Survey finds popularity of apprenticeships has declined

Apprenticeships appear to have waned slightly in popularity, according to a survey by the Insurance Institute.

The research found that 55 per cent of young adults responding said they would consider undertaking an apprenticeship in an area of interest, down from 60 per cent last year.

The study undertaken by Empathy Research was released by the Insurance Institute to mark the launch of its 2020 Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, which will have up to 100 places available from September.

The “earn and learn” apprenticeship is a three-year, work-based training programme which combines academics with on-the-job learning. A Level Eight degree – a BA in Insurance Practice – is awarded at the end of the programme, for which all study is done online through IT Sligo and the Insurance Institute.

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“The results of the research show that there is a strong desire for more options when it comes to third-level education – with 52 per cent of young people and 53 per cent of parents citing this.

"The results also indicate that young adults have an appetite for the option of entering the workforce via a non-traditional route, with 58 per cent stating that they would prefer on-the-job training instead of college," said Dermot Murray, chief executive of the Insurance Institute.

The research surveyed 342 young adults (between the ages of 16 and 34), and 435 parents of dependent children (under the age of 18).