For many pupils, it was the easy option.

From September last year, young people turning 17 had to stay in some form of education or training.

Any pupils who left Year 11 that summer knew they had another year before they could start a full-time job.

As a result, many took the option to join sixth form and work through some AS-levels or some other qualification before having to make any big decisions.

Kent Training & Apprenticeships (KT&A) partnership manager Caroline Murray said: “It is only because I work in apprenticeships that I was able to give my children other options.

“The issue is more about communication with young people. It is about making sure they understand there are alternatives to school.” Many training organisations feel information on the wide range of options – including apprenticeships – is not getting through.

It is understandable for schools to want to keep hold of their best pupils in sixth form to protect their league-table performance. Yet many providers believe this could be having knock-on effects.

“While apprenticeships aren’t appropriate for everyone, a lot of parents are not aware that they are a viable opportunity for young people, even with the raising of the participation age..." - KATO's Lindsay Jardine

IPS International business development executive Nicola Morris said: “There’s a big need for us to go into schools to raise awareness so we can let young people know the choices of education available. Schools are not giving young people the information they need, which means they could have more people failing later in life.”

The Kent Association of Training Organisations has 63 training provider members, including the six further-education colleges, of which 39 deliver apprenticeships.

Operations director Lindsay Jardine said: “While apprenticeships aren’t appropriate for everyone, a lot of parents are not aware that they are a viable opportunity for young people, even with the raising of the participation age.

“Young people do not have to stay on at school. They can move into education with training, which could mean an apprenticeship or traineeship.

“Another thing parents do not seem to be aware of is the fact apprenticeships can be a route into higher education.

“They range from intermediate to advanced to higher levels of education, which equate to foundation degree level and can lead to university or professional qualifications. You don’t have to stay on at school but you do have to remain within some kind of education. An apprenticeship could be that route.”

KT&A’s Caroline Murray added: “With university so expensive now, many young people will be interested in a higher-level apprenticeship. There is more credibility with apprenticeships now than in the past. But they only get one view of what they can do.

“At the end of their GCSEs, they don’t know what they are doing. They aren’t talked about enough within education.”

Businesses have mixed views on the raising of the participation age, which will rise again to keep pupils turning 18 in education from 2015.

Ardo UK HR director Morag Bailey, based in Charing, said: “It gives young people a bit more time to get their heads around where they are going and what they want to do. Crucially, they get more qualifications.

"Keeping them in school and gaining qualifications also tells employers they cannot sign up young people as cheap labour. They need to make a real commitment.”

Maidstone-based Logic PM director Nick Baster said: “Some people are ready to leave school at 16 and go into an apprenticeship and some are not. That maturity level depends on the person.

“Often you are looking for life experience and when someone turns 16, they are only just starting to get that independence. To go into work or an apprenticeship at 16 could be very difficult.”

With the new rules only coming in last September, there is optimism that options will be made clearer in future.

KTA’s Caroline Murray added: “We are starting to see more information go out. People are getting a better idea through schools. It is a learning curve for all of us.”

To find out more about hiring an apprentice, click here, or email kickstartkent@thekmgroup.co.uk.