Engineering apprenticeships twice as popular as degrees
The number of young people embarking on an engineering apprenticeship is more than double that of those choosing to study for a degree.
Figures from the Skills Funding Agency show that in 66,410 young people started an apprenticeship in engineering and manufacturing technologies in 2013, more than double the 27,155 accepted onto engineering higher education courses.
IET membership director Michelle Richmond said: "With a university degree costing £27,000 in fees alone and with no guarantee of a job at the end of the course, apprenticeships are more popular than ever with young people.
"And with the recent Government Trailblazer initiative, led by the IET and other industry leaders to introduce new standards to make sure apprenticeships meet employer needs, we can only expect apprenticeships to go from strength to strength."
