More school leavers choosing apprenticeships over university
Recently published figures have shown that the number of young people embarking on an apprenticeship has risen by more than 15% in the last year.
The figures ahow that apprenticeships are becomming ever more popular with 16 – 17 year olds who prefer the route of learning practical skills in a real job rather than embarking on a debt fuelled university path.
The figures, collected from local authorities, show that between March 13 and March 14:
- more than 15% more 16- and 17-year-olds are in apprenticeships – up from 41,738 last year to 49,228 this year
- 27,832 more 16- and 17-year-olds are participating in education or training – up from 1,030,689 last year to 1,058,521 this year
- 8 out of 9 regions in England reported higher rates of young people in education or training compared to last year
Interestingly, The National Audit Office has also calculated that approximately for every pound invested in apprenticeships by the government, the economy gets £18 back. When wider benefits are included, the return on investment is even higher, at £28 for each pound of government investment.
The rise in apprenticeships can be attributed to the fall in desire for many young people to attend university. With fees of up to £9000 per year and many degrees not being judged to give value for money school leavers are now taking their GCSEs and A Levels to get apprenticeship jobs rather than a degree. BBC News Article
If you would like further information about apprenticeships please contact us at Yorkshire Apprentice at [email protected] or call on 01423 740440
