University admissions decline for the third consecutive year as rising costs leave young people searching for alternatives.
While students may worry about career prospects without a traditional degree, new research from Cambridge Advance Online suggests a more positive outlook:
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Over half (53.6%) of job listings that specify educational requirements do not mandate any type of degree, highlighting more flexible career entry points.
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Nearly three-quarters (72.4%) of people in England and Wales lack a degree or equivalent qualification, including 47.4% of managers, directors, and senior officials.
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Alternative education paths are on the rise, with 3.1 million people in further education – significantly more than the 2.2 million British students currently in higher education in the UK.
Cambridge Advance Online analysed a sample of over 34,000 Indeed job listings and compared the results with government data on the population’s education levels to uncover these insights. The research comes in the wake of a 3.1% tuition fee increase set to take effect this August, further impacting the affordability of education.
According to Times Higher Education, the number of students in higher education is already declining, with subjects like mathematical sciences seeing a sharp 20% drop in students during the 2022/23 academic year, followed by physical sciences (-12.8%) and agriculture, food, and related studies (-9.8%) according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
At the same time, the number of young people classified as NEET (not in education, employment, or training) has risen alarmingly. Between July and September 2024, 15.9% of 18–24-year-olds fell into this category which is a yearly increase of 869,000. Asli Derya, Cambridge Advance Online’s learning propositions director, highlights the critical need for accessible education pathways: “In today’s rapidly changing labour market, advancing one’s education is vital for remaining competitive. Ongoing learning can greatly enhance long-term career prospects, but it is essential to choose high-quality, up-to-date education that reflects the realities of the market.”
Positively, further education is on the rise, with 3.1 million students enrolled in courses in 2022/23, marking an increase of 122,750 from the previous year. While a degree remains a valuable asset, alternate education paths include NVQs, online training courses and apprenticeships – qualifications required for career progression can vary by role and industry. This research reveals a positive trend toward more flexibility – the sectors offering the most options for those with GCSE-level qualifications are personal consumer services, insurance, healthcare, and legal, government and public administration.
Census data further highlights the opportunities available in other industries, with 29.7% of those in professional, scientific, and technical roles, and 35.2% in information and communication jobs, not having obtained a level four qualification or above. This trend extends to managerial positions, where nearly half (47.4%) of managers, directors, and senior officials have reached their roles without a degree or equivalent qualification.
A recent study revealed that over half of UK employers are moving toward skill-based hiring, prioritising abilities over educational background or past experience. The report highlights that communication, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, and written communication skills are among the top qualities employers seek.
Emily Tannert Patterson, a learning designer at Cambridge Advance Online adds, “Since the pace of change in the world has accelerated, a university degree is no longer sufficient to build skills that will last for a lifetime of employment. Hence the explosion of learning providers to fill the gap with everything from boot camps to online short courses, allowing workers to attain new skills to further their own careers and/or pivot into new ones.”
Visit the Cambridge Advance Online blog to explore further insights on alternative education pathways in the UK: https://advanceonline.cam.ac.uk/blog/rethinking-higher-education-alternative-pathways-to-career-success
- Asli Derya and Emily Tannert Patterson
