Wednesday, 18 August 2010 18:16 British Telecom is considering expanding its Apprenticeship scheme after receiving more than 100 applications for each available place, highlighting FE's role to play as university places become ever harder to find.

BT reports receiving almost 24,000 applications for just 221 places on its Apprenticeship scheme this year. The figure dwarfs the number of applications for the prestigious Oxford University, its figure of 17,000 applications for 3,000 undergraduate places appearing paltry by comparison.

Alex Wilson, BT's human resources director, described the figure as "unprecedented" and indicated that, with BT committing £2.5bn to the ongoing rollout across the UK of high-speed broadband, the Apprenticeship scheme may be expanded to offer more places.

"We'll need engineers to help us deliver and hope to tap into the interest that is being shown by young people across the UK," he said.

The Apprenticeship program, which offers a starting salary of between £11,000 and £14,000 a year, sees successful applicants go on to specialise in IT, telecoms, electrical systems or customer service, gaining qualifications including BTECs and foundation degrees.

The news is just the latest in a line of similar developments reflecting the high rate of unemployment among 18 to 24-year-olds in the UK, which currently stands at 17.5 per cent, owing to not just the global financial climate but also a spike in the birth rate in the early 1990s.

UCAS reported a rise in university applications of 11.7 per cent on last year's figures. Fewer places are available after many UK universities took too many students last year and have to cut back this year to make up for it. A recent Guardian poll of UK universities revealed that Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh and Warwick had no places remaining on any of their courses. It is estimated that as many as 170,000 applicants will find themselves without a university place after clearing.

As such increasing numbers of young people are exploring other routes into employment. The Open University reports applications are up 25 per cent on 2009, with some 29,000 OU undergratuates under the age of 25, 55 per cent of whom are in full-time employment.

BT are not the only organisation reporting dramatically increased levels of applications for such schemes. PriceWaterhouseCoopers, one of the largest professional services firms, said applications for its A-level entry training scheme had increased by 25 per cent on last year and were double the figure from 2008.

Network Rail has received 4,000 entries for just 200 Apprenticeships. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has announced plans to fund 8,000 places for full-time UK and EU students but, tellingly, intends to create a further 50,000 Apprenticeship places.

Nathan Brown