Who needs a degree? The alternative rich list reveals tycoons who made it without going to university

A-level students daunted by the massive cost of going to university should take heart - research shows many of Britain's richest tycoons never studied for a degree.

Students waiting with dread for their results may wish to consider following in the footsteps of Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden or JCB industrialist Sir Anthony Bamford.

They are just some of those who have made their millions and climbed to the top of their chosen professions with just an apprenticeship under their belt.

Never went to uni: JCB billionaire Sir Anthony Bamford, left, whose fortune soared to £2bn this year. Right, leisure magnate and Dragon's Den star Deborah Meaden

Britain's self-made vocational elite are worth a collective £17.6billion - defying the credit crunch by adding an extra billion pounds to their wealth since 2008.

Now a new list of these so-called 'skillionaires' has been published, proving that you don't need an expensive, academic education to be successful.

In pole position is JCB billionaire Sir Anthony Bamford who saw his family fortune shoot up to £2.15billion this year.

Success: Sir James Dyson, inventor and entrepreneur who has a personal fortune of £1.45billion

He is followed by East End born Laurence Graff who came second amassing a £2billion fortune in diamonds, while Phones4u tycoon John Caudwell came third with a fortune of £1.5billion.

Household names that have hit the big time included inventor Sir James Dyson with a fortune of £1.45billion, who was ranked fourth, hair product entrepreneur John Frieda and former Formula One World Champion Sir Jackie Stewart.

But self-made women have also broken through the glass ceiling to reach the highest echelons of their industries including leisure magnate Deborah Meadon ranked 63 with a self-made fortune of £40million.

She joins other women high flyers including fashionistas Linda Bennett who founded the high street fashion chain LK Bennett, City & Guilds qualified Karen Millen and best selling food writer Delia Smith.

Smith, whose books have become bibles for students forced to fend for themselves, joins a host of other well-known TV Chefs.

These include Jamie Oliver, Rick Stein and Gary Rhodes, all of whom started their careers having completed a vocational catering qualification.

And contradicting Lord Alan Sugar, who recently said that he is yet to meet an engineer 'who can turn his hand to business', the list found 24 of the top 100 vocational millionaires made their fortune with just an engineering apprenticeship.

Engineers and high-tech wizards make up 30 out of 100 while property and construction has 25 millionaires and the leisure industry has ten.

TOP TEN SKILLIONAIRES

• JCB maufacturer Sir Anthony Bamford with a fortune of £2.15bn.
• Diamonds merchant Laurence Graff with a fortune of £2bn.
• Mobile phone retailer John Caudwell with a fortune of £1.5bn.
• Inventor Sir James Dyson with a fortune of £1.45bn.
• Telecoms entrepeneur Sir Terry Matthews with a fortune of £1.04bn.
• Industrialist Jim McColl with a fortune of £570m.
• Property and leisure magnate Trevor Hemmings with a fortune of £550m.
• Industrialist Sir David McMurty with a fortune of £450m.
• Car retail magnate Sir Arnold Clark with a fortune of £430m.
• Property developer Steve Morgan with a fortune of £400m.

And only 24 come from the south east with self-made millionnaires coming from across the nation. Scotland has 20 follwed by north west with 11 Yorkshire and the Midlands tie in fourth place with nine.

The City & Guilds Vocational Rich List 2011 was compiled ahead of WorldSkills London 2011 - the UK's biggest showcase of vocational skills for over 20 years.

It is an international skills competition where young people from across the globe compete to be the best in their chosen skill in health, agriculture, engineering, construction, IT, retail or the arts.

Deborah Meadon said: 'As someone who set up their own business at a young age, I know only too well how important it is to have the right skills and the right attitude to become successful. 

'I think it's wonderful that industrious, talented young people are being celebrated through WorldSkills London 2011.

'Skills really do mean business and I hope that the Competition inspires people to think about different ways to achieve their goals.'

WorldSkills takes place from 5-8 October 2011 at the ExCeL centre, London.