New research indicates that many young people could miss out on getting into apprenticeships that could give them a great start in life because of a lack of parental knowledge about what is on offer.

Parental influence and guidance can be an important factor in helping youngsters make good decisions and find their way through education and into the world of work. Still, when it comes to apprenticeships, their knowledge of the subject is often badly lacking.

Research by Talking Futures, a charitable body that aims to help parents have meaningful conversations with their children about educational pathways, found that 58 per cent of parents of 11-18 year olds were not aware of the range of qualifications youngsters could gain today.

Among the findings were that 87 per cent did not know an apprenticeship could help someone become a paralegal, while three-quarters did not know they could lead to roles in nursing, veterinary practice, or physiotherapy.

Common misconceptions included beliefs that pay was low and nine per cent even thought an apprenticeship might impede future prospects.

Talking Futures has produced a video featuring actress Denise Van Outen discussing her own challenges in trying to help her daughter plan for the future.

She remarked: “I’ve been having lots of conversations recently with my daughter, who is 14, about what she might like to do in the future and the best routes to getting there,” adding that it can feel “really overwhelming” trying to grasp what the options are. 

The reality is that the apprenticeship landscape has changed and will continue to do so, which means it is wise for parents and youngsters alike to strive to find out more about it.

For example, it is not just paralegals who can develop careers through legal sector apprenticeships. Writing for the Law Gazette about how qualification pathways are changing, Charles Peter, the founder of legal training provider Datalaw said: “The legal profession in the UK is currently experiencing a notable shift in training methodologies.”

He added: “We’re seeing a growing acceptance of the solicitor apprenticeships and SQE [Solicitor Qualifying Exam] route, with its flexibility and focus on practical skills being particularly well-received.”