The hottest ticket for this year’s A-level leavers isn’t an Oxbridge offer, but a place on a degree apprenticeship. The continuing graduate “jobpocalypse” — which is sweeping away thousands of entry-level job opportunities — has seen unprecedented numbers of students pivot to seek the security of a guaranteed professional job, alongside having their study costs covered.
This year, the education platform Higherin reports interest in apprenticeships is “going through the roof”. Searches doubled over the past 12 months and are up a further 78 per cent in 2026 already.
“The conversation has moved from ‘you can do this if university isn’t for you’ to ‘this is a serious route with real career prospects’”, explains founder Oliver Sidwell. “There is a cultural shift under way with apprenticeships becoming widely recognised as a credible pathway.”
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With National Apprenticeship Week taking place next week, two key routes are emerging for students aiming for professional careers. Level 6 apprenticeships equivalent to a bachelor’s degree while Level 7 courses are master’s level, and both see trainees study at the same universities as their undergraduate peers. Together they account for around 17 per cent of all apprenticeship starts.
Additionally, students are increasingly opting to start work after A-levels on lower level 3 apprenticeships, then study through to Level 6 and 7 degree-level qualifications, such as the Level 7 ACA accountancy qualification.
Both routes are “earn as you learn” with apprentices working 80 per cent of their time in a salaried job, and studying professionally-recognised qualifications in the remaining time. Young Professionals founder Dan Miller says the practical element of the courses “allows employers to train staff to align with their mission and culture from an early age, which can have long-term benefits in developing the next generation of leaders from within the company.”
Last year, figures from the Institute of Student Employers showed graduate roles dropped by 8 per cent while apprentice hires increased at the same rate. This year, the ISE predicts a further graduate vacancy drop of 7 per cent, with apprentices up 1 per cent.
However, increasing interest has seem application numbers spike from 60 per place in 2024 to 89; law apprenticeships average 207 applications per place. While organisations as diverse as BAE Systems, KPMG, the Co-Op and Thames Water all offer degree apprenticeships, career experts state more work is needed to promote the schemes to parents and ensure enough employers develop apprenticeships.
As a board member for Skills England and apprenticeship strategy director at education group BPP, Nichola Hay is at the forefront of this rebalancing of the early careers landscape.
She said: “Degree apprenticeships eliminate the gamble of accruing debt for an uncertain return — however, the number of available places still pales in comparison with demand, and awareness among families and schools lags behind. To unlock wider social mobility benefits, we must do more to demystify these routes and ensure they are accessible to all backgrounds.”
As the name suggests, the Not Going to Uni platform was ahead of the curve in identifying the shift to apprenticeships. Conor Cotton, managing director, concludes: “There’s been a lot of debate about AI eroding entry-level roles but what we’re actually seeing is a shift in how early careers are structured, not a collapse in demand. Employers still need people at the start of their careers; they just want them learning in a more applied, work-based way.”
Top tips for gaining a place on a top apprenticeship
This is as competitive as applying for a leading university. Here is the expert advice:
Engage early: Many companies offering degree apprenticeships run online work experience or taster days aimed at pupils aged 14 upwards.
Use social media support: Follow companies and apprenticeship providers on social media for the latest updates and join communities including Young Professionals, Higherin and Not Going to Uni for peer support.
Apply early: Degree apprenticeships are not a last-minute alternative; they’re highly competitive routes with early deadlines and multiple assessment stages.
Personalise every application: Tackle applications as you would for a graduate scheme. You’ll need to submit an application, which usually includes a CV and possibly an online test or cover letter.
Unsure of your route? You can apply for multiple Degree Apprenticeships and traditional university courses at the same time.
Start searching now: Employers advertise degree apprenticeships throughout the year and there is no application cycle like there is with university.
Degree apprenticeships are available across dozens of sectors. Search course types at ucas.com/explore/search/industry-guides?
Live vacancies are posted at findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch or check the website of the organisation you want to apply to
‘This opens doors, I have been paid for the pleasure’
Ciara Ferguson has gained experience with a Big Four auditor
KPMG
Ciara Ferguson is an audit apprentice with KPMG. The 24-year-old is studying her level 4 AAT exams and will progress to masters level 7.
She said: “Having these qualifications and Big Four experience opens so many doors for my future career, all without taking on university debt, In fact I have been paid for the pleasure.
“KPMG recognises that you don’t need a university degree to become an auditor, and the five year apprenticeship is designed to guide you through every stage.”
Marc Burrows, UK chief people officer at KPMG, said: “We recognise the apprentice pathway as an equal alternative to our graduate programmes when nurturing the next generation of talent. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and apprenticeships support this ambition by widening access to our firm and professional services careers. In autumn 2025, a quarter of our new student hires came from lower socio-economic backgrounds.”
Six from the best
Emily Hesketh, audit & assurance partner, Deloitte UK
As the first female apprentice to become a partner at Deloitte, Emily Hesketh is proof that earn-as-you-learn schemes can take you to the top. Now an audit and assurance partner, Emily was an inaugural trainee on the firm’s BrightStart programme. Here is her advice for apprentices to climb the corporate career ladder.
1. Carve your own path to the top: Never compare your journey with others. Whether you go to university or start an apprenticeship, success can be found in many different ways.
2. Ignite your spark: My passion in sustainability led me to specialise and find my niche. When you’re genuinely interested in a topic, you’ll naturally excel, and getting up for work every day is a lot easier when you love what you do.
3. Widen your lens: Not all roles may seem like the perfect fit for you initially, but exploring an alternative could provide new opportunities you hadn’t considered.
4. Build a future-proof skill set: It’s OK if you don’t know your ultimate destination yet. Building a strong foundation in critical thinking, problem-solving, and people skills will be invaluable in whatever career you choose.
5. Nothing is set in stone — you can change your mind: Some of the most successful people I know have reinvented themselves within their careers. Your first decision doesn’t have to be your last; growth means embracing change.
6. Seek out mentors and forge your network: Actively seek out people whose careers you admire, ask questions, and build genuine relationships. These connections can open doors, provide invaluable advice, and help you navigate your career path, especially if you want to be a leader.
Working week
Beware of accidental managers
Top employers including Co-op Group, Capita, Ocado and TSB Bank have warned the government that reforms to the apprenticeship system could risk leaving workplaces to be run by “accidental managers”. Government plans to streamline apprenticeship options may scale back management apprenticeships, so the Chartered Management Institute is calling for the schemes to be protected from any planned cull of courses funded through the Growth and Skills Levy. Ann Francke, the institute’s chief executive, said: “Management apprenticeships in particular drive social mobility.”
Fear of being obsolete
UK staff are suffering from “fobo” — the fear of becoming obsolete — a study suggests. The annual Inside Employees’ Minds report from Mercer suggests wellbeing has overtaken financial security as the top concern for staff, with employees knowing they need to upskill to secure their jobs in an AI age, but unsure what their employer needs. Mercer’s Kerry Ghize said: “Identifying and bridging any gaps across your workforces can lead to a competitive advantage and could help to improve the performance of the economy.”
Outreach ‘too expensive’
Rising costs are putting investment in future talent at risk, with seven in ten organisations saying economic pressures have curtailed their ability to invest in education outreach with young people, up sharply from half last year. Three in five businesses polled by the Careers & Enterprise Company now view work experience as too time-consuming to deliver, while three-quarters admit they would offer more opportunities to young people if working with schools were easier.
Don’t run this up the flagpole
“Circle back”, “synergy” and “run it up the flagpole” have been mocked by Gen Z as the most vague and outdated corporate language. Also disliked are “touch base”, “bandwidth” and “take this offline”, according to the language app Preply. The company’s Anna Pyshna said: “Many of these phrases were originally designed to soften communication, but in fast-paced and digital-first workplaces, that vagueness can feel inefficient. Gen Z tends to prefer language that leads quickly to decisions and action.”
Appointment of the week
Coeducational day and boarding school Sevenoaks School is seeking a chief operational officer to join its senior leadership team. The school provides an exceptional education to students from over 75 nationalities and the COO will play a pivotal role leading all non‑academic operational functions and will also contribute to the school’s strategic direction, risk management, governance and long‑term planning.
The successful candidate will oversee property, grounds, estates, facilities, security, IT, HR, governance and compliance, and will lead a large, multi‑disciplinary team. They will also have a central role in supporting the school’s development, modernisation of systems, and delivery of complex strategic projects, including operational alignment and efficiencies across the Sevenoaks family of schools.
The role requires substantial generalist leadership and management experience, with a track record of working across sizeable and complex support functions. The successful candidate will be a collaborative team player with strong communication skills, emotional intelligence, resilience, and the ability to lead, motivate and develop others. The ability to operate at both strategic and detailed operational levels will be essential.
Apply by February 20 at appointments.thetimes.com
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