UK schools failing to discuss alternatives to university with students

Two thirds of UK parents (65%) said that they are actively encouraging their child to go to university, and 73% said that they felt a university education was the only way to ensure their child could access a professional career. Only one in five said that they were actively encouraging their child to study for a vocational qualification.

Sarah Hathaway, Head of ACCA UK: “Given that a school’s performance is partly measured by the number of its students that go on to university, it is perhaps unsurprising that little is done to promote direct access to employment through vocational and professional qualifications.

Hathaway continued, “Parents rely, to some extent, on schools to guide their children onto a career path, but more must be done to challenge the mind-set of UK parents and schools who are holding on to an out dated belief that university is the only way to a professional career. Without both parents and schools considering the alternatives, many young people may miss out on career opportunities because they are so geared towards attending university.”

Only a third (36%) of UK parents said they believed their child stood a better chance of gaining employment if they were to choose to study a professional or vocational qualification, compared with 43% who felt that their child was more likely to gain successful employment if they have been to university. Two fifths (40%) of UK parents agreed that a combination of learning and working is seen as the best way to gain a job in their chosen industry.

Sarah Hathaway commented, “Combining study with employment has the added benefit of gaining work-relevant skills as you learn, rather than waiting to develop those attributes until after university. Many graduates in the UK are struggling to find jobs, and the business community is crying out for more work-relevant educated staff. UK businesses are looking much more closely at what specific skills they need and aren’t necessarily finding it. That message has yet to reach parents and school careers advisors.”

Access to a professional career is seen as the main benefit of going to university by two fifths (40%) of parents. The other perceived benefits of a university education include; the ability to move up the career ladder more quickly than those who have not been to university (14%) and the life experience of going to university (13%).

Sarah Hathaway commented, “University can be seen as a rite of passage but there are alternative and much less expensive ways to access a career in the professions. This continued ‘university first’ mentality may stem from the lack of information about the alternative options available. Both schools and parents have a dual responsibility to ensure that all avenues are explored and that children are not pushed in a direction which may not be right for them. There is a role for ACCA and other professional bodies to work with schools and their careers advisers in changing that mind-set.”

The survey generated responses from 1003 parents of 15-18 year olds in the UK.

ACCA and other professional bodies in the UK have joined up to launch the first ever Professions Week, which will run from 21-27 October 2013. The aim of the initiative is to increase awareness for the range and variety of potential employment options the professions have to offer. Find out more at www.professionsweek.org