The study spoke to 2,000 graduates across the UK and found that 42% of people aged 21-45 believe their degree had not played an essential role in their careers to date, while 71% of 18-24-year-olds said that they had not heard about alternatives to degrees, such as apprenticeships, while at school.

In response to the announced changes to student loans from the Department of Education (DoE) yesterday, the AAT urged the government to highlight apprenticeships as an alternative route to university.