Time to dispel the common myths around apprenticeships

To mark National Apprenticeship Week (7 – 13 February 2022), professional services firm KPMG UK dispels common misconceptions holding would-be apprentices back from considering the alternative career path.

KPMG UK currently has around 900 apprentices, with over 200 apprentices having joined the firm in the last financial year alone. Alongside offering apprenticeships in business areas including Audit or Consulting, the firm also has programmes for those interested in Law, Technology & Engineering as well as Business Services. 

Challenging the misconceptions around apprenticeships, Kevin Hogarth, Chief People Officer at KPMG UK, said:

“All too often the apprenticeship route is overlooked in favour of the more well-trodden path of going to university and then embarking on a graduate programme. The truth is that apprenticeships are just as viable an option but too few people truly understand the opportunities they present.

“KPMG’s Apprenticeship Programme offers the opportunity to gain practical work experience alongside working towards professional qualifications and accreditations – including diplomas and degrees. They also come with the added benefit of earning a salary at the same time. Apprenticeships play a critical role in bolstering future skills in the UK, so we must end the antiquated view of them by debunking the common misconceptions holding future apprentices back.”

1) ‘Apprenticeships are only aimed at school leavers’ - While candidates may well consider apprenticeships when they leave school, our apprenticeship programmes are open to people of all ages. In fact, apprenticeships offer a great opportunity for those looking to change career, upskill or re-skill.

 It’s also a misconception that ‘apprenticeships are for those that haven’t performed well at school’. Whether it’s for apprenticeship, undergraduate or graduate programmes, KPMG UK is looking for diverse talent and the application process is designed to support future trainees in showing their potential as well as looking at prior attainment. KPMG apprentices work towards professional qualifications, degrees and accreditations during their apprenticeship, so they develop core skills and learn from industry experts.

2) ‘Apprenticeships are primarily focused on jobs in trades or manual industries’ - This antiquated view of apprenticeships is often what holds many applicants back. A breadth of industries and occupations are now accessible via the apprenticeship route, including the accountancy, legal, consulting and digital professions.

3) ‘Apprentices won’t gain the same levels of qualification as they would at university’ - The key benefit of becoming an apprentice at KPMG is the ability to not only gain practical work experience and build core skills, but also being supported to achieve professional qualifications and accreditations, including diplomas and degrees. As well as achieving university-level qualifications, apprentices gain tangible examples of using what they learn in a business setting.

4) ‘Apprentices don’t earn as much money’ - One of the key benefits of becoming an apprentice over going to university is earning a salary. KPMG continually benchmarks salaries and overall reward packages in order to remain competitive and attract and retain the best talent. ‘Earning while learning’ is often cited by apprentices as preferable to funding university studies with a student loan.

 Beyond providing a competitive salary, apprentices also benefit from our broader employee offering, which includes core and flexible benefits, further learning and development opportunities and career progression. Further details on what reward and benefits KPMG provides apprentices can be found: here