04/08/2011

Students want more access to vocational education

The findings come from a new survey conducted by research organisation YouGov on behalf of discount service StudentBeans.

78% of the students who took part in the survey felt more low-cost alternatives to full-time university courses should be on offer and 91% think more employers should provide vocational training for school leavers.

The research comes at a time when several major employers are acknowledging the value that vocational education schemes can bring to their overall talent recruitment strategy.

In January, professional services company KPMG announced it was to run a school-leavers' programme in conjunction with Exeter, Durham and Birmingham universities. KPMG has agreed to pay those accepted onto the programme a £20,000 starting salary, as well as all tuition and university accommodation costs, making it an attractive proposition for young people who are interested in entering the sector.

KPMG anticipates the programme, which combines work and study over six years, will gradually become the main source of its trainee intake.

Other businesses are exploring different routes to help students with their education. Market research firm YouGov recently announced its Start Up Summer collaboration with London-based University College and Imperial College.

Those accepted onto the free summer school will be grouped into teams and given £2,000 to develop a project that will be considered for a cash prize in a Dragons' Den-style pitching process. High-profile names such as Lastminute.com founder Martha Lane Fox are on board to teach masterclasses.