More young people intend to undertake a university degree despite predictions of a decline in graduate jobs.
New findings from skills and apprenticeship specialist City & Guilds show that 40% of school leavers intend to go to university yet only 18% of employers intend to recruit graduates to fill skills gaps in the next 12 months.
As the jobs landscape continues to reel from the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, it’s more important than ever before to understand that this isn’t the only option available to them” – Kirstie Donnelly, City & Guilds
It was also found that more than half of 17-19 year olds (57%) said the pandemic had influenced their decisions about post- education work and training with 20% saying they wanted to stay in full time education for longer than they originally intended.
City & Guilds’ research has led it to argue that although university was the default choice for many, it in reality now overpromises and underdelivers for the young people of today.
As a result, the organisation urges school leavers to consider all the options available when considering their next steps this August, once they’ve received their A level results.
The skills body found that 40% of 17-19-year-olds in their final two years of school planned to go to university. This compared with 13% intending to look for an apprenticeship, and 22% who wanted to go straight into employment.
City & Guilds suggested that the “rapidly changing and uncertain jobs market”, was the main driver behind young people opting to go to university to improve their future career prospects, with 44% of school leavers considering university the best way to get a job, and 39% saying they know they will get paid well if they have a degree.
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However, the organisation cited recent research from Incomes Data Research, which showed that a graduate and a fully qualified degree-level apprentice could expect to earn the same salary upon completion of their qualification (£32,500). Furthermore, data from the ONS revealed that 37% of all graduates were unable to land graduate level jobs.
Employers were also said to be prioritising new recruits who were “work-ready”. Data from City & Guilds Group’s Skills Index report – supported by the British Chambers of Commerce – found that employers were twice as likely to look to take on apprentices or trainees to fill skills gaps (36%), as opposed to graduates (18%).
Despite school leavers being most likely to opt for university as a default next step, the new research also found some contradictions in attitudes: most young people did not consider university to be best value for money, nor the best route to prepare for the workplace. Twice as many 17-19-year-olds in their final two years of school told researchers that apprenticeships were better value for money (42%) compared with undergraduate degrees (21%). And over three times as many believe apprenticeships were better for preparing people for the workplace (51%), compared with undergraduate degrees (15%).
Kirstie Donnelly, CEO of City & Guilds, said “the idea of university being the golden ticket” was ingrained from an early age.
She added: “But as the jobs landscape continues to reel from the impact of Covid-19 and Brexit, it’s more important than ever before to understand that this isn’t the only option available to them. Especially as we know from our recent Skills Index report that employers are increasingly recognising the value of apprentices and other routes into the workplace that teach workplace skills.
“Ahead of results day, it’s important that young people understand the full range of options available to them and which types of jobs are likely to be available when they finish their studies.”
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