Apprenticeship, how useful are they or what career did you get into through an apprenticeship?

[Lipsy234]

So im looking to get into a rewarding career through this route. Not sure if its worth it, what are your experiences?

Can they take you into a well paid position or not?

I did one at 17 as an apprentice engineer. Since left the company and am earning well above any friends my age (early 20s, £30k) including those who went to uni. Expect to be on around £35-40k by early 30s which for the north is pretty decent imo.

I absolutely loved mines. Meant I could support my young family whilst continuing with my own development. I had a mortgage by 20 and now run a car whilst others are still living with parents and will pay down uni debt for years to come. If it's a real apprenticeship and not apprentice office assistant (no offence intended) then I say go for it.

And as to your second question, I work alongside graduates and apprentices and ime it's the apprentices who are favoured and who have mostly been "fast tracked". I think the fact you have 4 years work experience above any grads really counts in your favour.

This is a how long is a piece of string question. A childcare apprenticeship is unlikely to lead to a well paid career, but a solicitor or accountancy apprenticeship (yes they do exist) will.

We have both apprententice and graduate programmes where I work in the City and the graduates are always fast tracked over an apprentice. It is not that the apprentices won't get there in the end but we would not attract quality graduates if we didn't fast track the good ones.

There's a vast variety when it comes to the quality of apprenticeships. They range between excuses to pay people less than minimum wage while they 'study' for a useless 'qualification' e.g. apprentice bar staff, right through to the excellent - higher and degree apprenticeships are much more likely to be of a good standard, as are those that prepare you for a specific trade that needs certain qualifications (e.g. electrician)

What sort of career are you hoping to go into, and what qualification level are you hoping to achieve e.g. GCSEs, A Level or equivalent

I did an admin apprenticeship for the local council I got paid £13,000 per year. A year and a half later (from starting) I'm now a benefit assessor making £18,000 per year.