Following the release of A-Level results last week, the UK’s top universities were inundated with a record number of applications from students keen to begin their further education in September. In fact, the majority of universities had already filled places on courses less than 24 hours after results were released.
NUS President Toni Pearce
However, it appears that a growing number of school leavers are shunning the university option in favour of entering the workforce immediately. Apprenticeships have massively increased in popularity, with official figures showing an average of 11 applicants per available apprenticeship in the UK in the last 12 months.
In some of the more popular industry sectors, such as plumbing and events management, this figure tops 30 applicants per post.
Director of the National Apprenticeship Service, Jaine Bolton, believes that more big businesses should consider entering into the scheme to benefit both themselves and the UK’s young unemployed.
She says; “These figures show that the demand for apprenticeships keeps growing.
“It is the first choice for many talented young people and more employers wanting young talent need to wake up to this fact.”
The National Apprenticeship Service is a quango commissioned by the government in order to expand the number of apprenticeships available to young people fresh out of school. In the past 12 months, it has seen 1.4 million young people apply for apprentice roles through its online portal – an increase of 32 per cent in only one year.
Levels of competition for roles in the UK’s most successful businesses are now reaching immense heights, with National Grid receiving 16,500 applications for only 150 positions. Similarly, Marks and Spencer’s management programme gained 3,000 applications despite the fact that only 30 jobs were available.
Yet despite this, the National Union of Students (NUS) believes that not enough is being done to promote the idea of apprenticeships to school leavers. Although it admits that automatically applying for university is no longer “the norm”, a survey conducted by the body revealed that more than 50 per cent of current students had never been provided with information regarding apprenticeships at school or college.
NUS President, Toni Pearce, claims that this lack of information is preventing young people from properly assessing their future decisions.
She says; “Education has changed, and the old route that ends with a three year full time undergraduate degree no longer needs to be the norm.
“But the lack of proper careers advice about the available study options and pathways to work is failing young people.”
The NUS also believes that the low wage on offer in apprenticeship schemes is a deterrent for young people attempting to gain independence and save for the future. At £2.65 per hour, the scheme’s minimum wage falls well below the national minimum wage for those aged over 21, despite the fact that Government grants are available to businesses running apprenticeship training courses.
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