When a degree isn’t enough
1 in 10 young people in the UK are out of both employment and education. Does this require reimagining the bridge between education and work?
Many graduates are discovering that a degree alone doesn’t guarantee employment, or work in the areas they would like. Recent reviews show that one in ten young people in the UK who are out of work or not studying have a degree. That’s 957,000 young people!
Behind the numbers is the reality that labour markets are changing faster than many education pathways can catch up. Some graduates are discovering that academic success does not automatically translate into work-ready skills or opportunity.
What if there was a way to bridge the gap by connecting students to real-world work scenarios to help them make informed decisions?
Tutorfair Foundation’s Futures Programme went out to do exactly that.
Maya wanted to know more about dentistry and was connected to a mentor dentist. Ashley wanted some hands-on experience on software engineering and was connected to computer scientists at Codecademy. Iman wanted work with animals and was connected to the British Zoological Society. With each of these opportunities, students were able to try out careers of their choice in a hands-on environment.
Specific experiences like these give young people a clearer sense of what different jobs actually involve, beyond the job title or degree requirement. They can build confidence, challenge assumptions, and help students make more informed choices about their future.
Now imagine the possibilities if this were scaled to a larger educational framework.
Find more about Tutorfair Foundation’s innovative approach to education here.
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