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Many teenagers and their parents suffered a sleepless night last night in anticipation of GCSE results today; this includes my own parents and sister (who did very well). Undoubtedly this is an exciting time in their lives, leaving school and experiencing the opportunities opening to them, but it is also a scary time. These GCSE students are facing the new higher tuition fees and could find themselves in £50,000 debt on graduation. Try telling a 16 year old that in five years they will owe someone that much money, it is extremely scary.
Due to the high fees we may well see students look at alternative entry routes to their desired careers which is possibly a good change. Too much have we relied on a one size fits all higher education system leaving some graduates near unemployable, lacking key skills and experience required. This does not mean university is not a fantastic option, for many careers it is the only entry route and can give students a huge amount of skills, contacts and experience but it should not be treated as the only option.
I am a big fan of the service that Not Going To Uni offer. They provide students and their parents with alternatives to the traditional university path.
Three alternatives to going straight to university include:
- Apprenticeships: I used to believe apprenticeships were only for careers such as construction and hairdressing. This is far from true and apprenticeships can offer entry into many careers from business administration to the care sector to creative industries. They make a fantastic alternative to further education providing apprentices with the skills and experience to be able to begin a career in an industry of their choice while also giving them money in their pocket. They work well for employers as well ensuring that they can train a worker to the specifications they require for their workplace. I hope that apprenticeship schemes continue to be developed and improve and that they become a popular alternative to formal education.
- Gap year: There are many stereotypes of gap years however this is not always the reality. People take gap years for many reason; to travel, earn money or because they missed a place at their preferred university. I believe no matter what you do in this time they can be incredible experiences if you get the most out of them. There is time to earn some money, gain some work experience, develop key skills or travel the world and discover new cultures and customs. I know a lot of people who began a gap year with one career in mind and ended up working towards another. Personally it took me a couple of voluntary placements and a year’s employment to decide on the degree I wanted to study and for this reason I would never disregard a year or two out of education.
- Employer funded degrees: I believe this is another fantastic alternative to traditional university education. Again this gives the employer the opportunity to develop their workers to gain the skills required for the organisation. It can also give the employee peace of mind that they will not end up at the end of their degree with high debt while struggling to find a job.
For more information on alternatives to university visit the Not Going To Uni page.
Related articles
- My view: Why I became an apprentice instead of a graduate (telegraph.co.uk)
- Value of holding a degree shrinks for 21st-century graduates (guardian.co.uk)
- The end of the Gap Year (or gap yah, in the words of YouTube hit Orlando Charmon) (telegraph.co.uk)
- A world of opportunity: Gap years are an enriching option whatever your age – or your exam results (independent.co.uk)
- Feeling anxious about GCSE Results? (careerswaleswest.wordpress.com)
- One in five graduates earn less than someone educated to A-level standard (telegraph.co.uk)
