Last month, newspapers and social media were filled with images of young people celebrating exam results and looking ahead to their next steps, whether university, work, apprenticeships, or travel. These are exciting times, full of promise and opportunity.

UCAS these days produce localised figures for university entry, though these come with more of a time lag. For East Hampshire, we now have the 2024 figures and these show just under 40 percent of 18 year olds locally went into higher education. That’s above the national and regional averages, and high by historic standards, but a little below the 45 percent peak locally in 2022.

Among those who did choose university, the most popular courses for East Hampshire students were design courses, law, sports sciences, and economics.

Ever since Tony Blair set the famous “50 percent” target, there has been debate on whether targets like this are the right approach. For many, university is absolutely the right choice. For others, it may not be.

In fact, Mr Blair’s “50 percent” wasn’t as narrowly defined as many suppose. It included various higher vocational routes, not just academic, and applied up to age 30, not just at age 18.

With that context, I have always thought the target of more young people staying longer in education was overall a good one. As economies evolve, the demand for higher-level skills grows.

The demand is not just for traditional university degrees. Since 2014, there has been significant growth in Level 4 vocational qualifications (those above A Level). And following reforms introduced in 2017/18, higher-level apprenticeships have seen particular expansion.

So, should we be concerned about the recent dip in young people locally going on to university? I don’t think so. Today’s teens are more discerning, exploring a wide range of options. University isn’t always the right path, and not all courses are of the same quality.

This isn’t only (or even mostly) about the earnings boost you get – some subjects don’t give such a boost, but are still, in a broader sense, just as valuable. However, the minority of courses with high non-completion rates are a concern. Students can be left with debt but no degree, which is a deeply unfair outcome.

At the last election, my party called for some funding to be redirected from underperforming university courses to expand high-quality apprenticeships, where students can earn while they learn.

As part of the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) Bill discussions, I have been arguing that we need to protect the independence of the institute that sets standards for apprenticeship qualifications. This independence is essential if we are serious about parity of esteem between academic and vocational routes. I hope the Government will re-think its approach here.

Young people today have more post-16 and post-18 options, and we must value all of them for what they offer. Whether it’s university, an apprenticeship, or another form of further or higher education, what matters most is quality, outcomes, and the right fit for the individual.