By Giles Smith
As a CEO working in the learning and communications space, I spend a lot of time thinking about the transition into adulthood. In the UK, more than 10.6 million children are currently navigating the school system. Every one of them will leave school full of potential, ambition, and uncertainty in equal measure. Leaving school is also the moment we ask many to make one of the most consequential decisions of their lives: whether to take on significant debt to keep learning.
Student loans were designed to expand opportunity. In practice, they now do the opposite.
We encourage school leavers to invest in themselves yet frame that investment as a financial burden they may carry for decades. The result is not empowerment, but caution. Debt shapes behaviour early. It narrows choices, discourages risk-taking, and quietly pushes young adults toward decisions driven by repayment rather than potential.
This matters because the world they are entering is already defined by uncertainty. Careers are no longer linear. Roles evolve faster than degrees. The workforce of the future will rely on people who can adapt, create, and build; alongside employees who can think critically and entrepreneurs willing to take risks and drive growth. Human capabilities such as adaptability, judgement, creativity, and the ability to unlearn and relearn matter more than ever. Yet student debt sends a clear message: don’t experiment, don’t pivot, don’t get it wrong.
I care deeply about school leavers because this is where confidence is either built or eroded. Many are curious, values-led, and eager to contribute, but already anxious about making the “right” choice. When debt enters the picture, exploration becomes a risk rather than a necessary part of growth.
A system that truly values learning should not penalise it financially. Removing student loans wouldn’t devalue education; it would restore its purpose and allow young adults to choose paths aligned with curiosity, contribution, and give young people the future skills they need.
If we want a resilient, innovative workforce, we must start by trusting the next generation. Freeing them from student debt isn’t generosity. It’s a strategic investment in driving human potential and future growth.