Apprenticeship or University - Your choice

It’s the time of year when young people, leaving full time education, are making choices that will affect the rest of their lives. What do I do next? Continue in full time education or get a job?

This decision used to be a lot easier than it is today, in that Universities in particular, had limited places and consequently demanding entry qualifications. Times have changed, Universities will not be capped on the number of places they offer and are therefore in recruitment mode. Many are offering incentives to attract larger numbers of students onto their courses.

Whilst these incentives can be attractive there is a little matter of tuition fees to consider. At £9,000 per year, plus living and accommodation costs, a graduate after a 3 year course can expect to be in debt to the tune of at least £50,000. 

This situation may be perfectly acceptable for some graduates who as a result of their degree will earn a high salary and will be able to discharge the debt quite quickly. However increasingly, research suggests, that depending on the degree, salary levels for graduates are not particularly high. In fact many graduates are finding it more and more difficult to find a job in the first place.

Nowadays an alternative to continuing in higher education is to secure an Apprenticeship.

Apprenticeships are real jobs with good prospects and provide the opportunity to gain high level vocational qualifications.

Apprenticeship programmes are available up to Degree level, which means it is possible to achieve a vocational degree within 3 years and be paid a salary at the same time.

Depending upon the choices made by individuals there is a significant difference in the financial position students and Apprentices will find themselves. Being in a job and earning a salary will not only result in the achievement of the equivalent of a vocational degree but will also avoid accumulating a large debt.

As more and more employers are seeing the value of offering young people Apprenticeships, the opportunities for career development in a variety of sectors increases. There are now different and important choices to be made in the ways individuals can develop worthwhile careers. In the employment market Apprenticeship qualifications are becoming much valued by employers.

University or an Apprenticeship?

The choice is yours