Two-thirds of parents back apprenticeships as first choice after school
Above: Helena, a BAE Systems Naval Ships apprentice.
Courtesy
The findings are part of the annual Apprenticeship Barometer, which has surveyed 1,000 young people aged 16th–24th and 1,000 parents of the same age group to understand their views on education, training and pathways to career success.
Strong support from young people and parents
The 2026 Apprenticeship Barometer took onboard the views of parents for the first time and reveals that almost two-thirds of parents (63%) would prefer their child to pursue an apprenticeship over going to university, as families increasingly weigh up their child’s best route into long-term careers.
Parental sentiment is mirrored among young people, with nearly two-thirds of 16–24-year-olds (62%) saying they would be likely to consider an apprenticeship as an alternative to university. This reflects a growing awareness of apprenticeships as a pathway into a successful careers compared to the 2025 results.
For young people ‘earning while learning’ has become more significant, with 79% ranking it as one of the most important factors when choosing a future career, up from 54% last year. This highlights the increasing appeal of apprenticeship routes for families facing rising financial pressures and young people wanting to start building their personal finances whilst obtaining qualifications for life-long careers.
Apprenticeships still have a perception gap
Four in five parents (79%) agree apprenticeships should carry the same respect as university degrees. However, just over half (55%) of young people believe apprenticeships are as respected as university degrees, suggesting that while interest is growing, perceptions of apprenticeships can still vary depending on the environment and advice young people receive.
In contrast, parents and young people are broadly aligned on the outcomes that apprenticeships can deliver. More than eight in 10 parents agree that apprenticeships should offer the same long-term career progression (82%) and earning potential (84%) as degrees, and that employers should value both routes equally (83%). Young people echo that confidence, with 82% agreeing apprenticeships can lead to well-paid careers and help people build valuable experience early on.
Alongside ‘earning while learning’, job security is also rising up the agenda, with 80% of young people saying it was an important factor when choosing an apprenticeship, compared to 28% the year before. 66% prioritise avoiding student debt, alongside strong demand for meaningful work (82%).
Awareness
Encouragingly, awareness of apprenticeships also appears to be improving: 63% of young people said they were well informed about apprenticeship opportunities in their field of interest, up from 44% the year before. However, among parents, awareness remains uneven. Three-quarters (74%) said schools and colleges place greater emphasis on university routes than apprenticeships. While 67% of parents say they understand how apprenticeships work, fewer than half (41%) feel there is enough clear information for families, showing there is still work to do to improve visibility and guidance.
Richard Hamer, HR Director of Education and Skills, BAE Systems said: "It’s clear from this year’s Apprenticeship Barometer that families across the country are thinking very carefully about career pathways and how to navigate the challenges and opportunities in front of them. It’s hugely encouraging to see apprenticeships being increasingly considered, alongside university degrees, as an attractive route into skilled jobs, gaining qualifications and achieving long-term careers. As a national leader in apprenticeships, we’re aware of the thousands of options currently on offer across the UK and strongly encourage those interested to get in touch and find out more about these valuable opportunities."
BAE Systems expects to recruit more than 1,100 apprentices in the UK this year, with most roles based in the North of England, alongside other opportunities in the South of England, Scotland and Wales. Successful candidates will support major programmes critical to national security, including next generation combat aircraft, submarines and warships, as well as growing capabilities in cyber and space.
More than 6,800 young people are currently in training across the Company’s UK operations, including around 5,100 apprentices and 1,700 graduates and undergraduates. Since 2020, the Company has recruited more than 10,000 apprentices, graduates and undergraduates whilst investing over £1bn in education and skills to strengthen the UK’s industrial skills base.
Applications for the BAE Systems 2026 apprenticeship intake are now open. This window will close when a sufficient number of applications has been received, no later than the end of February 2026.
