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New figures from jobs board Monster suggest that only a fraction more than half of 16 to 18 year olds are planning on going to university.

Just 53 per cent of under 18s now say they would like to go to uni and get a degree, down from 86 per cent six years ago.

The number of young people now considering apprenticeships as an alternative to university stands at 22 per cent, or around 1 in 5 students aged 16 to 18. The figure is even higher amongst parents of the age demographic, with almost double (41 per cent) of mums and dads thinking that an apprenticeship is the best career choice for their children in 2019.

Regionally, the North East would appear to be cheerleaders for apprenticeships as a route into work, with more than 1 in 3 (37 per cent) of under 18s considering the option - and 7 in 10 parents saying that apprenticeships give young people better prospects than gaining a degree from university.

As to why the balance might be shifting between university and apprenticeships, perceived career prospects and money considerations would appear to be driving factors.

More than 2 in 5 (42 per cent) of young people say they are dissuaded by the university route because of the living costs and potential long-term debt burden involved.

Meanwhile, more than 1 in 3 under 18s (35 per cent) believe that getting a degree from university is no guarantee of a good job after graduating.

Commenting on the survey’s results, Monster’s General Manager for the UK & Ireland, Derek Jenkins, said:

“With the cost of university tuition, young people are moving away from the idea that degrees are essential to getting a good job. While it’s great to see more options available, making this huge decision at a young age is putting school leavers under a lot of pressure. At 16, 17 or 18 who honestly knows what they want to do for the rest of their lives?”

“Instead of rushing into something, consider taking a year out to do internships and gain experience in different industries, or go travelling before making that decision. Whatever route you do decide to go down, if it doesn’t work out, don’t panic. You won’t be the first person to drop out of university or switch careers. Often it’s only through trial and error that you end up where you really want to be,” added Mr Jenkins.

If you are currently considering your career choices and think that university might not be the path for you, then you can find out all you need to know about the wide range of apprenticeship schemes available in the UK on the e4s student jobs website.