There’s been some pretty mean comments on here about people who don’t go to university. Some people will choose to work, get a house, remain in the town they grew up in. I think it’s unfair to suggest it’s boring or not ambitious. They might have strong ties to their community, they might spend time gaining new experiences and travelling. My DH has always pretty much lived in the area we grew up in, whereas I’ve moved around a lot. He likes it here. He didn’t go to university, did professional qualifications and is now CEO of a business in our local city. He’s climbed the ranks and we’ve travelled.
The university route isn’t for everyone. You can still educate yourself, surely that’s what industry qualifications are? It’s not all or nothing. For some people it’s the right road, for others they might want to learn via working. Some might go to university later on.
I went to university 20 years ago and the landscape has changed a lot regarding employment when you finish. Not to mention for a lot of young people, there’s a lot of debt attached to them.
OP, maybe your son is tired of academic learning, maybe he wants to work for a while. Whilst the offer of his grandparents paying the tuition fees is very kind, your ds would still have debt from accommodation and living costs. My ds is 17 and he’s getting bored of college. He works hard but doesn’t particularly want to go to university because he’s not particularly passionate about any subject. He also has grandparents that would pay his tuition. I worry he’ll feel he’s missed out on the experience but ultimately it’s his life. I won’t be the one in lectures or completing assignments. He’s got a part time job locally and once he finishes college, he’ll continue that and look for full time work. Not every young person has a specific plan even those who go to university. They may go because they like a subject.
I value education but can appreciate that education comes in many forms. It isn’t always found just in a lecture hall.