Higher Education and Apprenticeship Month
March marked Higher Education Month at Esher Sixth Form College, with a series of engaging and informative events designed to support 6.1 students, along with their parents and carers, as they begin navigating the university application process.
In an exciting development this year, the college expanded its offering to include apprenticeship providers from a wide range of sectors, giving students valuable insight into alternative pathways alongside traditional university routes.
The programme began with the Higher Education Evening, which was accessible both in person and via live stream. The event provided a comprehensive guide for parents and carers, with Esher’s Director of Progression Guidance, Anna Young, joined by guest speaker Martin Bancroft from Nottingham Trent University. Together, they explored the future of higher education in 2027 and offered advice on how best to support students in choosing the right university and course. Tom O’Dea from 8 Billion Ideas, the college’s work experience partner, also introduced the upcoming Internship 2026 programme.
This was followed by the college’s annual Higher Education and Apprenticeship Fair, which welcomed more than 80 higher education providers, including 16 Russell Group universities, alongside American institutions, creative arts colleges and specialist gap year organisations. Students and parents benefited from a wide range of talks, covering topics such as making informed university choices, applying to Oxbridge, and accessing higher education with additional needs.
A highlight of this year’s fair was the addition of over 20 apprenticeship providers, offering students the opportunity to explore high-quality alternatives to university. Representatives from sectors including business and finance, construction and architecture, creative industries, marketing, digital and engineering were on hand to speak with students. Dedicated talks on navigating apprenticeships and alumni apprenticeship journeys provided further valuable insight.
Anna Young commented:
“For the first time, we were able to offer students a truly comprehensive and exciting range of post-18 options within one combined event. The quality of the talks was exceptional, with organisations such as Procter & Gamble, InvestIN, and our own alumni apprentices offering real insight into both the application process and the apprenticeship experience. It was fantastic to see the theatre filled with parents and students engaging with sessions on UCAS, Oxbridge and supporting applications with additional needs. We hope students are now feeling inspired and excited about their next steps.”
The Progression Guidance team extends its sincere thanks to all attendees, contributors, student ambassadors and staff, whose support helped make Higher Education Month a big success.
