In a recent survey conducted by the British Chamber of Commerce, employers were asked about their views on young people in the workplace. The results showed that more than half of businesses feel that university graduates aren’t prepared for the workplace as they lack basic workplace skills such as communication and team working.

The study didn’t, however, discuss Apprenticeships. Of course, Apprenticeships are quite different because employers recruiting Apprentices aren’t expecting these recruits to have as much experience of these skills, but are looking for young people with the potential to quickly learn these skills on the job, alongside their training in the specific skills and knowledge to complete their day-to-day job responsibilities.

So by completing an Apprenticeship, when other people your age are graduating from university and might be struggling to get a job, you will already have the real world experience that employers are looking for, both in terms of your particular industry and these general workplace skills that all employers value. In fact, you will already be employed in a permanent job role and with the skills and experience you have gained with your employer, you may even be offered a promotion.