Competition for degree apprenticeships in England has quadrupled over the past three years, the BBC has found.
The popularity of degree apprenticeships – which offer a paid-for university degree along with a salary – has grown as the cost of university has come under increased scrutiny.
Data seen by the BBC showed the number of applicants through the government’s central platform nearly tripled from 8,100 to 21,800 over the past three years, while the number of positions available fell by almost half, from 7,300 to 3,700.
Applicants said they applied to university as a “backup” because competition was so fierce, with employers cutting back on hiring because of high employment costs and economic uncertainty.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said it was “backing employers who take on young apprentices”.
Last month, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he wanted to ensure teenagers had technical routes into careers that could rival the path of a traditional university degree.
His comments came as concerns grow about the immediate and long-term costs of university, with more students wanting to stay at home home rather than moving away, to save money and calls to reform student loan repayments. The cost of undergraduate tuition fees in England is now set to rise every year with inflation.
Degree apprenticeships might look to some like an attractive alternative, but the Freedom of Information data obtained by the BBC suggests they are hard to come by.
