With fees rocketing, the cachet of a degree is becoming too expensive - and may not lead to a job. We asked employers for their views on old-fashioned work experience
The head of McDonald's in Britain caused quite a stir last week when she suggested that some school leavers would be better off getting a job in a burger joint than going to university. Jill McDonald, who coincidentally shares a name with her employer, called for an end to education "snobbery", arguing that university was not for everybody and promoting apprenticeships at companies such as hers as a good alternative.
It's easy to sneer at this sentiment, and plenty of commentators did. But with 42% of this summer's university graduates expected to take jobs that do not require a degree - known as being "under-employed" - and plans for undergraduate fees to jump to £9,000 a year, would-be students and their parents are increasingly asking if it's worth going to university at all.
This, in turn, is prompting companies to look at ways to bring in more school leavers, predominantly through apprenticeships. They have differing motives for wanting to do so, but most say they want to ensure that they do not lose out on any talent that cannot afford to go to university, as well as broaden the diversity of their workforces.
For the full story visit: Apprenticeships v Degrees
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