Today our blog looks at articles on university offers and apprenticeships.
University Places
Today, Tuesday 4 February, the Times reported that Russell Group universities have offered thousands of pounds to students for them to take a gap year, due to more offers being made than places available at institutions.
The Government is clear that universities should always act in the best interests of students and the Office for Students has extensive powers to tackle instances of poor practice.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
Universities are responsible for their own admissions but should ensure their practices are fair and transparent for students. We expect universities to act in the best interests of students and have given the regulator strong powers to take action where this is not the case.
The Office for Students (OfS) and Universities UK are each undertaking reviews of university admissions to look at how well the current practices best serve students and how they can be improved.
National Apprenticeship Week
Today, the Guardian published a dedicated apprenticeships section for National Apprenticeship Week, including a number of pieces of advice for young people on the benefits of apprenticeships and positive case studies.
You can find more from the Guardian online including a piece on how parents can support their children taking apprenticeships, and an article looking at apprentice opportunities in horticulture.