college vs apprenticeship

[Fifi04]

What is better to choose - college and nvq2 (2 years) or apprenticeship?

It depends what it is and what the prospects for both are ?

It depends. If it's a "hands-on" apprenticeship (ie Hairdressing, Mechanics, Electrician etc) they would still need to learn how to do those hand on skills anyway so they might as well start at 16. Why wait two years to learn something you will need to learn anyway.

I think apprenticeships are the best thing since sliced bread. Earning while you're learning. It's not much, but it's not getting into debt like you would from a degree.

DD chose to do an apprenticeship after A levels. She's now earning as much/more than her friends who went to university, and she's not paying off a debt.

Depends.
Is this a real apprenticeship or a theoretical 'we could find one' apprenticeship?
Does the young person have the maturity to be in the workplace (attendance, work ethics etc)?
Can the young person get to the workplace? Colleges often have buses etc, workplaces can be anywhere.
What does the young person want?

it's about being an electrician or something similar

if i want to be an electrician... does it make sense to go to college for 2 years and then start an apprenticeship

@Fifi04 well definitely go for the. apprenticeship if (as said above) your 16 year old is mature enough to act as a work colleague rather than a school kid.

@Fifi04 what is the college course going to teach that the apprenticeship won't?

that's exactly what I'm trying to explain

@Fifi04 basically to become something like an electrician a person needs to learn the skills.
So at college they could be taught how to replace a wire on a lamp but an apprenticeship will also teach that - and you actually get paid for it !
Apprenticeships should include one day at college but for the hands on parts doesn't it make sense to getting paid for it ?
The issues that @TeenToTwenties raised are important - like being able to get to the workplace etc but if all of that is fine then I am definitely Team Apprentice!

It can do. A structured course of learning, which will include hands on work. Ability to make mistakes and learn, qualified teachers, no trying to fit in assignments around work, space to grow up, qualification at the end.

After 2 years will not need an apprenticeship as will have the qualification.

I think apprenticeships are great, if they fit. For others a college course is more suitable.

Hi there how old are you ? And what do you want to be in the future ? it all depends on your career path really

Oh your 16 from what I have just read, so am I and I am starting an apprenticeship as a Ta this September , I think that we are mature enough at 16 to be ina. Professional workplace and if you want to be an electrician I think an apprenticeship makes more sense as you can add it in your cv because you have been working there full time whilst earning a wage and learning it's much better in my opinion I would say go for it ! And you get a qualification out of it

Just to be really clear. You are 16 and want to do an apprenticeship (have you been offered one?), and someone else (parents?) are trying to persuade you to go to college?

(Or are you a relative who us trying to push an apprenticeship instead of college onto a young person?)

So, you get paid as an apprentice. The minimum apprenticeship wage is less than the minimum wage, to take into account you are training and you are only at work 80% of the time (you are paid for the 20% of time that you are training).

however, you are also considered by DWP to be in full time employment. So parents will no longer receive payments for that child (e.g tax credits , child benefit). So you’ve got to balance that. (Note - you can still get tax credits if it’s a traineeship rather than an apprenticeship, but traineeships are more like work experience and are unpaid).

if you can find an electrician happy to take on an apprentice straight from school, great. But sometimes they may prefer to hire someone who already has a basic qualification from college, then the apprenticeship will be for the next level up.

college courses at 16 are often not full time. So depending on timetable you could have one day a week not at college. During that time you could look for paid employment in a related sector or just any part time job. This wouldn’t affect parents’ income.

these things might not make a difference to your decision, but it might be useful to know.

Totally depends on what it’s in, if it’s degree level or not.

Apprenticeship at 16 is better on paper, but some 16 year olds (like my DS) just aren't mature or confident enough to be ready for the world of work and communicating with adults. Sometimes, 2 years at college can be better for them as it gives them a chance to mature a little. There's also the social element of college and meeting new people, being with your peers is important at that age.

Everyone's different. What I learned from having teenage DC is that we can be there to help and guide and say up the options, but they need to be allowed to make their own decisions.

Son went to college to do level 2 and 3 electrical so you learn the basics and wire diagrams so have qualifications so when you get a job at least you have some experience and not starting from stratch. Also doing an apprenticeship is badly paid and you will lose child benefit and tax credits.

To be an electrician I would say apprenticeship 100%

You will learn same basic skills as college but also customer service, working with others etc. That work experience is more valuable to employers than skills alone

Plus you are earning

On a skills based job like this I think it's a no brainer

Apply for both, if you get an apprenticeship then take it and defer the college place (if possible). If the apprenticeship doesn't work out as hoped then stick it out for a year and start the college course after that, you will still have a year of relevant work to put on your cv then when you finish your college course.

This is DS's plan (he's 18) and starting a degree apprenticeship but has deferred his uni place so if the apprenticeship doesn't work out as hoped he can go there next year.

As an apprentice you get not only your 'trade' skills, but also the skills you need for the workplace.
However, an apprenticeship is a full time job so you need to be ready to commit to that - no long summer break or half term holidays. You also apply for an apprenticeship in the same way that you apply for a job - it's a competitive process.
I'm a careers advisor working mainly with apprentices, whilst I think apprenticeships are amazing, they're not an easy option and you've got to be sure that you're ready for the commitment.

My DS wants to be a carpenter. He's going to college first... he could have gone straight for an apprenticeship as he does have his English and maths (thank goodness) but I think it's good for him to be a kid for a bit longer, enjoy school holidays etc before starting work. After I took a year out and then went to uni for 4 years I didn't actually start work until I was 24! 16 seems so young. He will go to college plus work part time.

Apprenticeships in trades can also be quite hard to come by but his college have industry links so will recommend him if he does well for a place when he finishes with them. So he will have a nice 2 years, earn some money and then move into proper work etc when he's a bit older and with some skills in the profession he wants. I'm excited for him!!