To ask what you really think of apprenticeship s

Interesting - thanks again!

If your chosen career has a degree apprenticeship option, it's the way to go.
No debt, a salary whilst you study and you are gaining proper work experience .
Degree apprenticeships are very competitive and more difficult to secure, when compared to a place at university.
Your friends have a dated view of higher education tbh.

DC has recently finished a degree apprenticeship and now has 4y experience, a first class degree and no student debt.

My preference tbh would be for a degree apprenticeship. We have some very talented young people on our apprenticeship schemes (Big 4).

Some people are mixing up different types of apprenticeships. The op was discussing degree apprenticeships.

My DS has just completed his and has a permanent job with a huge employer. There are under 50,000 degree level apprenticeships available, the success rate of being accepted is just under 1%. He is already on 40k PA, had his tuition fees paid so that’s almost 30k saved plus was paid 25k rising to 30k during his years of study.

Regarding contact hours, for some courses it’s as little as 9 hours a week and then self directed study. When DS was on campus he was there from 8.30 to 5.30 with an hour for lunch.

DH and in I worked in academia for 25 and 30 years and both did a stint in admissions. We were delighted when he was accepted and if people are snobby about it they are completley misguided.

My niece was a health care assistant and was so enthusiastic and hard working they encouraged her to apply for a nursing apprenticeship as a mature student. She did her 2nd year during covid and graduated whilst raising 2 young children her DH is a decent parent and supportive.She has now taken a Masters and has done exceptionally well.

I do think some employers offering lower level apprenticeships do take advantage.

They are a good way to get a proper qualification that is paid for, and you get work experience and money too.

Saying that, some are utter bullshit and are just a way to get cheap labour. I was in Tesco a while back and there was an announcement on the tannoy about apprenticeships in retail, and one of the staff laughed out loud and said what a joke it was.

OP, I honestly think other than for careers that need a degree, or for the very academically inclined, apprenticeships (or failing that, sandwich course degrees) are the way forward. Obviously, it has to be the right sort of apprenticeship, and there is fierce competition for them. A humanities degree trains you for nothing so when you finish it, whatever you’re going to do, you’ll need some training. I’d be pleased that your DC want to do apprenticeships - more power to their elbow (and no student debt).

Mine is doing a retail apprenticeship. I think apprenticeships are the better route for certain careers as you earn and learn. I don’t think they are easy to get into however as I worry that a lot more of those who have attained uni grades may take spaces of those who struggle in formal education but it will save the massive student debt and a lot of good life skills are learnt early. I think I would have preferred it to Uni. I hated the environment but was interested in learning.

I think there is a stigma associated that you can’t get into uni which is utter nonsense and I much prefer the idea of mine paying her way in society early doors than wasting her time in a course that may not lead to lots of careers.

My ds is a straight A student and didn’t want to go to uni . He’s just about to he into his final year of apprenticeship and he’s doing really well whilst obtaining a hnc and a guaranteed very well paid job when he finishes

Apprenticeship are very difficult to get. Hugely competitive.

My middle ds (21) has just started a level 5 apprenticeship with a fantastic organisation after 2.5 years slugging it out in a shitty retail job. His apprenticeship salary is £26k. He’s on a 2 year course and will get the equivalent of a foundation degree and significant industry training which has huge opportunities worldwide. It’s a great move for him. I’m encouraging my youngest to do similar. I think university is a scam at the moment and definitely not worth the £60k debt

It depends on the person and the apprenticeship, my son went to uni and loved it, his friend didn’t want to and got an apprenticeship with one of the big four accountancy firms and did great, no student debt and earning a great wage from 18. Nothing to do with anyone but the people involved.

Precisely what? 75% of CEOs aren't accountants.

Clearly you have met the ones in the 25%, I've worked with the ones in the 75%

Whose experience is more typical?

Precisely

Half of FTSE CEOs have a finance background and more than a quarter are qualified accountants. More than half of FTSE 100 CEOS have a background in finance | The Association of Corporate Treasurers

This is pure silliness. Even F1 teams have engineering apprentices

It depends on what the actual apprenticeship is but I think they are good . I hate to say it but I think in the future a lot of college degrees are going to be meaningless what with AI taking over. So it’s really all about what sort of career the apprenticeship would provide . I know it’s not a degree but I’d be delighted if my son decided to become a plumber or en electrician and got into an apprenticeship programme successfully..

My niece has got an offer from Oxbridge to do Law but is having an interview next week for a competitive apprenticeship with a Law firm. She says she won’t be able to decide if she has an offer from that too. I really think apprenticeships are seen as the better choice nowadays to be honest.

A degree apprenticeship is the best of both worlds. They are harder to get than almost any university entry.

@poetryandwine The engineering apprentices that we interviewed knew how to use very complex software and had a better understanding of building regs, compliance, calculations and materials. University grads simply couldn't compete.

You learn SO much on the job. It's really amazing for some industries.

most people would kill to get on one

I guess because they don't have 20 weeks off a year and have their lectures over one long day rather than 10 - 15 hours spread over a week. There is often very little contact time on uni courses these days!

That said DS is doing a degree apprenticeship and hates the uni part. Loves his work, but uni is behind the curve and the teaching is too basic. Whole modules where he's learnt nothing new and they're now on their 4th course lead in a year and a half. It's a hugely missed opportunity, but he'll get a degree and has learnt an incredible amount from his job - much more than he would ever learn at a uni IMO. Fortunately his final project for uni will be decided by him and his workplace and not by his uni.

I'm not sure what your point is, just amongst my friendship group and places I've worked there are young people who have done both professional and more traditional trade apprenticeships

Your experience is by no means typical and most school leavers now would be aware of degree apprenticeships imo

They differ so no one can give a flat comment about them.

My DS did a degree apprenticeship and is still there 10 years later. He was paid well, could live, pay rent and run his car on the apprentice wage, and then went straight into work without any student debt. These are very very competitive. Not necessarily highest grades - hes a C grade GCSE student but with stellar BTEC grades and a whole load of personal stuff that illustrated his passion and showcased ability.

Then there are those that rely on paying the minimum apprentice wage and then NMW. If the experince and training is excellent these can still be worth doing. However it depends and some can be poorer quality.

What matters is the young person makes up their own mind.

Whilst i completely agree with you about professional qualifications I don't think I've ever worked anywhere that the MD/CEO/Big boss was an accountant, they don't usually have the mindset required ime