It will be announced today that Universities could be fined for not helping graduates’ career prospects.
In part of this major Overhaul announced by Universities minister Michelle Donelan, Universities will be set ambitious targets for providing apprenticeships. Not only will the watchdog insist that Universities currently providing apprenticeships will have to provide more, they will also tell those not currently offering degree apprenticeships to do so.
The initiative is partially driven by the recognition that many low-ranking Universities offer courses that lead to limited or low-remuneration career opportunities, despite prospectus promises to the contrary.
Universities that cannot prove they are helping students into careers will face fines – it is likely that Universities will be measured by their proportion of alumni in graduate jobs.
Today’s announcement will be seen as being consistent with the wider agenda of making sure qualifications are providing skills that are directly in line with employers’ needs.