💼 Apprenticeships Finally Are In! Or Are They?

The year is slowly coming to a close, which is putting me in a somewhat reflective mood.

There’s something about December that always makes me think about what’s changed, what’s stayed the same, and what we could be doing differently; especially when it comes to the young people we work with.

One thing I’ve noticed is how apprenticeships are finally starting to shake off their old, tired reputation. For years, they were seen as the “backup plan”. A route for kids who weren’t “academic enough” or who didn’t fit the traditional mould. And to be completely honest, that stigma came from everywhere: parents, career advisors, even schools themselves. It was such a disservice to a generation of young people who might have thrived in a more hands-on, practical learning environment.

But something’s shifted.

Now, I hear so many young people, both in our community and beyond, talking seriously about apprenticeships, especially degree apprenticeships and why wouldn’t they be? There are more industries offering them now, from technology to investment banking, even law and medicine are catching up, and the appeal of earning while learning (and avoiding student debt) is undeniable.

Still, I can’t help but feel like we’re not quite there yet. For smaller to medium sized employers, there is often an aura of mystery around apprenticeships and there’s also an important discussion to be had around class and access to apprenticeships too.

There’s a real opportunity here, not just to educate young people about what’s possible in our sector but to make sure our industry is a leader in offering accessible, meaningful apprenticeship opportunities.

That can only happen with education and incentives, on all fronts!

Over the past few years, across sectors there has been a positive sentiment towards degree apprenticeships, especially in major cities such as London and Manchester where teenagers tend to be easier to attract onto programmes. I believe that part of this is due to brilliant employer branding and investment into these programmes but more importantly, the power of peer to peer marketing.

You may have heard the saying “everything is content now”, but young people are flocking to social platforms such as TikTok for real, unfiltered career advice and day-in-the-life content from apprentices already in their respective industries. It’s not just about showing up to work; it’s about showing off the lifestyle, the perks, and the progress apprentices can make. I talked about TikTok and content creation a bit in one of my previous post but you can’t deny the power social media has. It’s reshaping perceptions and, frankly, doing a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to educating young people about career paths. Over 40% of our membership referrals for ages 16-19 come from TikTok.

However, while degree apprenticeships in professional services paint a rosy picture, the reality across industries is more complex. Let’s start with some numbers:

• In the Degree Apprenticeship: Voices from the Frontline - Impact, Policy and Good Practice Guide report published by QAA, 99% of employers consider the apprenticeship levy to be crucial for programme sustainability. Without it, most employers (68%) would discontinue degree apprenticeships (2024).

• In a report published by BDO, Over a third (32%) of mid-sized businesses in the UK would like to hire apprentices but do not have sufficient resources or guidance to do so.

These are quite concerning statistics, especially when the new Labour government is also proposing to completely reform the apprenticeship levy, despite it being a bit of a pandora’s box for many. It’s not just big businesses at risk but SMEs, which already struggle to onboard and recruit apprentices, could be left even further behind.

Apprenticeship programmes at earlier levels (2 to 4) also tend to be disregarded quite often, which is a shame. These are the real university alternatives, targeting school-leavers earlier and giving them hands-on experience at a fraction of the cost of a degree apprenticeship. They’re often overshadowed by the glitz of degree programmes, but they have huge potential to build talent pipelines while making opportunities accessible to younger, less-privileged candidates.

An issue that has been constantly highlighted around the uptake of degree apprenticeships, is that in professional services sectors such as law and finance and soon, real estate; apprenticeships are becoming more and more dominated by middle and upper class families. These programmes are at risk of replicating the very class divides they’re supposed to dismantle. If working-class students can’t access them, whether because of lack of awareness, limited financial support, or subtle biases in recruitment processes, then we’re just reinforcing the status quo.

So, what’s the solution?

For one, we have to continue to broaden our reach.

That means going beyond the same handful of schools and ensuring that apprenticeship opportunities are visible to students in underserved and underrepresented communities. It also means rethinking how apprentices are selected, placing a greater emphasis on potential rather than polish.

Financial barriers need to be addressed. Offering travel bursaries, mentoring, or other forms of support could make all the difference for someone on the fence about applying.

Lastly, cross collaboration and partnerships will be even more paramount to ensure opportunities are reaching the right places and people. If we truly want to close skills gaps within the built environment, we can’t all continue to work in silos!

Last month, we took a group of our student members to GCUC, to learn more about co-working and the world of flex.

I really enjoy taking our student members to events happening across the industry as it’s important for them to not only network, but to put their theoretical learning into practice. It’s one thing to learn things on a university course, but the reality of what’s happening across the industry currently, is often quite a different story.

However, we not only went to listen!

We were given the brilliant opportunity to lead a workshop about Gen Z expectations of the office and the workplace, where our students were front and centre. There are a lot of misconceptions about Gen Z and their attitudes towards work. This was a great opportunity to create an actual dialogue between two groups and all parties learnt something new.

Where you can, please advocate for students and young people to attend an industry conference or event. They can get so much from attending and meeting your contacts too.

Sponsor a Programme

Our flagship programmes, such as the ESG Launchpad and Black Girls in Property, have been running for a number of years and are designed to make a tangible difference across the built environment. These programmes offer employers a chance to engage in meaningful employee volunteering, connect with the next generation and fulfil ESG and social impact targets.

Early Talent Solutions

Our core programmes, FirstStep for Year 13 students and Elevate Graduate Academy (EGA) for second and final year university students, offer tailor-made solutions that integrate directly with your early talent recruitment strategy. These custom programmes provide an end-to-end approach, from identifying high-potential young talent to equipping them with the soft skills and confidence to thrive in your organisation.

WEX Programmes

We are already beginning to work on our Work Experience Programmes for February half-term in 2025. If you are interested in hosting a student(s) for work experience next year, you can find out more above.

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If you are interested in booking me to speak at your upcoming event or early talent consultancy work, schedule a call so we can discuss further!

Thanks for reading, catch you on the next one! 🙂 

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