Read EPI's response to the Budget in the Guardian today: www.theguardian.com/education/20...

To deliver on the potential of degree apprenticeships, we need a sharper focus on widening participation & supporting employers in low-completion sectors. Targeted outreach & funding incentives could help more disadvantaged young people access these pathways. 

Read more: epi.org.uk/publications...

Exploratory analysis of the early labour market outcomes of degree apprentices appears positive. One year after completing their course, the average young degree apprentice earned around double the salary of the average graduate (£36,785 vs £18,555) in the latest available data (2020-21).

The average degree apprentice was also a relatively high attainer during their time at school. Our analysis shows that degree apprentices have consistently had higher average attainment at GCSE than the UG cohort (where entry requirements have a wide variation across provider and course type).

Since their introduction, degree apprenticeships have grown rapidly, especially among 19–24-year-olds. But only around one in ten degree apprentices come from disadvantaged backgrounds; a lower share than among students at Russell Group universities.

It's great to see the Government adopt EPI's 'months of learning' disadvantage gap measure for the first time in its CAR response. It's a key recognition of a measure that is intuitive, clear, and having a real impact across education, media, and policy.