Late nights spent in the library, extortionate rental costs, £50k of debt, and no discernible advantage to show for it all…
It is no secret that, for many UK graduates, the prospect of a job is an increasingly rare find, with those entry-level positions that are available being snapped up by candidates with years of experience. So, as many students begin to navigate the treacherous reality of a cooling jobs market, the question becomes: was it really worth it?
According to recent figures from the Office for National Statistics, job vacancies were down by 77,000 (9.6%) in September to November 2025, compared to one year prior. Just weeks ago, the BBC published an article with the headline: “Over 700,000 graduates out of work and claiming benefits, analysis suggests”. Meanwhile, in October 2025, Fortune reported that 1.2 million UK graduates had been competing for just 17,000 roles. Although stark in nature, these figures will come as no surprise to current students, most of whom embarked upon their academic career amidst a cost-of-living crisis and an economy still recovering from a global pandemic.
Ben Hobson, who has just graduated from the University of Bristol with an MSci in Mathematics, described his job hunt as “unbelievably difficult”. So far, he has applied for well over 50 jobs, either within his desired industry or adjacent to it, and has heard very little back, save for one company that he had interned for several summers ago. “You’re sold the idea that if you do the work, you’ll have a good pick of jobs,” he says, “When, in reality, I don’t know anyone in the position to even choose between two offers.”
Ben is not alone in his frustration. Freya Ingram, a recent graduate from the University of Sheffield with an MA in Journalism, spoke of a “disheartening” few months spent looking for job opportunities, first within journalism and later related to PR and communications. Despite having completed a total of eight work placements during her time at university, Freya was forced to return to her part-time job in retail to support herself. “I wanted to use the degrees I’d worked hard for, as well as all the experience I had from different placements and internships,” she recalls. “I thought I’d done everything right.”
Employers continue to wax lyrical about the life experience, skills, and work ethic that a university education provides – they would be remiss not to. However, as living costs skyrocket and families are forced to tighten their belts, many students are coming to the conclusion that it is simply too big a price to pay, and who can blame them? Put off by the apparent absence of any graduate opportunities, an increasing number of young people are beginning to re-evaluate their priorities. Indeed, according to a survey carried out by Prospects, one in four A-Level students opted for a degree apprenticeship in 2025, with almost 40% of those believing that it would provide them with better training than a full-time university course.
Having chosen to pursue a degree apprenticeship with digital skills college, Ada, back in 2021, Ethan Flynn-Johnson can attest to the advantages that such a path might provide. To throw oneself into the workplace straight out of school takes courage, particularly when the majority of your peers are at university, enjoying a somewhat gentler introduction to the adult world. “But,” confirms Ethan, “that doesn’t outweigh the work experience I’ve had.” While Ethan eventually elected not to complete the three-year programme, the time he spent working for a leading software company equipped him with a higher national diploma, an abundance of new skills, and, crucially, no debt. “I feel confident in the workplace and around colleagues, which I think has helped me massively,” he says. “Almost all my cohort are in full-time employment, with three being promoted to senior roles already.”
Nevertheless, learning is a highly individual process and a degree apprenticeship is not going to be for everyone. The question that we should be asking is how we can adapt existing pathways to better support young people, closing the seismic gap between education and the workplace.
Universities have a responsibility to prepare their students for a world beyond campus, whether through increased career support or by incorporating some form of work experience into every degree programme. The arts and humanities should be championed and those who choose to study them exposed to the same level of career advice enjoyed by STEM pupils. Meanwhile, employers will only realise the value of young talent by investing the time and effort necessary to its development – providing unsuccessful applicants with clear, actionable feedback would be a start. Perhaps then, graduation might feel like less of a cliff edge for students and more like the first of many steps towards a promising future.
Image credits: Joshua Hoehne via Unsplash
