London (UK), September 2014 - In the lead-up to A Level results day 2014, a top apprenticeship firm has reported that applications from young people who have chosen not to attend university in pursuit of an IT career are at an all-time high. QA Apprenticeships, a leading IT apprenticeships business, recently published statistics showing a 108% increase in demand for IT apprenticeships from school leavers seeking an effective route into tech careers outside the traditional university programmes.
QA has trained over 2500 apprentices in 2013/14 and has seen its apprenticeships in IT networking and software development attract significant interest over non-IT programmes. In February, the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) reported that IT is also tracking high above the general growth in apprenticeship applications of 32%.
The training provider also revealed a 40% rise in the number of employers seeking IT apprentices, showing the growing confidence amongst the tech sector in QA’s programmes to deliver the skills they need to grow and develop talent into their business.
Young people move their tech knowledge away from universities
This news comes on the back of recent research by Ofcom showing that 14-19 year olds are the UK’s most tech-savvy age group, and the recent figures from The Complete University Guide revealing that those graduating from computer-science university degree programmes have a 46% chance of failing to find a suitable job.
Josh Uwadiae, 20, is one of the 94% of QA Apprentices who go into full-time jobs after finishing their training, a rate well above many high-ranking universities’ output.
Uwadiae is an IT Manager after just two years and is now hiring his own QA Apprentices into his team. He said, "At eighteen I decided to do an IT apprenticeship with QA, and within the short space of two years, I have seen fantastic returns. IT apprenticeships are more than just a course or job; they’re a career kick-start with limitless opportunity and potential. A young person should be just as excited about doing a top apprenticeship as being accepted by Oxford or Cambridge."
Ben Pike, Director of QA Apprenticeships, added, "We are really excited by the growth in demand that we are seeing this summer. It is clearer every year that young people leaving school or college are making more considered choices about their next career step, choosing a route that trains them specifically for a career in IT, built with their employer’s needs at its heart. Far fewer are prepared to shoulder the huge debts for a degree with no end-goal in mind.
"It’s excellent for the UK workforce that so many skilled, tech-savvy young people are looking to make the jump straight into a career with QA, contributing directly to the UK economy in a sector that is crying out for talented young recruits."
QA’s IT programmes are designed for school or college leavers seeking careers in IT networking, software development, coding, programming, and digital tech.
