Growing numbers of 16-18-year-olds are giving up on aspirations of higher education due to the rising cost of living, with thousands of school leavers revising University plans to go straight into full or part-time work. The findings are revealed as part of Early Careers, An employer’s guide to discovering future talent, a new joint report released by Totaljobs and Career Ready.
Following official figures from UCAS revealing that the percentage of British school leavers going to University fell for the first time in a decade this year, research from Totaljobs and Career Ready suggests this number could drop even further.
The survey of 16–18-year-olds in full-time education found that half (48%) plan on going into full or part-time work when they finish school/college, rather than higher education, specifically due to the rising cost of living. With half (50%) believing this will hinder their chances of working in their desired field.
