Apprenticeships Need to be Considered as 80 Percent of Students Re-evaluate University Plans Follow Fee Rise

With recent figures revealing that up to 80 percent of students are re-evaluating their future education plans following the hike in university tuition fees, Perspective, the Midlands-based pioneers of learner management systems, suggests that modern apprenticeships are a viable alternative.

The government’s new funding system for higher education will see maximum tuition fees increased to £9,000 per annum from 2012, a figure that is forcing many students to reconsider their higher education options.

“Modern apprenticeships present a practicable, and equally valuable, alternative for those students effectively priced out of university”, points out Paul Davis, managing director of Perspective. “Apprenticeships are heavily backed by the government and cover almost every possible profession. With the opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, apprenticeships should at the very least be a consideration.”

Any successful apprenticeship scheme will equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to progress well within a chosen industry. With effective apprentice monitoring systems in place, a successful apprenticeship scheme will allow learners to be in a position to be able to contribute to a business from the very first day – an increasingly popular method of staff development amongst businesses.

Paul added: “Student tracking during apprenticeships is essential to the long-term success of any scheme, but doing this manually and ensuring that it is accurate and all records are continually up-to-date is a virtually impossible task. Our Sunesis software, however, provides the ability to do this with just a few simple clicks of a button.”

Many large, multinational companies including BAE Systems, British Gas, BT and Tesco have all adopted apprenticeship schemes with outstanding results. Indeed, BT apprentices reportedly generated a 7.5 percent higher rate of productivity than non-apprentices, whilst BAE Systems’ apprenticeship scheme now provides 80 percent of the skills needed to become a manager within the company.

With clearly defined career paths, apprenticeships may well be the perfect option for those students keen to avoid the inevitable debt that goes hand-in-hand with attending university.

For more information about Perspective, please visit www.perspective-uk.com