Apprenticeships have a bad reputation among students, according to construction company Astins.

New research conducted by the company has found that only 19% of those interviewed saw an apprenticeship as the path they would most recommend, falling to just 7% of those aged between 18 and 24.

"The marked difference in the opinions of those aged 18-24 versus those over 45 years old - with the older generation three times more likely to encourage a child to do an apprenticeship - is telling and most certainly a symptom of us having lost our way over the last few decades in providing youngsters with a real choice in terms of career progression. More should be done to communicate the lifetime benefits training such as this brings and position apprenticeships as a worthy alternative for those wanting to explore other options outside of university.”