New research has found that finding a job is the biggest concern for young people in the Preston area.
A survey which was carried out by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) found that 44% of 16-18 year olds are most concerned about finding work.
18% are worried about having enough money, 13% are concerned about finding their life partner and 12% are worried about debt.
It was found that throughout the UK 79% of respondents believed that university was the best pathway to a job and of that 79% they all said that they planned to go to university. Only 40% of respondents from the North West knew that tuition fees could cost up to £27,000.
Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) found that over a third of graduates (39%) in the North West who graduated in 2010/2011 are unemployed or underemployed.
AAT are now encouraging school leavers to consider vocational education and apprenticeships instead of university.
19 year old Lisa Whiteside is already training at an accountants in Preston and said: “I got a job as a trainee accountant at Danbro Accounting Ltd around the same time I started my AAT studies. My situation was ideal, I was going to earn money while still learning and progressing my knowledge and skills. For me, the main benefits of an apprenticeship are clear. I avoid incurring university debts, gain valuable experience and directly apply my learning in the workplace.”
Jane Scott Paul, AAT chief executive said: “With the average student debt rising to £45,000 and a degree no longer a guaranteed pathway into finding a job; university is not the attractive option it once was. The reality is graduates are ending up in menial and low skilled jobs for which a degree is just not necessary.”