Apprenticeship or University

[OrchardDweller]

With the huge university fees, the focus now must surely be on the value of some degrees? To me there are various degrees that seem decidedly questionable, don't make you any more employable and leave you with huge debt. DS (yr13) could go either way - uni or apprenticeship in the automotive sector and I would really love some advice or experience on this matter.

My question is, if he doesn't go to uni would be penalised later on in life for not having a degree (having gone the apprenticeship route). Or, is the pendulum generally swinging the other way now and a degree will not always be necessary over experience.

The job that I did very competently did pre children (without a degree), now requires one. Is this just to sort out the CVs in the beginning of the job application process?

Sorry this seems a bit muddled. Just trying to help make the right decision.

Is it either/or? Can't he get a job with day-release that gets him the qualification without the debt.

I think that this is the downside to meritocracy! In the good old days there weren't many people applying for higher level jobs so you could look at each applicant on their individual merits. Now that everyone seems to have qualifications coming out of their ears, lazy HR departments can use 'must be a graduate' as a quick sifting mechanism.

On a more cheery note, things are not as rigid as they used to be. He can always change his mind and go to University a few years later than the norm.

Have a look at what's happening around higher apprenticeships. May offer the best of both worlds to someone like your DS

Yes, there are 'degree appeticeships' now - no need to choose;

www.gov.uk/government/news/government-rolls-out-flagship-degree-apprenticeships

www.timeshighereducation.com/news/degree-apprenticeships-to-offer-no-fee-he/2017205.article

www.thetechpartnership.com/recruit-and-train/degree-apprenticeships/

Here are the details for the automotive sector;

www.automotiveapprenticeships.co.uk/Apprenticeships/DegreeApprenticeships.aspx

If I were in college now looking at £9,000 per year fees, I'd either choose a very definitely career-linked degree like medicine, pharmacy, vet science or dentistry or I would swerve university altogether and look for apprenticeships or similar. No way would I pay £9,000 per year to study bullshit like history, sociology or english. I speak as an academic in a bullshit subject as well

There was an interesting BBC Radio 4 episode of The Bottom Line which discussed higher apprenticeships last week: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-bottom-line/id264340697?mt=2&i=376605867

They seem to offer the best of both worlds, though they're very competitive to get into.