Attend university, gain a degree, get a job – for years, this has been the path many students have followed after A level results day.
But Gen Z is shaking things up and many teenagers are looking at taking alternative routes into their dream careers.
The number of 18-year-olds applying for university this year fell to 41.3%, which is the lowest level since before the pandemic. A total of 316,850 18-year-olds applied by the equal consideration deadline in January, according to Ucas.
Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, told The Times Higher Education that the softening demand for university was ‘very worrying’ and likely reflected challenges faced by pupils with the cost of living crisis.
And it seems the current financial climate certainly has had a major impact on students, with many concerned about getting into debt at university. So they’re opting to avoid this altogether.
Instead of taking out student loans, some teens have discovered they can earn a degree without paying a penny – and get paid for their work at the same time.
This is all thanks to the government’s degree apprenticeship scheme, which launched in 2015 amid apprenticeship reforms, but is something many youngsters still know little about.
‘It gives you the exact same thing you’d get from university but you don’t get into debt,’ Jamie Nicholls tells Metro.co.uk.
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The 18-year-old from London hopes to pursue a career in law, but he hasn’t applied to university. Instead, he’s looking to score one of only a handful of coveted spots on a six-year solicitor degree apprenticeship.
‘You spend the first four years doing the degree, and then the next two years are a training contract,’ he explains. ‘You get the degree you’d get at uni, but you spend one day a week studying and the other four are spent working at a law firm.’
Why might Gen Z be turning their backs on university?
According to experts, we shouldn’t be too surprised that Gen Z are forging their own path. Psychotherapist and careers coach, Eloise Skinner, explained to Metro.co.uk that it’s a change that’s very reflective of today’s society.
‘We’re moving into a time when traditional expectations (of a certain career path, or a corporate route through careers) are less fixed,’ she said.
‘Today’s teenagers have a range of options in front of them when it comes to establishing their lives, and choices might be able to be made with a better degree of flexibility and freedom than for previous generations. This could lead to the questioning of previously-held values, like the importance of further study and higher educational goals.
‘I think the ease of these routes is also appealing – the idea that you can immediately start to develop professional skills, networks and connections may hold a wide appeal, especially for a generation introduced to a rapidly-evolving world of work.’
For Jamie, who recently completed A levels in maths, economics and geography at a private school in the capital, the biggest draw for the degree apprenticeship is the work experience it provides.
‘When you come out of university, you don’t have the soft skills of a workplace, I think it’s important to get those really young,’ he says. ‘You’ll have a lot more experience by the end of the apprenticeship, which you just wouldn’t get at uni.’
The teen didn’t manage to get a place on a solicitor degree apprenticeship this year, but made it down to the final round. He’s planning to try again next year, and will be looking at either volunteering or travelling and working abroad over the coming months.
Jamie admits he initially had a few doubts about not applying to uni, as his private school had pushed it as the only option after sixth form and friends also urged him to apply.
‘We would have lectures on a weekly basis all about university, how to apply, how to do Ucas… I’d say 99% of my year group are going to uni, but I think that is partly because it’s a private school.
‘It’s just not what I want to do. I have friends elsewhere not going to uni. I think a lot of people just don’t really know about the other options.’
For Oluwatosin Ewetuga, the decision not to go to university was partly motivated by the fees, and partly by wanting to get out of the classroom. Like Jamie, he’s keen to obtain some first-hand experience.
‘I want something that’s a bit more immersive,’ he tells Metro.co.uk, explaining that he went on a few university taster days and found them too similar to his sixth form classes.
The 18-year-old has been studying at Leeds Sixth Form College for the last few years, and is looking to pursue accounting and economics. For this he requires a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in business and accounting, which he’s hoping to earn through a degree apprenticeship.
‘I think the experience of going to university is a great one. After all, it’s where great academics and thinkers have been made and modelled. However, I do think there is a loophole that we, as a society, fail to look at, and that is how today’s students have to pay fees immediately or in fractions over time.
‘I really considered going [to uni] but, for me, a degree apprenticeship seems like the more efficient route due to the hands-on experience and tailored mentoring you receive. I want a degree that will open the door to future employment opportunities and also provide me with knowledge learnt from shadowing professionals in case I ever want to start my own accounting firm.’
Sophie Seymour also came close to going to university, but admits if she had, it would have been for all the wrong reasons.
She’d initially planned to become a teacher and was offered places at several universities including Cardiff Metropolitan University, but ultimately realised it wasn’t what was going to make her happy, and now wishes to kickstart her career in the travel industry.
‘I had always thought of university as the obvious next step for me after I finished my exams. It was only when I was really thinking about the job I wanted, that I realised I didn’t need to go.’
Instead, the 18-year-old from Newport is keen to get stuck into working as soon as possible and plans to undertake an apprenticeship. Some of those around her have been surprised by her choice, but she knows it’s the right step for her to take.
‘Staying in education for the sake just didn’t make sense for me,’ she adds.
How to apply for a degree apprenticeship
Degree apprenticeships are available across the UK, and are known as graduate apprenticeships in Scotland. They allow people to learn on-the-job and build skills and confidence while obtaining a professional degree qualification.
In Northern Ireland there are also higher level apprenticeships available that offer qualifications up to level 7 which is the equivalent of a master’s degree.
New research from Corndel, a workplace training provider, has revealed that 33% of UK adults think degree apprenticeships are more useful than university degrees.
James Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Corndel, said:‘Degree apprenticeships offer a compelling alternative to traditional degree programmes, as they bridge the gap between higher education and the working world. In today’s economic climate, it’s no surprise that increasing numbers of students are seeking opportunities that enable them to build their work experience and professional workplace skills alongside their knowledge, while also earning a salary.
‘We need more awareness and signposting to degree apprenticeship options for students during their school and college studies, rather than the traditional focus on university degree courses as the only option for post-18 education.’
Further information about the courses available and the requirements needed to apply can be found online at ucas.com/apprenticeships/degree-apprenticeships
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