An industry expert has suggested that professional training such as electrical courses may be more valuable to young people looking for work.
Diane Johnson, president of the Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA), claimed too much emphasis is placed on youngsters completing degrees, which often prove "worthless" when it comes to finding employment.
She said that many graduates sign up to electrical courses in a bid to find work, with the added burden of having a "scary level of debt" weighing them down.
"What people often forget is that qualified tradespeople will often go on to set up their own businesses and become employers themselves," remarked Ms Johnson.
In her opinion, the UK is falling behind other countries in terms of skills and this could be pivotal in the future, as overseas companies may decide to bring their own workers over to complete jobs.
Last month, the ECA announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.
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