LABOUR TO OFFER ‘EARN AND LEARN’ TECHNICAL DEGREES

Young people who do not want or get a university place to study a traditional academic subject could take a new “technical degree” under a Labour government.

Ed Miliband will announce today that young workers would be able to “earn and learn” by studying for a degree for part of the week and working for the rest. The Government would subsidise the courses and employers would design and sponsor them….

….Mr Miliband will make the announcement in a speech to the Sutton Trust, which has found significant public support for “degree-level apprenticeships”. An Ipsos-Mori poll found that 34 per cent said a degree-level apprenticeship would be better for future career prospects than a university degree, while only 21 per cent thought a traditional degree would be better.

Conor Ryan, director of research at the Sutton Trust, said: “In other European countries, particularly in Germany and Switzerland, three-year, good-quality apprenticeships are a serious option for all young people. Despite some recent improvements, we still have a mountain to climb to match ambitions.”

Read the full story by Andrew Grice here