• Research released today reveals 9 in 10 young students believe it's important for there to be a wide choice of options available to help prepare them for their futures
• Parents agree with over 95% believing a choice of learning options is necessary for their child to succeed
• And 83% of 25-44-year-olds want a choice of courses available to them including bite size learning and short courses throughout their lives

In a year of uncertainty for students and their parents across the UK, one thing that is evidently clear is that young people want to be able to keep their educational options open, in a bid to prepare themselves for their future careers.

As part of the ‘Your Future, Your Choice’ campaign, a nationwide study of 3,000 young learners¹, parents² and adults³ was conducted by Pearson.  The report released today, highlights that over 9 in 10 (93%) of young learners, and 84% of adults felt it was important* to have a range of learning choices available to them in order to succeed in their careers. In a similar trend, just over 95% of parents agreed** with this, and a further 4 in 5 (81%) stated that their child’s course should provide them with practical skills as well as theory-based learning.

Against the backdrop of COVID-19 the rate of change in the jobs market has accelerated with huge transformations in technology, industries, careers, learning and lifestyles. The role of education and learning remains crucial as the nation continues to respond to these changes both at an individual, community and wider economic level. The importance placed on preparation for the future and the changing job landscape is further cemented in the fact that only 27% of 16-18-year-olds surveyed and their parents (20%) both agreed** that young people should have to choose a specific occupation to study for, as opposed to also being able to choose a route that prepares them for a range of careers.

When asked to think about their future employment, over 4 in 5 (86%) young learners agreed** that they will have to continue learning new skills throughout their life to be prepared for the world of work. Likewise, over two thirds (66.3%) of adults believed that they will have to keep learning throughout their lives to have the relevant skills and knowledge that are valuable to employers. And 83% said access to short, bite-sized learning is important so they can continue to upskill while they work. 

Commenting on the study, Cindy Rampersaud, Senior Vice President, Pearson BTEC and Apprenticeships said: “In recent times, we have seen a number of industries shift and evolve while newer sectors have sprung up or grown. Further education and career focused education has always responded with a talent and skills strategy to support the evolving needs of employers, and we'll need to be as nimble as ever to serve these emerging industries. This latest research strongly shows the continuing need for broader courses that can take learners on a variety of career pathways, and the need for flexible and accessible bite-size learning for busy adults looking to develop the skills they need to meet changing demand.”

The Your Future, Your Choice campaign is also supported by high-profile ambassadors including former Skills Minister RT Hon Anne Milton, business owner and BTEC student Alfie Payne; entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid MBE and gymnast and five-time Olympic medallist Max Whitlock MBE.

_{*Statistic combines ‘very important’ and ‘somewhat important’}
**Statistic combines ‘strongly agree’ and ‘somewhat agree’ 

_{Censuswide surveyed the following samples between 27th November 2020 – 2nd December 2020:}

_{- 1,000 16-18-year-olds that are currently doing a BTEC, A Levels and BTEC, an apprenticeship or vocational course¹
- 1,000 parents with children who are aged 16-18 that are currently doing a BTEC, A Levels and BTEC, an apprenticeship or vocational course²
- 1000 adult respondents aged 25 - 44 years.³}