A slight majority of British parents would rather their child enrol in an apprenticeship than go to university, according to a survey of 2,000 adults carried out by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
The FMB reports that 25% of respondents would rather their children undertook an apprenticeship compared with 24% that would opt for a university degree and 50% with no preference either way.
Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: "We’re finally seeing a shift in attitudes with more people understanding the value of undertaking a vocational apprenticeship rather than a university degree.
"For too long, apprenticeships were looked down on and seen as the alternative route if children weren’t bright enough to follow the more academic route. With university fees in England going through the roof, and with apprenticeships offering an ‘earn-while-you-learn’ route to a meaningful job, it’s no wonder that the penny has finally dropped.
He added that the construction industry should capitalise on this new enthusiasm for apprenticeships by making more available.
The report also found that 41% of people looking for a builder would be more likely to engage one that trained apprentices, so companies that operated a training programme would be more likely to win work than one that did not, Berry said.
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