GCSE Results: Why A-levels are not the be all and end all

As GCSE Results Day looms, thousands of students will be nervously awaiting their grades and considering their options for the future.

A-levels remain the traditional route for post-16 education, with many students continuing with their preferred academic subjects until the age of 18.

However, there are plenty of alternatives for students to consider. Apprenticeship schemes, traineeships and BTECs are all great routes for those who wish to increase their employability and at the same time avoid costly university tuition fees.

So what are the benefits of doing an apprenticeship or vocational course?

There’s a traditional view that apprenticeships and similar courses are limited in scope to particular industries, but this isn’t the case.

The government recently overhauled its approach to vocational training and apprenticeships, and it hopes to “create an army of skilled young people” across a wide range of business sectors.

In a recent speech, Education Secretary Justine Greening revealed her plans for a “skills revolution”, delivering technical education for a huge range of skills, from coding to engineering and construction to design.

Ms Greening also revealed the introduction of T levels, new qualifications offered alongside apprenticeships. These will be a further incentive for young people seeking a more vocational route.

Speaking to The Telegraph, a Department for Education spokesperson said:

“We are reforming and investing in apprenticeships and technical education to give young people a real choice to take a route that works best for them.

“Our Skills Plan sets out how we plan to improve technical education in England so young people have clear routes into skilled trades.

“This includes introducing new T levels , backed by over £500 million a year once up and running, and creating prestigious new Institutes of Technologies to deliver the skills needed to succeed in life.         

The spokesperson also revealed that the government is doubling investment in apprenticeships in England to £2.5 billion by 2019-20, “to help people get into more and better quality training schemes and to choose a rewarding career path”.

Emma Finamore, editor of education and careers information website AllAboutSchoolLeavers.com, explained: "University’s a great option, but there are loads of other things school leavers can do with their A-levels. Degree Apprenticeships were introduced a few years ago – on these programmes apprentices work towards a full university degree alongside earning a wage at a job in the workplace, the same as with any apprenticeship scheme.

"Tuition fees are usually paid for by the employer and the government, so these schemes are a way of gaining a degree without getting into student debt, as well as receiving a proper salary as a full-time employee. You can do them in a range of industries, from finance and law to IT and engineering, and will require A-levels in the same way as a standard university degree course would."

Mark Farrar is Chief Executive at Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT), which offers a variety of vocational courses, from bookkeeping to accounting.

According to Mr Farrar, more needs to be done in schools to help  raise awareness of apprenticeships and other similar qualifications.

“Research conducted this summer by AAT found that schools are much more likely to talk to students about university over other pathways, with two thirds of students reporting that they experienced some pressure to choose a more traditional route into higher education,” Farrar explained.

“There’s still work to be done to raise the profile of apprenticeships, which provide important hands-on experience and training at any stage of your career - whether you’re collecting your GCSE results, choosing your A Level courses, deciding what to do after you’ve finished your schooling, or looking to expand your current skill set.  

A spokesperson for IBM said: "The current education system needs to address the skill gap, and for that to happen, education and business sectors need to work together.

"While technology is helping to create new and exciting jobs, the current skills gap is set to widen if the education and training sector fails to keep pace. This is a problem for all businesses and action is needed."

Will a vocational course make me more employable?

According to Farrar, apprenticeships are “mutually valuable” for the apprentice and the business they’re working in.

“Many employers highlight the benefits of working with motivated apprentices who are eager to learn and improve their skills, which helps to produce a more satisfied workforce and retain talent in the longer term."

Andrew Powell is CEO at The Training Room, which provides vocational courses  across health and fitness, beauty and wellbeing, health and social care, and IT.

“We appreciate that university can be a fantastic experience for college leavers, but believe vocational training is just as fulfilling and often better suited to those who want to learn specific skills and obtain career specific qualifications,” Mr Powell said.

“The employers we work with appreciate that students who have received vocational training are often better suited to the workplace than their university graduated counterparts, not just because these students have received practical workplace training, but they have also developed their professional skills as a result of role specific training.”