Friday, January 2, 2026
Dan Miller Takes to the Airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live
Dan Miller, Founder and CEO of Young Professionals, recently appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live alongside Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute, to discuss a question facing thousands of young people and parents across the UK: are university degrees still worth it?
The discussion followed comments from the Vice Chancellor of King’s College London suggesting that degrees are no longer a guaranteed route to social mobility, with the traditional “graduate premium” beginning to decline.
“Do young people still want university degrees?”
Talk to me about the university degree. Is it something that young people still want? Is it still prestigious?
Dan Miller:
“We work with around 4,000 schools across the UK helping students get into apprenticeships, and what we’re finding is that many young people just don’t think university is a great deal anymore. They don’t want the debt. They want to get straight into work, start earning, and crucially start building real-world experience with an employer.
“We’re also seeing a lot of students who do go to university still actively applying for degree apprenticeships, even in their first year. That tells us that many students are reassessing whether the traditional route works for them.”
“But what about the university experience?”
What about the experience of university — moving away, independence, culture, societies, friendships? Those things matter.
Dan Miller:
“People often forget that many apprenticeship programmes, especially at larger firms, mirror a lot of that experience. Employers take on hundreds of apprentices every year. They have social events, employee networks, and peer groups — it’s like a mini-university environment.
“We’ve also seen many apprentices relocate to different cities for their roles. Some firms offer relocation allowances of up to £3,000 or £4,000, particularly in London. So students are gaining independence, building social lives, and earning a salary at the same time.”
“Is the financial outcome really better?”
Is it the freedom or the finances that make apprenticeships appealing?
Dan Miller:
“If you follow students year by year, by the time a graduate joins a firm, the apprentice who started at the same time is often earning more — and in many cases managing the graduates coming in.
“They’ve already built three years of experience, qualifications, and internal networks. That experience compounds quickly. And it’s not just degree apprenticeships — higher apprenticeships and other routes are growing rapidly too. The financial outcomes can be very strong.”
“Is awareness still the biggest issue?”
Dan Miller:
“One of the biggest challenges is awareness. Legal apprenticeships, for example, have been around for six or seven years, but many parents and students still don’t know they exist.
“There’s a huge need for better information about the full range of options available. Apprenticeships are no longer a second choice — for many students, they’re a first-choice pathway.”
Shifting the conversation
The discussion highlighted a growing shift in how young people view education and employment. Rather than seeing university as the default route, many students are weighing up debt, earnings, experience and long-term progression.
Through Young Professionals, Dan and his team continue to support students by providing access to employers, apprenticeships, work experience and clear information — helping young people make informed decisions about their futures.