August 14, 2026 • 6 mins
In this week's episode, we're breaking down five stories every student, graduate and early-career professional should know about:
- Record university admissions. 262,820 18-year-olds have secured university or college places this year, the highest number ever recorded.
- Student loans under the spotlight. A new report claims graduates on newer loan plans could repay significantly more over their working lives.
- Guaranteed paid internships. Sheffield Hallam University is promising eligible graduates a paid internship if they're not in work or further study 12 months after graduating.
- Is the jobs market improving? After 45 months of declining permanent recruitment, there are signs the UK jobs market could finally be stabilising.
- The future of flexible learning. A legal challenge over maintenance loans for weekend-only degree courses has failed, raising questions about whether student finance is keeping up with how people study today.
Find out more on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-stories-know-week-july-3rd-prospects-study-tips-and-careers-a-fozse/
Subscribe for weekly insights on careers, employability, and the changing world of work.
---
📝 Take the Prospects job match quiz: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-match
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/futureyou_pod/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@futureyou_pod
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProspectsJisc
📜 Episode transcripts: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/podcasts/future-you-podcast-transcripts
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello and welcome back to Future You.
(00:01):
The podcast brought to youby graduate careers experts prospects.
Every Friday, we're going to bring youfive stories that are shaping the future
of careers, education and work in the UK.
Hot off the pressand just what students, graduates
and jobseekersneed to be paying attention to.
Story one recordnumbers are heading to university.
(00:23):
Let's start with some good newsfor anyone who's been nervously
refreshing Ucas this week,a record number of 18 year olds
have secured university or college placesthis year, according to new Ucas figures.
262,820.
School leavers have been acceptedonto undergraduate courses.
That's up 3% on last yearand is the highest number ever recorded.
(00:46):
Engineering and technologysaw the biggest increase in acceptances,
which isn't hugely surprising givenhow much demand we're seeing
for digital, technicaland engineering skills.
Social sciences and law also saw growth,and there's another positive part
of the story.More students from disadvantaged
backgrounds have secured universityplaces, too.
(01:06):
So if you've got your results this week
and things haven't gone exactly to plan,remember there are still options.
clearingis there and thousands of students
successfully find universityplaces through it every year.
And of course, universityisn't the only route.
Apprenticeships, further educationand employment can all lead
to great careers to story too.
(01:29):
Could today's graduatesbe paying more for university?
Now something slightly less cheerful.
Student loans.
A new report from the IntergenerationalFoundation, covered by The Guardian argues
that graduates on newer studentloan plans could repay significantly
more over their working livesthan previous generations.
The report estimatesthat an average earner with a plan five
(01:51):
loan could repay more than 56,000 poundsover their lifetime.
Under the older plan one system,it estimates the figure around 26,000.
Now, it's really important to say
that these are estimatesfrom a campaign organization
rather than a change to the rules,but they do add to a much bigger debate
about how studentfinance works in England.
(02:12):
And if you're starting university
this year, it's worth understandingwhat you're actually signing up for.
Student loans aren'tquite the same as normal commercial debt,
and the amount you repaydepends on things like your income
and the repayment rulesthat apply to your loan.
So don't just look at the headlinenumber and panic.
Take some time to understand tuition fees,maintenance loans, repayment thresholds,
(02:36):
and what support might be availablethrough scholarships or bursaries.
Story three
A university is guaranteeing paidinternships.
Sheffield Hallam Universityhas announced that students starting
undergraduate courses from September2026 will be guaranteed a paid internship
(02:56):
if they're not in work or furtherstudy 12 months after graduating.
The internships will lastat least three months and could be offered
either through the universityor one of its employer partners,
and this is part of a wider careerspackage, including career.
Coaching, employer networkingand practical learning opportunities.
Why does this matter?
(03:17):
Because getting that
first professional job after universitycan be seriously difficult.
Some graduates are sending out dozensor even hundreds of applications
before getting anywhere,so universities are increasingly having
to think about what happens after studentsgraduate,
rather than just getting themthrough the degree.
And I think this is something worth payingattention to.
(03:38):
If you're choosing a university,don't just ask what's the ranking?
Ask, what careers support will I get?
Can I access placements?
Does the university have strong employerlinks and what support is available
once I've graduated?
Because your university experienceisn't just about getting the degree.
It's also about what youcan do with it afterwards.
(03:59):
Story four
is thejobs market finally turning a corner?
Now for some potentially good news.
If you're looking for work,
the UK's job market might finally beshowing signs of stabilizing.
Recruitment data suggestspermanent recruitment stabilized
in July after 45 months of decline.
Temporary hiringalso continued to increase, and the UK
(04:21):
economy grew by 0.4%between April and June.
Growth was particularly strong in areasincluding advertising,
computer programing,hospitality and professional services.
Now, before we get too excited,there are still plenty of reasons to be
cautious.
The economy is still uncertainand competition for jobs remains strong.
But after several difficult yearsfor graduates and job seekers,
(04:43):
signs of stabilizationare definitely encouraging.
So if you're looking for your first job,don't give up.
Keep building relevant experience.
Develop skills employers are asking for,and tailor your applications
rather than sending the exactsame CV everywhere.
It might take longer than you'd hoped,but the market could be starting to move
in the right direction.
(05:04):
Story five
weekend only degreeslose their funding battle.
And finally,let's talk about flexible learning.
Five universities have lost a legalchallenge over government rules preventing
students on weekend only degree coursesfrom receiving maintenance loans.
Around 22,000 studentswere reportedly affected by the changes,
although some have since moved to weekdaystudies so they can keep their funding.
(05:28):
The universities argued that weekend
only courses involve the same levelof study as traditional full time degrees,
and should thereforereceive the same financial support,
but the court ruled thatthe existing regulations classify weakened
only provision as distance learning,and this matters
because more people are tryingto fit education around their lives.
Maybe you're working.
(05:49):
Maybe you have caring responsibilities.
Maybe you simply can't committo being on campus five days a week.
Flexible learningis becoming increasingly important.
So the question is whether the studentfinance system is keeping up.
And with the lifelong learningentitlement, aiming to support more
flexible routes into higher education,this is definitely an area worth watching.
(06:10):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you found this episode useful,
make sure you're following the podcastand I'll be back
next week with five more careerstories you need to know.
Hello and welcome back to Future You.
(00:01):
The podcast brought to youby graduate careers experts prospects.
Every Friday, we're going to bring youfive stories that are shaping the future
of careers, education and work in the UK.
Hot off the pressand just what students, graduates
and jobseekersneed to be paying attention to.
Story one recordnumbers are heading to university.
(00:23):
Let's start with some good newsfor anyone who's been nervously
refreshing Ucas this week,a record number of 18 year olds
have secured university or college placesthis year, according to new Ucas figures.
262,820.
School leavers have been acceptedonto undergraduate courses.
That's up 3% on last yearand is the highest number ever recorded.
(00:46):
Engineering and technologysaw the biggest increase in acceptances,
which isn't hugely surprising givenhow much demand we're seeing
for digital, technicaland engineering skills.
Social sciences and law also saw growth,and there's another positive part
of the story.More students from disadvantaged
backgrounds have secured universityplaces, too.
(01:06):
So if you've got your results this week
and things haven't gone exactly to plan,remember there are still options.
clearingis there and thousands of students
successfully find universityplaces through it every year.
And of course, universityisn't the only route.
Apprenticeships, further educationand employment can all lead
to great careers to story too.
(01:29):
Could today's graduatesbe paying more for university?
Now something slightly less cheerful.
Student loans.
A new report from the IntergenerationalFoundation, covered by The Guardian argues
that graduates on newer studentloan plans could repay significantly
more over their working livesthan previous generations.
The report estimatesthat an average earner with a plan five
(01:51):
loan could repay more than 56,000 poundsover their lifetime.
Under the older plan one system,it estimates the figure around 26,000.
Now, it's really important to say
that these are estimatesfrom a campaign organization
rather than a change to the rules,but they do add to a much bigger debate
about how studentfinance works in England.
(02:12):
And if you're starting university
this year, it's worth understandingwhat you're actually signing up for.
Student loans aren'tquite the same as normal commercial debt,
and the amount you repaydepends on things like your income
and the repayment rulesthat apply to your loan.
So don't just look at the headlinenumber and panic.
Take some time to understand tuition fees,maintenance loans, repayment thresholds,
(02:36):
and what support might be availablethrough scholarships or bursaries.
Story three
A university is guaranteeing paidinternships.
Sheffield Hallam Universityhas announced that students starting
undergraduate courses from September2026 will be guaranteed a paid internship
(02:56):
if they're not in work or furtherstudy 12 months after graduating.
The internships will lastat least three months and could be offered
either through the universityor one of its employer partners,
and this is part of a wider careerspackage, including career.
Coaching, employer networkingand practical learning opportunities.
Why does this matter?
(03:17):
Because getting that
first professional job after universitycan be seriously difficult.
Some graduates are sending out dozensor even hundreds of applications
before getting anywhere,so universities are increasingly having
to think about what happens after studentsgraduate,
rather than just getting themthrough the degree.
And I think this is something worth payingattention to.
(03:38):
If you're choosing a university,don't just ask what's the ranking?
Ask, what careers support will I get?
Can I access placements?
Does the university have strong employerlinks and what support is available
once I've graduated?
Because your university experienceisn't just about getting the degree.
It's also about what youcan do with it afterwards.
(03:59):
Story four
is thejobs market finally turning a corner?
Now for some potentially good news.
If you're looking for work,
the UK's job market might finally beshowing signs of stabilizing.
Recruitment data suggestspermanent recruitment stabilized
in July after 45 months of decline.
Temporary hiringalso continued to increase, and the UK
(04:21):
economy grew by 0.4%between April and June.
Growth was particularly strong in areasincluding advertising,
computer programing,hospitality and professional services.
Now, before we get too excited,there are still plenty of reasons to be
cautious.
The economy is still uncertainand competition for jobs remains strong.
But after several difficult yearsfor graduates and job seekers,
(04:43):
signs of stabilizationare definitely encouraging.
So if you're looking for your first job,don't give up.
Keep building relevant experience.
Develop skills employers are asking for,and tailor your applications
rather than sending the exactsame CV everywhere.
It might take longer than you'd hoped,but the market could be starting to move
in the right direction.
(05:04):
Story five
weekend only degreeslose their funding battle.
And finally,let's talk about flexible learning.
Five universities have lost a legalchallenge over government rules preventing
students on weekend only degree coursesfrom receiving maintenance loans.
Around 22,000 studentswere reportedly affected by the changes,
although some have since moved to weekdaystudies so they can keep their funding.
(05:28):
The universities argued that weekend
only courses involve the same levelof study as traditional full time degrees,
and should thereforereceive the same financial support,
but the court ruled thatthe existing regulations classify weakened
only provision as distance learning,and this matters
because more people are tryingto fit education around their lives.
Maybe you're working.
(05:49):
Maybe you have caring responsibilities.
Maybe you simply can't committo being on campus five days a week.
Flexible learningis becoming increasingly important.
So the question is whether the studentfinance system is keeping up.
And with the lifelong learningentitlement, aiming to support more
flexible routes into higher education,this is definitely an area worth watching.
(06:10):
Thank you so much for listening.
If you found this episode useful,
make sure you're following the podcastand I'll be back
next week with five more careerstories you need to know.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!