Reporter Lewis Denison asks why so many young people are so concerned about their future job prospects after new statistics were released by the government.
Nearly half of teenagers feel vocational and technical routes are looked down on by their peers, a survey suggests.
More than a third (37%) of teenagers feel pressure from their parents to choose academic options from age 16, according to a survey carried out for the Department for Education (DfE).
The findings come after the Government set out plans last month for new vocational GCSEs to put technical and academic education on equal footing.
The qualifications – which will sit alongside traditional GCSEs – will be available to 14-year-olds in some subjects from as early as September 2029.
The new subjects offered could include business management and finance, child development, and building and construction.
In July, Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced that new technical pathways would be available to 14-year-olds amid concerns about the number of young people not in education, employment or training (Neet).
The Deltapoll survey, of 500 young people aged 14-18 in England, found 84% supported new options for 14-year-olds that combine practical technical learning with core academic subjects.
The poll, conducted for the DfE between July 31 and August 3, found 44% said vocational and technical routes are looked down on by their peers.
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