The current UK government believes too many students are racking up debts studying courses that can have poorer outcomes for students, including lower wages, fewer jobs, and opportunities for progression such as university courses in the arts and social sciences. The Government believes that art subjects often do not lead to good “work skills” or outcomes for students in terms of “employability”.
Under proposed new rules, universities could face penalties if fewer than 60% of arts students are in professional jobs within 15 months of graduating.
In reality, art courses provide lots of important jobs skills, in particular soft skills, and with a growing number of media channels, the arts and entertainment industry is actually thriving. Between 2021 and 2025, the entertainment and media market in the United Kingdom is expected to grow by 5.4 percent and reach nearly 88 billion British pounds.
In fact, the transferable skills employers look for are often provided by an arts course, such as teamwork and communication.
So, if your child loves the arts and culture more than science, they could be entering a competitive but vibrant sector. But as more and more universities close their arts and humanities courses, increased demand for these courses should also be taken into consideration when choosing GCSEs and A-levels.
