University Degrees, Skills Shortages and Why the UK Needs More Than One Career Path
Back in the mid-1990s, only around 30% of people in the UK went to university.
Today, that figure sits at roughly 50%.
That’s a huge cultural and economic shift in the space of time since many of today’s business leaders and hiring managers were at university themselves 30 years ago.
Naturally, when significantly more people hold degrees, the way employers view them changes too. A university education still carries enormous value in many professions and industries, but it’s no longer quite the differentiator in the jobs market that it once was.
At the same time, the UK has been facing major skills shortages across technical and vocational industries for years.
At MaxAd Recruitment, we see this first-hand on a daily basis.
Engineering businesses struggling to recruit.
Construction firms short of skilled workers.
Renewable energy companies desperately searching for electricians and installers.
Manufacturers unable to find experienced technicians and engineers.
For many employers, the problem is no longer attracting the “perfect” candidate. It’s finding enough qualified candidates at all.
Technical Careers Are Becoming Increasingly Valuable
What’s particularly interesting is that many of these technical and vocational careers now offer excellent salaries, long-term job security and strong progression opportunities that can rival, and in some cases exceed, more traditional graduate career paths.
And often without the level of student debt many graduates now leave university with.
That’s especially true in sectors where demand for skilled professionals massively outweighs supply, including:
- Engineering
- Construction
- Renewable Energy
- Electrical Installation
- HVAC
- Manufacturing
- Technical Maintenance
- Infrastructure
As the UK continues investing in housing, energy, transport and technology, the demand for skilled technical professionals is only likely to increase further.
University Still Offers Huge Value Beyond Academics
Professor Robert Van de Noort, Vice-Chancellor of University of Reading, spoke on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme recently and made a point that many people recognise, but which perhaps doesn’t get discussed enough in conversations around graduate employment.
University is about far more than simply obtaining a qualification.
It’s also about independence, confidence, learning how to think critically, meeting people from different backgrounds and developing as a person.
That wider personal development experience absolutely has value, both professionally and personally.
But it also raises an important question.
Have vocational and technical careers been unfairly positioned for too long as a “second choice” compared to university?
The UK Economy Needs Both
In reality, this shouldn’t be framed as university versus apprenticeships or vocational routes.
The country clearly needs both.
We need graduates, researchers and highly educated professionals. But we also urgently need engineers, electricians, technicians, surveyors, installers and skilled tradespeople to build, maintain and improve the infrastructure and services the UK relies on every day.
Many technical careers are highly skilled, highly respected and critically important to the economy. They also offer genuinely rewarding long-term career opportunities for people who may not want to follow a traditional university route.
Helping Young People Understand Their Options
Perhaps the conversation now needs to shift away from deciding which route is “better”.
Instead, the focus should be on making sure young people properly understand all of the options available to them and where the genuine long-term opportunities exist.
Success looks different for everyone.
For some people, university will absolutely be the right path. For others, apprenticeships, technical qualifications or vocational careers may offer a better fit, stronger earning potential and greater long-term job satisfaction.
The important thing is that all of these pathways are properly valued and respected.
Because ultimately, the UK’s future workforce depends on all of them.