Sabreena Hussain

Thesis Title: Are Apprenticeships a genuine alternative to University education? : an investigation using administrative data

This study examines whether apprenticeships and university education in England offer equitable and economically rewarding opportunities, within the broader narrative of parity of esteem between vocational and academic routes. Since the 2010s, government policy has positioned apprenticeships as an alternative to university, promoting vocational routes while emphasising employability and economic outcomes. Using the LEO dataset, this research investigates long-term employment and earnings, considering how prior attainment, socio-economic background, school context, and geography shape students’ choices.

The first objective is to understand who chooses which pathway, capturing patterns of participation and stratification across individual, school, and regional factors. Second, it quantifies the labour market returns to apprenticeships and university degrees, highlighting differences in earnings and employment over time and reflecting societal perceptions of the relative value of vocational versus academic routes. Third, it explores how institutional and qualification prestige—including Russell Group versus non-Russell universities and higher- versus lower-level apprenticeships—affects outcomes, contributing to the hierarchy of status and prestige embedded in post-16 education. Finally, it investigates who benefits most or least, analysing variation by gender, ethnicity, and socio-economic background to uncover inequalities of opportunity within pathways.

By linking detailed administrative education and employment data, this research aims to provide robust evidence on patterns of choice, economic returns, and stratification. The findings aim to inform policy on vocational and higher education, supporting evidence-based strategies that recognise the symbolic and economic value of different pathways and improve young people's labour market transitions.

Biography:

Sabreena holds an MSc in Economics from the University of Copenhagen and an MA in Social Research from the University of Birmingham. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Education at the University of Birmingham, funded by the ESRC Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership and ADR UK. She has worked as a Research Associate on projects at the University of Birmingham examining the experiences and outcomes of disabled students for a TASO-funded study on reasonable adjustments in academic settings. She also has other international research experience, having worked with Council for Climate and Conflict Action Asia (previously International Alert) in the Philippines on projects concerning governance, natural resource management, and youth political engagement. Her research skills include applied econometric analysis, statistical modelling and the management and analysis of large-scale administrative datasets. Her research skills centre on applied econometric analysis, statistical modelling, and the management and analysis of large-scale administrative datasets. Alongside her quantitative expertise, she has contributed to survey and instrument development, supported focus group discussions, and assisted in qualitative data collection and analysis. Sabreena is particularly interested in interdisciplinary approaches that draw on economics, education, sociology, and policy studies to examine complex social issues. Her research interests span education, labour economics, gender, and social equity.

Collaborative Partner:

Administrative Data Research (ADR) UK

Membership:

Fully Accredited Researcher by the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS)

Education

University of Birmingham

Email:

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Supervisory Team:

Dr. Tarek Mostafa

Dr. Ben Kotzee