The high price that university is going to cost future generations of students has had a dramatic effect on the graduate job market. In anticipation of the fact that many young people won’t be able to afford to pay university fees, some of the UK’s largest accountancy firms are establishing degree-equivalent school-leaver training programmes as viable alternatives to a University education.
With the increase in tuition fees, students are already questioning why they should study towards a University degree without the guarantee of a job upon graduation.
As a result, employers are offering a host of degree level courses that students can embark upon as soon as they leave school.
These courses typically offer a five-or six-year structured training programme and will be similar to an undergraduate course in terms of academic requirements and competition for entry.
The future of education?
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters, warned earlier this year that changes to the higher education system would lead to more companies recruiting school leavers at 18 or younger.
Considering the scores of capable students who won’t be able to afford paying the increased tuition fees, which can reach figures of up to £9,000 per year, current school leavers may have to investigate alternative routes into the job market.
Leading accountancy firms such as Deloitte, KPMG and Ernst & Young have already pioneered this idea with similar schemes. Graduate recruitment experts predict that this trend will also spread to other industries.
In a time where being a graduate doesn’t equal automatic entry into a graduate position, potential students might think twice before forking out thousands in University fees.
Do you think higher tuition fees might affect the way graduate job market works now? Would you rather embark on a training programme rather than an expensive university degree?