A-level results day: Less well known qualifications can improve ‘job earnings’, report finds

Less well known qualifications – which include foundation degrees and diplomas of higher education - can increase students’ chances of securing a better paid job quicker, new research suggests.

Studying technical qualifications - which are between A-levels and a full undergraduate degree - can boost earning potential and employability, a report from the Department for Education finds.

The findings on the alternative vocational courses have been published just days before students pick up their A-level results and found out what university places they may have secured.

Employers in a range of sectors – including IT and engineering – suggest there is a growing demand for these foundation courses, known as level 4 or 5 qualifications, the report says.

And it shows that students who have achieved a level 4 or 5 qualification by the age of 23 had higher median wages – of around £2,000 - by the time they were 26 than those with A-level qualifications.

And yet only around 7 per cent of people in England, aged between 18 and 65, are undertaking training at this level – which are primarily taught at further education colleges and universities.

School leavers may not be choosing technical courses as it is easier for them to progress onto three-year undergraduate degrees due to an unlimited number of student places, the report suggests.

Anne Milton, apprenticeships and skills minister, said: “We want everyone to be able to access high-quality technical education and training so they can get the skills they need. Having these skills can change people’s lives, leading to a rewarding career and fantastic opportunities.

“These early findings show how learning at level 4 and 5 can benefit people of all ages and a wide variety of backgrounds, whilst helping employers get the skilled workforce they need.

“This research will play an important part of our ongoing review of level 4 and 5 qualifications, so we can understand how we can make education at this level work even better for everyone

The review forms part of the government’s work aiming to boost skills and improve higher education and further education - including the implementation of the Post-16 Skills Plan.

Bill Rammell, Vice Chancellor at the University of Bedfordshire - which offers degree apprenticeships and foundation years - said: "There is a cohort of people for whom a traditional university experience is not the right option. People who need to earn while they learn, who prefer their learning to be applied in their job or who know from experience that they do not flourish in traditional educational settings.

"Giving these people the opportunity to improve their skills is part of cracking the productivity challenge, and an important way of expanding access to education."