- Published
Competition for degree apprenticeships in England has quadrupled over the past three years, the BBC has found.
asserted
BBC → publish → years
The popularity of degree apprenticeships - which offer a paid-for university degree along with a salary - has grown as the cost of university has come under increased scrutiny.
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cost → offer → scrutiny
Data seen by the BBC showed the number of applicants through the government's central platform nearly tripled from 8,100 to 21,800 over the past three years, while the number of positions available fell by almost half, from 7,300 to 3,700.
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number → see → 3,700
Applicants said they applied to university as a "backup" because competition was so fierce, with employers cutting back on hiring because of high employment costs and economic uncertainty.
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employers → say → costs
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it was "backing employers who take on young apprentices".
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who → say → apprentices
Last month, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wanted to ensure teenagers had technical routes into careers that could rival the path of a traditional university degree.
uncertain
that → say → degree
His comments came as concerns grow about the immediate and long-term costs of university, with more students wanting to stay at home home rather than moving away, to save money and calls to reform student loan repayments.
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students → come → repayments
The cost of undergraduate tuition fees in England is now set to rise every year with inflation.
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cost → set → inflation
Degree apprenticeships might look to some like an attractive alternative, but the Freedom of Information data obtained by the BBC suggests they are hard to come by.
uncertain
they → look → BBC
The data only relates to apprenticeships advertised through the Find An Apprenticeship website in England, which is run by the government and subject to Freedom of Information requests.
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which → relate → requests
Employers also advertise positions themselves and through other platforms.
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Employers → advertise → platforms
Oliver Sidwell, director of Higherin, one of those platforms, said searches for degree apprenticeships had risen by more than 80% this year.
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searches → say → %
He said employers were advertising more degree apprenticeships through his service, but demand was growing faster.
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demand → say → service
Kieran McRae, 22, applied for a degree apprenticeship but was "devastated" to miss out on a place.
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McRae → apply → place
Instead, he studied computer science at the University of Birmingham alongside apprentices who secured a place on the same programme he was rejected from.
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he → study → programme
"We all went to the same lectures and we had the same labs, the same tutorials," he said.
"
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he → go → labs
[There] was, I think, always a bit of jealousy.
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I → think → jealousy
Not to say that I wasn't happy for them... but I knew that I was not getting that same free degree or the same salary."
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I → say → degree
Kieran said he is now happy with the route he took, especially since there were opportunities for industry experience during his course - something the University of Birmingham said had become increasingly important to offer when apprenticeships were so competitive.
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apprenticeships → say → Birmingham
But he added: "If I was 18 and offered the degree apprenticeship, 100% I would have taken it."
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I → add → it
Anna Helder, 18, applied for 35 apprenticeships while studying at Hereford Sixth Form College and was "ecstatic" when she landed a project management role in London.
"
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she → apply → London
I found it overwhelming the amount of stages that you have to go through," she said.
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she → find → that
"You could go two months with zero contact from the company and then suddenly just an email saying: 'You've got an assessment centre next week.'"
uncertain
You → go → centre
Daniel Edwards, 21, applied for 11 apprenticeships before securing an engineering degree apprenticeship.
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Edwards → apply → apprenticeship
Like Anna, he applied to university through Ucas as a "backup".
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he → apply → backup
It's one personal statement that you put out to all universities," he said.
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he → put → universities
"Your degree apprenticeship... you've got a cover letter, a CV.
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you → get → letter
It's like applying for a real job.
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It → apply → job
You've really got to convey your passion for that specific company."
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You → get → company
Vicky Orsmond advises students at Hereford Sixth Form College about careers and said there was "significant concern" around the cost of going to university, which had sparked interest in degree apprenticeships.
But she said it was not easy for her students, who are competing for relatively few positions outside of the South East - often against more experienced candidates.
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who → advise → candidates
"We have lessons where we say to them, 'It's more competitive than many, many university degrees,'" she said.
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she → have → degrees
Businesses say a range of factors put them off hiring apprentices.
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range → say → apprentices
Hannah Larsen, policy officer at the British Chambers of Commerce, said demand for degree apprenticeship was rising "at a time when businesses' operating margins are under increasing pressure".
"Higher employment costs, alongside wider economic uncertainty, mean recruitment is being paused, with younger and less experienced workers hit hardest," she said.
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she → say → uncertainty
She added that there was "considerable uncertainty over the future of apprenticeship funding".
At Yorkshire-based manufacturing company Fives, most apprentices are at lower levels and study at nearby Keighley College, but there is one degree apprentice.
Jo Jackson, head of human resources, said she would like to hire more apprentices but training is expensive and the content apprentices are taught is not always "flexible enough".
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apprentices → add → apprentices
"Business needs are changing all the time, but it's very, very difficult to change the syllabus," she said.
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she → change → syllabus
"If we think about AI and how it's changing the world of work, the apprenticeships don't cover that.
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apprenticeships → think → that
"They can't change quickly enough to keep up."
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They → change → ?
Competition for some applicants is steeper than others, according to Stephen Evans, chief executive at Learning and Work Institute, who says you are "less likely to get one if you're from a working-class family".
uncertain
you → accord → family
A DWP spokeswoman said the government was introducing a bursary for apprentices whose families receive Universal Credit.
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families → say → Credit
Commenting on the rise in demand more generally, she added: "We're backing employers who take on young apprentices, including hiring incentives worth up to £8,000, and making apprenticeship training completely free for businesses for eligible young people aged 16 to 24."
asserted
training → comment → people
