When I left school in 1999, *eek* my path through education was already pretty much carved out for me. I would go to college, get my A Levels, and then apply for university to get a degree. As far as I was concerned, there was no other alternative; I enjoyed my education, I wanted to continue learning, and I wanted to make my parents proud. At the time, University was the only option.
Back in 2001, when I heard that one of my friend’s boyfriends had decided to do an apprenticeship after college I was quite taken aback. At the time, apprenticeships were pretty rare, and in all honesty I found it quite ‘odd’ to chose that route over university.
How things have changed!!!
Nearly 20 years on, apprenticeships are becoming more and more mainstream. According to FSB, nearly a quarter of SMEs have at least one apprentice, with nearly 96% reporting tangible benefits as a result of hiring them. Having worked as a Graduate recruiter, I often wonder for how much longer University will be the education route of choice!
What are apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships offer school and college leavers an alternative route to education, enabling them to work whilst they learn, and gain practical experience at the same time as completing their studies. Traditionally, apprenticeships were common place in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, however these days, apprenticeships span lots of different career areas, including business, computing, hairdressing. The opportunities are endless.
Why do an apprenticeship over a degree?
I have some personal views on this, and I am sure not all university students would agree. Having worked as a graduate recruiter, I have seen a LOT of CVs applying for graduate jobs. Jobs which are becoming more and more competitive. Whilst they may have a fantastic education on paper, many of the candidates I see are somewhat lacking when it comes to practical work experience. When shortlisting CV’s I look for rounded experience, and for me, that includes a variety of part time roles around their studies. We would be unlikely to employ someone who has only theoretical knowledge, no matter how wonderful their grades may be. My advice would be to do whatever you can to gain some practical work experience, whether it be working in your local chippy, glass collecting at your local pub, or sweeping hair at a hairdressers. Having some employment shows you have been trustworthy & reliable, whilst gaining valuable life skills such as customer service and time management.
An apprenticeship is a fantastic way of gaining practical work experience, whilst at the same time learning a trade, gaining skills and qualifications, and bringing home a salary – granted not the highest salary in the world, but an income none the less.
As a government funded initiative, apprenticeships also don’t incur the same fees as a traditional degree (in England & Wales at least!) and hence a student loan is not required and you won’t get yourself into lots of debt. At the end of your apprenticeship, you can secure permanent employment and start a career immediately without needing to enter the competitive pool of graduate recruitment.
With an apprenticeship levy recently coming into force, more UK companies are helping fund apprenticeships across the country and as such, many companies may be offering apprenticeships for the first time. If you are unsure whether university is the right route for you or your children, I would definitely recommend finding out more.
How to find an apprenticeship
To learn more about apprenticeships,  check out the Apprenticeships Government website to see local apprenticeship opportunities by you, and learn more about wages, training providers and qualifications available.
Will your employer be offering apprenticeships? FSB have a helpful guide for employers who want to learn more about apprenticeships funding. FSB offer a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, and support.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone luck for their GCSE and A Level results in August! Do I regret my degree? Not at all. At the time, it was the right decision for me. I would however strongly recommend learning more about all your options as a school or college leaver before the results come in. The world really is your oyster! 🙂
*This is a collaborative post*
I definitely think apprenticeships should become a standard. Education is great, but some of the university kids have never held a job. They need real world work skills to round out their experience. #HumpDayLinky
We’ve used apprentices in every company I’ve ever worked for. I think they’re a great way of getting into employment #HumpDayLinky
I have a degree but I don’t actually use it. A lot of the time I think I would have been better off doing an apprenticeship to gain a skill
This is a very interesting read! My son has just finished school and he’s going down the practical training route rather than a university. It’s nice to read that work experience is looked upon favourably like that.
We use apprentices a lot at work and honestly, if I was finishing school now I think I’d strongly consider doing one. Like you, there was little around when I finished school and university was very much THE route to take. I loved elements of it and experience wise it was great but I actually think now you get just as much, if not more, from an apprenticeship in terms of learning and development. I hope they continue, half of my team started as apprentices and they’re some of the best people I have!
I think apprenticeships are a great idea, in the heat it gives young adults an idea of what working life is like
It’s funny how when you’re 16 everything seems so black and right with a right and wrong way of doing things. I too followed the path of a levels and a degree but now at the wise age of 34 think that more options should be open to people #hunpdaylinky
Lots of my students go down the apprenticeship route. It can certainly work well for many.
I totally agree that you should learn more about all your options before deciding on whether a degree is for you, and if you do exactly WHAT degree to go for. I think they should preach it more in school to be honest. We were never told about different options, just told to either pick a subject we liked, go to uni , be a student and do a course in said subject, or go out and get a job – that black and white! And there’s a lot to be said for apprenticeships, they’re a solid option! x
My day job is working for the Institute of chartered accountants and we are now offering apprenticeships into the profession. I think it’s a great way of getting higher education without the need for costly university placements. X
Fantastic post and I could talk about this for ages – I shall tweet you! I absolutely loved uni and wouldn’t change my time there for anything… but part of me hopes Harry will decide to do an apprenticeship because I feel it really gives you better job opportunities than uni.
I think apprenticeships are a great idea, especially for people who are not suited for academia but may be really talented in other, more hands on ways of learning.
I really feel there needs to be more apprenticeships out there , most places what to see experience as well as qualifications .
Great informative post here. I see apprenticeship as best of both worlds, study and experience.
I think apprenticeships are a great way forward. Not everyone would benefit from going to uni but still need professional training and experience to develop a career
We’ve had some apprentices at work and it’s a brilliant way to get young people into work, teach the new skills and help them with their career.
I’m a big fan of apprenticeships – I went to uni myself but my husband worked for a company offering apprenticeships and it’s a fantastic way of gaining the knowledge and experience that you need. #humpdaylinky
I think they are a great idea, if it means learning while working and gaining experience at the same time then its a plus.
I definitely agree. My only ‘problem’ with Apprenticeships and trades is that they seem to be more geared towards male-dominated professions. Obviously on paper they are open to everyone, but more can be done to breaking the stereotypes.
#humpdaylinky