Paid placements petition lodged with 16,000 signatures

The petition for paid placements, now supported by over 16,000 signatures, underscores the growing demand to financially support students in professions with compulsory unpaid training, such as nursing, teaching, and social work. All fields facing critical workforce shortages and high attrition rates.

Degree-level apprenticeships offer a scalable, cost-effective alternative by enabling trainees to earn while they learn, reducing dropout rates and building a more equitable and sustainable pipeline into the caring economy, which particularly benefits women.