To celebrate National Apprenticeship Week 2018 we caught up with Jack Parsons, CEO of Big Youth Group to hear his thoughts on why this route into industry is so important for society as a whole.

It’s National Apprenticeship week; why do you view the apprenticeship route as a good route into a career as opposed to university or other further education options?

The world is changing so quickly and companies are getting more educated now to the fact that it’s not just about the qualifications, and that experience for young people is the new dividend. Becoming an apprentice gives you that dividend.

Do you think there is a stigma attached to going down the apprenticeship route? Do you think that future career prospects and advancement are the same for university graduates and those who have come through an apprenticeship scheme?

Apprenticeships are traditionally associated to trade professions, limiting the focus, but there is a range of opportunities to pursue. There’s a stigma around salary, but what you can gain from an apprenticeship is so much more valuable. Association with a brand, the skills you’re going to learn, and the people you meet along the way are so much more important than an hourly wage. Apprenticeships are looked upon as the entry level, whereas university graduates are seen as above this. They should be equal, but we still have this old mindset – the average age of a CEO is 50!

Thinking about the shortage of tech talent across the economy and in the financial services sector in particular, do you think that apprenticeships can draw more young people into the sector? What about supporting diversity and inclusion?

A big fat yes!

We live in a world where educators still believe it’s about coding; there are so many other options within tech – UX designer, project manager etc. I run a tech business and I don’t know how to code! We need to give young people the freedom to carve out their own path and find out what’s right for them, whether that’s the corporate or start-up route, it’s what fits them.

One of the goals of FinTECHtalents is to encourage more collaboration between the academic sector and industry with one of the specific objectives being the creation of curriculums and training programmes that better match the needs of a fast-evolving industry. Do you have a view on how best to move that from a conversation to action?

First of all, there needs to be a universal movement between education, companies and young people. Secondly, we need to hold companies, educators and young people accountable and then track these objectives via pledges, milestones and deliverables – just like I’ve done with the Big Youth Group.

Thinking again about a fast-changing industry and the future of work – do you think apprenticeships schemes should be expanded in scope to include those who need re-training; women who are returning to work etc?

Apprenticeships should be accessible for anyone who wants to learn a new industry, whether they want to learn new skills, develop current skills, change sector or grow within the sector. 60% of the workforce doesn’t feel appreciated and wants to change jobs by 2020; I call this the underemployed.

• Stop making apprenticeships tick box exercises
• Don’t worry about the levy
• Make apprenticeships a part of a company’s DNA

My top tips to corporates: don’t call an apprentice an apprentice – it puts them in a box and no one should be in a box. Everyone has a personality and you can learn something from everyone.

Interested in hearing more about the role apprenticeships play in the future of work? Register now for our upcoming webinar, Technology and Talent in Financial Services and FinTech, where we’ll discuss the pressing issues around access to talent and digital skills.