More Scots 'favouring apprenticeships'

More Scots are favouring apprenticeships over higher education, a survey has suggested.

The Bank of Scotland found that the proportion of people who thought on-the-job training or an apprenticeship offered the best career prospects rose from 29% to 32% last year.

Meanwhile, 33% said they believed university remained the best option for their prospects, despite the costs.

This was down from two in five (38%) in the previous year.

The bank said cost could be a contributory factor to this "shifting viewpoint", with nearly one in 10 Scots believing that a university education was "no longer financially viable".

However, of those who are heading off to university this month, more than half (58%) believed they had enough money for their higher education, with 35% stating they would need to find more.

Funding sources

Student loans remained by far the most popular source of funds, with 45% of students saying they used them to fund their studies.

Working part-time was favoured by just over 30% of students, while a quarter (25%) said they would turn to savings.

Only 15% of those heading to university said they had a partner, family member or friend who would support them financially.

Bank of Scotland director Ricky Diggins said: "While most young Scots still believe that a university education offers them the best career prospects, it's clear that a growing number are considering the wider range of options available, including less traditional routes into the workplace.

"For those who are heading off to university, managing their finances can be a big challenge.

"Therefore it's encouraging to see that a significant majority of Scottish students believe that they have access to the funds they need to complete their studies."

The survey of more than 3,000 adults was conducted by YouGov last December and January.