career path. And in light of National Apprenticeship week, the research also revealed that there are nearly one million ‘in demand’ roles in finance and insurance. Amidst the news that UK economic growth remains weak, it’s also been reported that vacancies for permanent jobs in the UK declined at their fastest pace for four years in December 2024. A monthly jobs report from the consultancy KPMG and the recruitment firm REC showed that many firms are actually reluctant to hire. Interestingly, among permanent roles, the fastest decline in vacancies was seen in the executive/professional and the IT and computing sectors.
But what do you think? Do you think hands-on experience compares to academic study in preparing people for the world of work?
But what do you think? Do you think hands-on experience compares to academic study in preparing people for the world of work?
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NewsTranscript
00:00In our most recent studies, we found that 61% of job seekers are currently considering
00:07an apprenticeship as their route to gain the career that they're looking for. I can certainly
00:13say from recent experience that apprenticeships are really, really coming to the fore, both
00:18from an individual and a business perspective, as a fantastic way to develop leaders of the
00:23future and carve out successful careers.
00:28It's been shown that there does continue to be demand for workers, as a recent survey
00:32found that wage inflation is continuing to increase at its fastest pace since August
00:372024.
00:38I think it's about making the right choice for the career pathway that you want to go
00:44on. What I can say from experience of working with hundreds of businesses over the years
00:49is that apprenticeships are very much focused on delivering what that business needs, not
00:53just now, but in the future.
00:55Some pros of an apprenticeship include the fact that you get practical experience, you
01:00get paid and you improve your skills, all whilst finishing up with no debt. Though some
01:04disadvantages of apprenticeships include the fact that you get a limited career choice
01:10and that you get a lot of responsibilities earlier on in your working life.
01:15Another thing that I think is really, really important, I had a conversation with an apprentice
01:20a year or so ago who has now gone on to set up her own business. She was telling me all
01:25about how she used to work as a waitress in a restaurant, and she was used to working
01:32in high pressure conditions, having to meet deadlines, having to communicate with people,
01:36having to solve problems, having to think creatively, really think on her feet. So there's
01:42so many transferable skills that may come from people that are working in a completely
01:46different role, completely different vocation at the moment, that absolutely lend themselves.
01:52So being able to develop and learn in a supportive environment is a real key benefit and a reason
01:56why more and more people are looking at apprenticeships.