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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

apprenticeship vs college

61 replies

Fifi04 · 12/03/2024 16:44

Hi,
My son has GCSEs in May. He should pass 4-5 of them and he wants to go to college to become an electrician. I encourage him to try apprenticeship. Am I doing it right? earlier he wanted apprenticeship and now he changed his mind. On the Internet there are general differences that are known to everyone, but I still don't know what is better for him? It seems that he may not be the best student ;-) but he is in group 3 out of 8, so he is above average and has a chance of passing a few GCSEs. He is also conscientious and tries his best, but as a boy he is hyperactive. I'm simply asking for help because I don't understand, for example, why everyone praises apprenticeship if the child only goes to school one day a week? After all, this is no education! and at a college where I think you can get into it without GCSE, the child is at school 4 or 5 days a week! So it seems that college is better for education after all! Can a child continue his/her education after college and what level does he/she reach? On the other hand, if you want to earn £5/hour on appreticeship, maybe it's better to go to college to get qualifications and then pay for your education yourself?
Regards

OP posts:
LIZS · 12/03/2024 17:26

There are further education colleges and sixth form colleges as well as school sixth forms. They have to be in a form of education or training until 18, which includes apprenticeships. College courses are rarely full time so they can also work part-time or take additional subjects. . Gcse attainment will dictate what level of course is available in year 12. Year 12 and 13 are not wasted if they can progress onto a uni course or into work.

Original poster
Fifi04 · 12/03/2024 17:24

Needmorelego · 12/03/2024 17:13

What do you mean by "going back to studying" after college? At college you spend 2 (or 3) years studying 🤔

and then what can a teenager - a student - do - s/he can go to work, and if s/he wants to continue his studies, where?

OP posts:
FlutteryButterfly · 12/03/2024 17:22

Colleges are just as good (if not better) than Sixth forms, they certainly offer more courses at various levels including A levels.

If he is not an academic and/or doesn't enjoy education as such I would guide towards an Apprenticeship. Learning on the job and getting paid (ok not particularly well but the course is funded this way). If willing to learn and graft he will have a headstart in the industry. If he is going to choose an apprenticeship, it's highly unlikely he would return to education/University. He may, however choose to do extra qualification to add to his profession in future.

Original poster
Fifi04 · 12/03/2024 17:22

well, once again: children who want to learn go to 6th form. Children who don't like learning - don't pass GCSE - go where...? My son is in the middle and I think apprenticeship is for him. "With an apprenticeship he is learning on the job and getting the qualifications from day one" - you called it well - this one day is not education at school, but qualifications. But everyone says that with appreticeship he can do something like high education or NVQ7. Is there a difference between college and 6th form? I thought that college was the worst option, where you just take a course and when you want to continue your education, it's as if you were wasting those years because they don't count those years for you.

OP posts:
LIZS · 12/03/2024 17:21

If he is only going to pass 4 or 5 gcse he is definitely not above average nationally. Most schools timetable 8 or more subjects at gcse. That may be the minimum entry requirement for a level 3 course at college and those achieving less take a level 2 with maths and English gcse if they have not passed those. Apprenticeships are a mix of practical and theory, with a day or more in college studying for the relevant qualification with them earning for the hours they work.

weebarra · 12/03/2024 17:20

I'm in Scotland and I know the system is a bit different in England, but colleges here tend to be more for vocational courses rather academic ones. I would say it's a bit simplistic to say for young people who don't want to learn, they're just often more practical.
For an apprenticeship, you get a job with an employer and they receive funding to train your young person, as well as sending them to college - either one day a week or block release, which is more like one week a month. Your young person would be working with the employer at the times they weren't at college.

Needmorelego · 12/03/2024 17:13

What do you mean by "going back to studying" after college? At college you spend 2 (or 3) years studying 🤔

Needmorelego · 12/03/2024 17:11

If he definitely wants to be an electrician then he could go to college for 2 years and gain the qualifications there and then get a job where he would be a beginner in the trade so would still need to learn some bits on the job.
With an apprenticeship he is learning on the job and getting the qualifications from day one.
Colleges are definitely not for those who "don't like learning" because they offer so many different levels and qualifications.
That's a strange view to have.

Original poster
Fifi04 · 12/03/2024 17:07

maybe I called it wrong;-) 6th form is for children who want to learn. college and courses are for children who... - that's my understanding - don't like learning. and my son is in the middle. He learns a little, tries, fights ;-) but he has something else in his head. I actually think that going to college for a course is a waste of 2 years if you then want to go back to studying - is that correct? but it has a course! For an electrical apprentice ship, which he wants to do, he only needs to pass 4 GCSE.

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 12/03/2024 16:52

@Fifi04 also you usually can't get into college without GCSEs. You only can if you are re-taking them which usually means an extra year at college (so you attend for 3 years).
(also you call it "school" and "college" in the same sentence like they are the same thing but they are different)

Needmorelego · 12/03/2024 16:50

You sound confused about what an apprenticeship is. It's a form of education. Learning on the job plus a day at college (and getting paid for it).
If he is only doing 5 GCSEs then is it because he isn't very academic? Surely hands on learning would be better. If he went to college full time but wanted to still become an electrician he would still need to learn on the job. It would just be taking him 2 years longer to do it (those 2 years at college).
I personally would pick apprenticeship if I was him.