As teenagers receive their GCSE results today, degree apprenticeships are being highlighted as a potential next step. Competition for these programmes, which combine a paid university degree with a salary, has quadrupled in England over the last three years.
The government has set an ambition to deliver 50,000 more youth apprenticeships. Dominic Bates, 25, from Birmingham, pursued a Level 3 advanced engineering apprenticeship after his A-levels, finding it suited his preference for hands-on work.
Dennis Eagle, a Warwick-based manufacturer, plans to welcome around 20 young people into its apprenticeship scheme this year. Simone Bayley, learning development coordinator at the company, noted that the cost of university and the blend of academic and workplace learning make apprenticeships a popular choice among young people.