Employers in England consider qualified apprentices to be 15% more employable than those with other qualifications, according to a new survey of 500 firms.

Rating the employability attached to various qualifications on a scale of 1-10, the respondents gave apprenticeships an average score of 7.36 – fifteen per cent above the average of 6.382 for other qualifications.

Higher, degree-level apprenticeships were rated the most attractive at 7.98, while university graduates received a score of 7.58.

PwC’s school leaver schemes recruited around 100 young people in 2012, including 31 for their higher apprenticeships in London. It planned to recruit a further 70 higher apprentices in 2013.

Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said: ‘We want apprenticeships or university to become the new norm for young people leaving school and higher apprenticeships are an excellent way to enter high-profile careers while also achieving a degree-level qualification.’

Read our careers advice for those still at school, including our insights into the school leaver schemes vs. university debate.