I've been offered an Apprenticeship but didn't tell them I have a degree! Will they found out?!

[ApprenticeMess]

I applied for an apprenticeship job. I went to the interview and they asked me if I had a degree/ what my highest qualification was . I lied and said I didn't have a degree. I don't know why I said no. I usually always leave it out of application forms and never mention it. I am so ashamed of it.

Now I'm worried that my new employer will find out that I do.have a degree and it will affect the funding of the apprenticeship.

Does anyone know anything about how these things work. Will they find out somehow when they do "checks" or something?

I really regret not saying and if I now tell them I do have a degree they will think I'm bloody weird and a liar!

I work in apprenticeships. As long as your degree is in a different field it would never have affected your ability to do the apprenticeship as the funding is for up skilling and retraining. There is a database but it’s not very reliable and usually only records up to L5. You need to confess, it may affect the employers decision to honour their job offer, the training provider probably won’t be bothered as it won’t affect the training and if you tell them first they might help approach the employer as they won’t want to lose you as a good candidate, likely to complete the programme successfully.

To all of you saying OP will have to find themselves, it’s illegal to self fund an apprenticeship, it has to come from the employer/ by co investment from employer and ESFA so that’s not really a factor.

Fund*

My degree is in pharmacy not porn star studies! I didn't want to do it. I was pressured into it by my parents and finished the degree but then didn't do the pre reg year. My family gave me hell over it. It was a very very difficult couple of years and quite honestly I was traumatized by the abuse I got. The degree is tainted with this and I feel uncomfortable just even talking about it. It might sound stupid to a lot of you but i truly wished I hadn't done it.

Everytime I have put it on my application forms I've been asked about it in the interview. People's reactions are disbelief, confusion, laughing etc . The jobs I do now are very low paid and they think something is seriously wrong with me for giving pharmacy up. I once was told by an interviewer that it shows that I'm not committed and therefore not suitable for the job I had applied for. After that I stopped putting it on future applications as it was used against me.

I wouldn’t say anything. Unless they check with every university (or you’ve been daft enough to put it on linked in or tell someone you work with) they won’t find out.

I actually think you’ll look a bit dumb going to them and owning up. Keep the excuse in your back pocket, in case they ever find out, that you thought they were talking about a related degree (this also makes you look a bit dumb but Under those circumstances you’d have to say something)

RushianDisney I don't have any student debt repayments so don't need to declare anything on HMRC forms.

Why do you think everyone with a degree would be paying back student debt @RushianDisney? OP I presume you haven’t been daft enough to forget a student loan coming out the salary they pay you?

Honestly OP I would explain this to the training provider and they will help you explain to the employer. It’s ultimately up to the employer but I’m sure the training provider will be able to help make your case as it’s quite a niche situation. You should have lied and this may affect your apprenticeship in terms of the employers view but explaining the circumstances may help.

I work with apprentices and there is a database that says what quals you have but I don't think it includes anything above Alevels.
It is very common for people to withhold the fact they have higher qualifications in order to get their apprenticeship and nothing ever comes of it.

hidinginthenightgarden could you please tell me the name of the database?

I worked in apprenticeship recruitment and it will come up when they apply for your funding and they will not be able to get any. Once you have completed a degree you cannot be funded for lower quals - sorry!

@ApprenticeMess you have to inform them, I work in the training sector and this will affect funding.

Surely even if someone has a student loan to repay, it doesn't necessarily mean they have a degree anyway? Many people don't finish degree courses but are still saddled with student debt.

Cordial11 things have now changed. People with degrees can do apprenticeships.

I work in funding and I've never seen any degrees on any evidence given to us that is used to see if people are eligible for that funding. It tends to be the lower levels that appear on there. I don't think universities would lower themselves to input people's degrees on it.

It is put on there by the training provider, or by another training provider when they see evidence of prior certificates etc.

At this stage, perhaps call the provider [anonymously] or check their website and say you are interested in x apprenticeship but you have a degree, would you still be eligible for the funding. Then ask them for the detail on who is eligible. And then you have that in your back pocket.

@ApprenticeMess it depends on the level of the Apprenticeship, at the very least they will need to gain your funding as a 2nd qual.
Just tell them.

Sorry you went through such a tough time with your family and your degree - I hope you get this sorted

So far as I can see, there is nothing in the official guidance that stops OP being funded for a different qualification from the one she already has. In fact, it says:

"We will fund an apprentice to undertake an apprenticeship at the same or lower level than a qualification they already hold, if the apprenticeship will allow the individual to acquire substantive new skills and you can show that the content of the training is materially different from any prior qualification or a previous apprenticeship."

I can't see how lying to an employer over something that doesn't affect your eligibility for a course was even a good idea to be honest.
The lack of honesty over something like that if found out would rightly give the employer cause to questions your trustworthiness and your integrity in the workplace.

Out of interest if you don't declare your degree, what do you put on application forms when they ask for employment history and all gaps in employment to be accounted for?
You just have 3-4 years when you were at university that you've lied explicitly or by omission surely?

It shouldn't affect the apprenticeship because it's unrelated. I understand your reasons for not telling about the degree. Sorry about your awful experience. You might have signed something saying that your application is true and that you understand they could dismiss you for falsifying anything... However all the stuff you wrote on the application I assume is true.

It will be the college/training provider that will do checks to make sure you're qualified enough but not over-qualified to do the course. I assume they just take the list of qualifications you provide though rather than looking for any undisclosed ones.

I know honesty is the best policy and all that but I too would hide things not related to the job in order to avoid being discriminated against. Such as the fact I am married and have a young child. Also that I am pregnant. Suppose small difference is that it's illegal for me to be asked about those things anyway.

Im rambling now... Good luck with your apprenticeship and congrats! Xxxx

There's some really odd advice on this thread.

OP what level is the apprenticeship? Is is a degree apprenticeship or something lower?

As an aside from funding implications, if I were your employer and found out then yes you would get fired, but unlikely to be found out.

My understanding is the government won’t give the employer funding if you already have a degree. You need to tell them and explain somehow, or you could find yourself in a mess.

My understanding is the government won’t give the employer funding if you already have a degree.

This is wrong. The rules relaxed when the Levy came in. You can do ANY level apprenticeship with a degree, provided there is new learning I.e. upskilling or reskilling.

OP says her degree is in pharmacy so as long as she isn't doing a L6 or lower pharmacy apprenticeship she's fine.

@LolaSmiles you don’t have to account for every year of your adult life on a CV. Mine only goes back a few jobs and mentions the years I achieved my education.