By Colette Hume BBC Wales education correspondent

Helen Jones belives university of work is a personal choice

Helen Jones is from Careers Wales and BBC Wales resident careers agony aunt, said it is important A-Level students consider the way they learn the best.

"Some people prefer to be taught through researching, attending lectures, writing essays and for others they prefer the more practical hands on approach of working and learning on the job," she said.

"It's a case of weighing up the pros and cons for you as an individual.

"For university, colleges and higher education the pros are - you get a qualification. It delays you having to make a decision - you could do a practical sandwich course which enables you to get valuable work experience and earn cash at the same time and living the student lifestyle, meeting new people and living away from home - becoming independent.

"There is the potential of earning more money over your lifetime with a degree, but the downside is the finance issue and of course with more graduates in the job market the competition for those jobs increases.

Gap year

"In terms of getting a job and working - the pros - you are earning cash. But when it comes to �70,000 a year as plumber, frankly to earn that sort of money you will have needed to have worked in the trade for a long time and be willing to work long hours - you're not automatically going to earn that sort of money.

"You're also getting a work-based qualification - for example an NVQ which is related to the industry you're working in which proves to employers you're capable and competent at the job. You pick up key skills and it shows a level of commitment. It's a chance to network, to make contacts and become financially independent.

"The other pro - if you're interested in a certain type of careers such as engineering and law, employers will pay for you to do the degree - the con - you've got to find the job in the first place which isn't always easy and you may have to start right at the bottom and work your way up."

"One way of getting around the problem is a gap year - take time out to work in an area you're interested in - see what's out there, try it, see it and then think about applying to university - it's not going anywhere.

"You need to ask yourself where you want to go, why you want to study and why you want to get a degree?"