University Fees May Damage UK

There may be a future shortage of well-educated public sector key workers as higher-education and graduate prospects change unrecognisably.

A website dedicated to showing young people alternatives to university has also seen a huge hike following yesterday’s Commons vote.

Today’s Commons vote on the possibility of charging higher education students up to £9,000 a year needs to be seriously considered, if the public sector still wants well-educated key workers (such as police and teachers) for the future.

Students are unsurprisingly protesting as they face the prospect of debts in excess of £30,000, combined with rising graduate unemployment and the possibility that by the time they pay back their debts they could be old enough to have their own children at university. For example a graduate earning £48,000 could be paying off debt for 28 years.

One student justified the protests (although not the violence) by claiming his generation of learners were being given a lifetime’s punishment for the sins of the bankers and the greedy.

Since the speculation regarding tuition fees www.notgoingtouni.co.uk – a website dedicated to showing young people the alternative options that exist outside of university - has seen a 35 per cent increase in visitor numbers.

Enquiries to the website have not only come from students but concerned parents and careers advisor, seeking other ways that young people can kick-start their careers now that so many feel priced out of university.

“Notgoingtouni.co.uk highlights an extensive variety of alternatives to the traditional university route from apprenticeships to foundation and sponsored degrees to distance Learning,” said communications director Sarah Clover who believes that there has never been a tougher time for the undergraduate market. “What we want school leavers to know is that there are some great ways to achieve your career goals without a full time degree course so explore your options before you make a decision and you could find a way to gain your chosen qualification debt free.”

Recruitment Consultant Magazine, 10.12.10
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