A Hampshire college says there are "better routes" than university
This comes after ministers are investing in 120-thousand new apprenticeships and training placements across England
Last updated 29th May 2025
South Hampshire Colleges' Director of Apprenticeships, Bethany Challoner, told us that apprenticeships can be a "better route" than university for many people.
This comes after the government promised 120-thousand apprenticeships and training opportunities as part of efforts to increase workers' skills. 3 billion pounds have been set aside this financial year to fund this incentive.
From January, funding will favour lower-level opportunities as opposed to masters-level ones. We can expect to see more opportunities in the construction, engineering and health sectors, before the next General Election.
In the South Coast, Bethany Challoner told us that apprenticeships can offer more flexibility than people think. Although there is often the stigma that apprenticeships are for school leavers, Bethany told us that they are also useful for people that are employed but might be looking for a career change.
She says, "University isn't going to be right for every individual. It's right for a lot of people but apprenticeships offer an alternative way to get those good certificates and qualifications out of it. It actually provides people with a debt free route"
She adds, "So, if you've got a young person that wants to work in construction or perhaps wants to be a civil engineer... there are better routes that allow them to not end up with thousands of pounds worth of debt"
"The barriers we find are from parents thinking the route to success is A-Levels, is university and getting that degree, but actually, it's really dependent on the field of study"
Bethany explained, "There's a natural stigma that apprenticeships are only for those that are less academic... but there's definitely a lot of education that needs to happen with parents and employers in terms of who should do an apprenticeship".
Although funding will be shifted away from masters-level apprenticeships from January 2026, support will be maintained for existing apprentices and those aged 16-21.