“Youth degree apprenticeships: An alternative to university?”, funded by AL Elevation, examines access, participation, and outcomes for young people aged 18–24 on level 6 degree apprenticeship courses in England. Using linked administrative data, the report provides evidence on who is taking up these courses, how successful students are in completing them, and some exploratory analysis of their early labour market outcomes.
Introduced in 2015, degree apprenticeships combine university-level study with paid, work-based training, leading to a full bachelor’s degree. Designed to address skills shortages and widen participation in higher education (HE), they offer an alternative route to a degree without incurring tuition fee debt. As part of the project, researchers also conducted a series of case studies with a range of firms to uncover the employer perspective on the challenges, barriers, and successes of degree apprenticeships in the workplace.
Overall, degree apprenticeships have delivered high achievement rates and encouraging early signs of strong labour market returns over the past decade. Despite this, widening participation must be a priority given that degree apprenticeships appear to be less inclusive with regard to socio-economic disadvantage than even Russell Group universities.
