Poorer Students are Losing out on Degree Apprenticeships

Students from poorer backgrounds are being cut out of degree apprenticeships, a report by the Social Mobility Foundation has found.

Young people are increasingly being told that degree apprenticeships offer an alternative path to success. Degree apprenticeships should open up careers for all talented young people regardless of class – and they relieve the burden of student debt. 

But many poorer young people are stranded in an “opportunity desert” as a third (32%) of all degree apprenticeship positions are found in just 10 postcodes, “The Opportunity Divide” report revealed.

That means there are fewer than 0.4 opportunities per 1,000 young people in Blackpool compared with 104 opportunities per 1,000 young people in the City of London. 

This stark disparity highlights the need to increase opportunities in “opportunity desert” areas, ensuring young people have equitable access wherever they live.

Degree apprenticeships are 3.5 times less accessible to young people eligible for free school meals than Russell Group universities, even when they have the grades to get in. 

One modelled comparison shows how the barriers to access multiply. A young person from a wealthy, opportunity-rich area was 375 times more likely to access a finance degree apprenticeship than someone from a low-income, opportunity-poor area.

And around 500 free school meal students are missing from degree apprenticeships each year – due to barriers beyond educational attainment.

Despite participation in degree apprenticeships growing, the share of opportunities going to young people in deprived areas has fallen since 2017/18.

The Social Mobility Foundation has listed seven ideas to make degree apprenticeships a fairer system. They are:

• Expand targeted careers outreach
• Recruit for potential, not privilege
• Greater recognition for vocational qualifications
• Set regional provision targets
• Provide travel support for apprentices 
• Cover the cost of relocation
• Better identify where disadvantaged learners are slipping through the cracks 

Sarah Atkinson, CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation, said:

“Degree apprenticeships should be a strong alternative to the traditional university route and a powerful engine for social mobility. This report shows we’re still a long way from making that a reality. Too many young people live in ‘opportunity deserts’, with far fewer options available to them simply because of where they live. Together, government, employers and education providers must expand access, remove barriers and create more opportunities in the areas that need them most. We need bold reforms to the system so that every young person has the opportunity to fulfil their potential and succeed.”