Samsung Research Reveals That Three Quarters of UK Students Are Concerned Their Futures Have Been Compromised by The Events of the Last 18 Months

Non-traditional education platforms like Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ offer young people new ways to harness their creativity

LONDON, UK – 17^th June, 2021 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd today revealed the impact that the past 18 months has had on over five million GCSE and A-Level students due to take their exams this year. With physical exams cancelled for the second summer running and grades being largely awarded by teachers based on work throughout the year, a number of practical and emotional pressure points have come to light.

As a result of the pandemic and the impact it has had on education, 40% of students have been rethinking their future education with only 54% now planning on attending university to get a degree[1]. The study showed that nearly half of those surveyed (47%) did not feel confident that they would do well in the upcoming assessments, causing uncertainty about their future.

Although 73% of those surveyed already had their future careers mapped out, more than three quarters are now worried that these plans have been compromised by their education in the past 18 months. Despite this, 77% still believe their career aspirations will see them do better financially than their parents.

These findings were released in line with the announcement of Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ programme, a series of unorthodox learning experiences to give young people the opportunity to explore how technology can help tackle some of society’s biggest issues.

Designed to empower the next generation of innovators to drive positive change, Samsung’s ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ includes a variety of learning programmes from live streamed events and online learning to an opportunity to make your idea a reality through the Solve for Tomorrow competition opening this Autumn. Curated by industry experts across key topics such as: Education, Diversity & Inclusion, Sustainability, and Social Isolation, the programme aims to give young people the opportunity to explore how technology can help tackle societal issues following the uncertainty of the last 18 months.

With a third (34%) of young people now looking to get an apprenticeship so that they can learn on the job whilst earning a wage at the same time, there is a clear demand for learning to become part of a lifestyle alongside formal education. A sixth of school leavers have felt that they have struggled to get sufficient support when it comes to their personal learning requirements and their future plans.

In addition, 54% said the economic effect of the COVID-19 pandemic has created concerns over whether their family could afford to support them if they went to university, and more than two thirds (68%) of those polled[2] said that they would have to work at the same time as studying if they did go on to further education.

Jessie Soohyun Park, Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Samsung UK commented: “We know millions of students will be feeling anxious this year with uncertainties continuing with the pandemic. We would love to provide alternative ways that young people can stay learning and find new and exciting career paths that they may have not considered to date. We hope that ‘Solve for Tomorrow’ can offer them a range of learning experiences that will help to unlock their creativity, develop new skills and explore the role of technology in solving some of today’s most pressing social issues.”

This year’s programme will be kicking off with the first ‘Solve for Tomorrow: Future Talk’ on the future of education live-streamed from Samsung KX on 21st June. Hear from Steven Bartlett, Ebinehita Iyere, André Anderson and Jesse Hirsh as they discuss how tech has a role to play in ‘Designing a Future where Learning is a Lifestyle’.

Find out more here: https://www.samsung.com/uk/explore/kings-cross/whats-on/event/?id=DQ80ACB7W6K

[1] Samsung research of 1,000 UK 16-18 year olds not already in higher education

[2] via OnePoll