One in three school leavers plan to skip university after school as demand for green jobs grows

New research¹ from E.ON, conducted across 2,000 school leavers aged 16 to 18, reveals that more than one in three (34%) school and college leavers in the UK plan to skip going to university. Instead, they plan to enter the workforce directly – through employment or apprenticeships or a combination of both. This includes almost one in five (19%) who plan to do an apprenticeship or degree apprenticeship, and 15% who plan to go straight into work.

The appetite for immediate work experience correlates with respondents’ growing interest in sustainable careers and wanting to have an immediate impact on the climate crisis, as close to half (47%) are considering foregoing traditional higher education because they want to work in a green job now.

Green jobs driving the appetite for work experience

The UK needs green jobs – to deliver the transition to clean energy and to unleash the potential of the green economy. And to make energy more affordable and sustainable for everyone, E.ON is training the green workforce of today and building the green workforce of tomorrow. 

Encouragingly, more than half (52%) of school leavers think jobs that contribute towards a greener future are of higher value than those that don’t, while a similar number (54%) wouldn’t apply for a job if the prospective employer’s sustainability credentials didn’t match their expectations.

The urgency of the climate crisis and the desire to build the green skills needed to enable the UK’s clean energy transition play a key role in young people’s interest in green jobs, but it isn’t the full picture. Being proud of their work is the number one reason why school leavers are interested in green jobs (44%), followed by playing their part in helping the environment (39%), and good earning potential (34%). The desire to play a role in the energy transition also trumps money considerations for 16% of school leavers, who reported they’d be ready to accept a lower salary to work in a job that helps the environment.

Almost a third (30%) of respondents said green jobs in renewable energy would be most interesting to them, followed by a quarter (25%) who said sustainable construction and design, and 22% who said environmental conservation.

Helen Bradbury, Chief People Officer at E.ON, commented: “Young people know that meaningful climate action needs to happen now – there is no time to lose. And we also know that rapidly nurturing green skills will be key to achieving the UK’s clean energy ambitions.

“At E.ON, we’re proud to offer a range of paid apprenticeship and degree apprenticeship programmes for young people interested in sustainable energy careers. Our apprenticeships are designed for people who want to make a difference from day one, and we’ve recently been recognised as the best place to work for young people in the UK by the Sunday Times. We want to give school leavers an alternative to going to university – where they can learn, earn, and help shape a greener future, all at the same time.”

The appeal of apprenticeships

The reasons for school leavers’ interest in moving away from traditional higher education are multi-faceted, as the data shows that more than six in 10 respondents (64%) are drawn to apprenticeships to avoid student debt.

And although traditional higher education can lead to a green job or desired career path, a similar number (67%) believe they’ll gain workplace skills faster via an apprenticeship or a job, rather than through a university degree.

E.ON degree apprentice Areeba Hussain, aged 20, wanted to get into work straight after school to help fight the climate crisis. She said: “I always knew I wanted a career that would make a real difference – something focused on green energy and sustainability. I didn’t just want any job; I wanted to work for a company that cares about the environment and is actively shaping a cleaner future.

“I chose E.ON because its commitment to renewable energy and sustainability really stood out, but it was also its supportive culture and focus on helping people grow that made the decision easy. I turned down other offers because I wanted to be part of something meaningful, where I could learn, develop, and contribute to a greener world. Having mentors and a strong support system made the whole process feel less overwhelming, especially when moving away from home for the first time.”

To find out more about early careers at E.ON, including registering interest in E.ON’s September 2026 degree apprenticeships intake, visit E.ON’s early careers page.

Ends

Notes to editor

1. Research conducted on behalf of E.ON by Savanta in July 2025 with 2,007 UK 16-18 year-olds.