Having a well-trained workforce is super important for a strong economy. But in the UK, young people are not getting enough choices other than going to university.
According to a Financial Times report, last week, many British teenagers found out whether their A-level and BTec results can get them into a university for their future jobs.
However, at the London South Bank University sixth form college (LSBU), which has a mix of students including those from Nigeria, many are seeking a different path.
Some BTec engineering students want apprenticeships instead of traditional degrees. This shows a bigger change happening in the UK. Many students worry about student debt and like the idea of getting paid while they learn.
What Needs to Be Done
Assistant vice-principal at LSBU, Derwyn Kennedy, says, “If you’d asked a typical class here 10 years ago how many want to go to university, almost all the hands shot up. But now, only five or so want to go to uni; the majority are looking for apprenticeships. The trouble is, there is a big gap between the supply of apprenticeships and the demand for them.”
The Financial Times says that the new Labour government, which came into power to boost the economy, has a tough job to improve options for the almost 50% of young people in the UK who don’t go to university.
The Labour plan includes putting more money into skills training beyond the usual vocational fields, reaching into important areas like life sciences and professional services.
However, Lord Richard Layard, a Labour peer and professor at the London School of Economics, pointed out a basic problem: “University places are almost unlimited due to government-backed student loans, but apprenticeships are capped because of inadequate funding.”
Reports also show that government data indicates there are more people applying for apprenticeships than the number of available positions by three to one. Because of this, by the age of 18, over one-third of young people in Britain are not in any form of training, a higher rate compared to other advanced countries.
A healthcare assistant at London South Bank University, Grace Dela Cruz, says, “There are loads of us interested in joining the apprenticeship at our trust, but they can only support one staff member on each ward.”
MSC construction project management student, Abioye Oyenuga, also said she chose to study in LSBU because it was in the heart of London.
We can see there’s a lack of proper training when we look at educational statistics from around the world. British students do well at age 15, but fall behind their European peers by age 24 due to inadequate training.
About 20% of working-age adults in the UK don’t have upper secondary qualifications, compared to lower rates in countries like Canada and the US.
Labour blames past Conservative governments for not focusing enough on skills development, causing a drop in apprenticeships and adult education.
The Labour plan includes setting up Skills England to take over from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. This new body will aim to unify the training system and focus on qualifications needed for important areas like housing and green energy.
Interim chair of Skills England, Richard Pennycook, will oversee the changes, with detailed plans expected within the next year.
What’s Next
- Labour also suggests replacing the apprenticeship levy with a “growth and skills levy,” giving employers more choices in how they spend training funds. This change aims to increase funding for a wider range of training.
- Jane Gratton from the British Chambers of Commerce says, “Our recent survey found that a third of companies will invest in apprenticeships and a third said they didn’t need them.
- The biggest demand is for lighter training, such as coaching and short courses. Whatever the final system, it needs to give businesses the confidence to invest.”