THIS has been a big week for students up and down the country as they received results for A-levels, T-levels and VTQs.
Next week it will be the turn of pupils who have just sat their GCSEs.
This is such a special and exciting time for our young people, as it marks the start of the next stage of their lives.
Many will choose to go on to one of our world-leading universities.
But today, there are more high-quality opportunities to choose from than ever, including taking the route I did: An apprenticeship.
The previous Government ignored alternative routes to gain skills needed for a rewarding career.
Tony Blair’s blind push to get young people into university with an arbitrary target of 50 per cent sometimes did more harm than good.
But, under the Conservatives, that has all changed. We have transformed the skills landscape.
Today there are more than 670 apprenticeship standards to choose from, going right up to degree and masters level.
Now you can have the best of both worlds — an apprenticeship while attending one of our top universities.
That’s what I did. I left school at 16 and began an apprenticeship in a car factory, which went up to degree level.
My apprenticeship was my golden ticket and kick-started a 30-year international business career.
By the time graduates of my year joined the company straight from university, I was already managing teams and had the experience and increasing salary to back it up.
Ninety per cent of apprentices get a job after completion and their average salary five years after completing a higher level or degree apprenticeship is more than that of a graduate.
Apprenticeships don’t just secure near- guaranteed employment, they give people a massive headstart to a well-paid career.
This is one of the reasons that since 2010, more than 5.4million people have chosen the apprenticeship route, and I expect even more will follow.
From next year, students will be able to apply for apprenticeships through UCAS alongside university courses and I can’t wait to see what that brings.
I know the difference an apprenticeship can make, but this progress is under threat from the Labour Party.
Sir Keir Starmer has said the Welsh Government is a blueprint for how he’d run the country, a concerning idea, given that in Wales, they don’t have an apprenticeship offer and still operate an apprenticeship model limited in scope and out of date.
Worse still, the money we send them to fund 21st-century apprenticeships is spent elsewhere.
This Government has championed apprenticeships, recognising they are a fantastic way to ensure people can gain the skills that will take them further and faster.
Whatever path you want to take, an apprenticeship can get you there.
The Sun on Sunday’s Builder Better Britain campaign highlights how young people can go on to rewarding careers through an apprenticeship.
There’s an apprenticeship for nearly every career — even space engineering.
Apprenticeships are a great way to give you the skills businesses truly value, helping us to deliver on the Prime Minister’s promise to grow the economy.
My job is to continue to make sure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
So for young people getting their results this week, have a think about all the options available to you, as you never know, an apprenticeship could be the right one for you.
