Last Thursday saw the lives of thousands dictated by the announcement of A-results. With the media keen to highlight how many were or weren’t going to university, the scramble for places this year seemed more cut-throat than ever with many youngsters being turned away by their first, second and third choice university.

Although the majority have secured the university and degree that they wanted, an estimated 282,000 applicants have not and are now in the ‘clearing’ process. Unfortunately for those, Ucas believes that there is only 47,000 spare places available meaning that for every available university degree, there are five students competing for it!

Perhaps this year is busier than most with many students hoping to beat the increased tuition fees that come into action next year. Regardless, every student can expect to leave university with not only a degree, but also a large amount of debt.

As we watch all these youngsters eagerly or nervously open their results, I wonder how many graduates are asking themselves if they could rewind time to that moment, would they make the same decisions and how many of them believe that having a degree got them to where they are today.

Education is of course extremely important but most importantly is the manner in which it’s delivered and achieved.

Like those 282,000 applicants who are now scrambling around for a university place, we’re naturally led to believe that going to university is the only option.

What I urge everyone to do before taking the plunge is investigate all the available options. Opportunities such as apprenticeships offer an education and qualification but exchanges the classroom for the workshop and the debt for a wage, with many apprentices going on to complete degrees, often sponsored by their employer.

And with that level of debt set to soar next year, an apprenticeship has never looked more appealing.

Apprenticeships are a viable and credible alternative to university and there are employers out there looking to recruit apprentices now! To learn more about the opportunities, get in touch.