Making those all-important decisions after you have finished school or college or having a career change can be very difficult as there are many pathways you can go down to kick-start your career.
A question which is becoming more popular now is, which is better an apprenticeship or a degree?
Although, I do want to start by saying, choosing between a degree or an apprenticeship is solely based on your preference of learning and what you want to get out of the experience or qualification.
University
Tuition fees have risen quite a lot over the years, but this has not affected the amount of people wanting to further their knowledge and enrol onto higher education. When researching what or where to study you will find that there are many courses to pick from and many places to study from too. A degree will give you the opportunity to study a broader subject and in some courses, you are able to take different pathways which make your course more specific.
The way you will learn as a student is quite different to the way you will learn as an apprentice, as part of your degree you will learn by attending seminars and lectures and may involve workshops if you are studying a creative subject. This work is classroom based, however some courses do offer a placement year.
A placement is where you will have an opportunity to spend this year gaining valuable work experience during your time at University, try not to think of this work experience like when you were at school, you will be employed by an external company and the role will be similar to a graduate level position.
Tip: If you already know what course you want to study, do some research on what the requirements are set at by employers as some professions may require you to hold a degree.
Apprenticeships
I believe that now more than ever people have a more positive approach to apprenticeships, now apprenticeships are recognised as an equal opportunity to other high education such as a degree Apprenticeship. There are many apprenticeships available now and the government have a goal to create 3 million more apprenticeships by 2020.
The type of learning style with apprenticeships is more practical learning through workshops, 1:1 sessions and groups which is mostly within an organisation. This allows you to put your knowledge into practice instantly and learn ‘on the job’. Studying for an apprenticeship will allow you to gain a lot of that all-important work experience that almost all employers look for and it’s great on your CV.
There are different levels of apprenticeships available to suit the different level’s that you will be working at, please see our last blog about Apprenticeships: who is eligible?
If you still are in limbo, don’t panic…there are now Degree Apprenticeships available, these types of apprenticeships are suitable for people that have previously done a high-level apprenticeship or have a-levels.
Tip: When looking for an apprenticeship, take a look at the requirements on applying to make sure your application is strong. Try to do this early on so you have time to improve on certain areas such as, gaining work experience.
I read an article which I thought was a great story to share with you…
https://www.theguardian.com/careers/2016/mar/14/better-job-prospects-university-or-apprenticeshipsm
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