Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Apprenticeship or college & university?

Sean1997

If anyone can help me on this, I would be more than grateful!
I am currently studying As levels at a college. I study Economics, History, Pe and Biology. I haven't had any real mocks or target grades as of yet, but I would say I'm fairly bright. In my GCSE's in 1 A* 5 A's 4 B's and 1 C. I really dislike college, so I've been looking into apprenticeships. I have had serious thought about doing one and I'm not sure what to do. I'm not sure what I want to do in my future, but I originally planned to go university, most likely to study economics. But I have found some apprenticeships that are really tempting and what I might like. I've found one in Business & Administration, one in Marketing and one as an accountant. Should I get my A levels then do an apprenticeship, get my A levels then go uni, or just drop college and go to an apprenticeship? Obviously uni will cost more and i can earn money whilst doing an apprenticeship, but is uni more rewarding, especially in these sort of jobs?

Reply 1

Sean1997

I should also mention that I dislike college! So is it worth going for the apprenticeship, and is it better than college?

Reply 2

whatisthis47

I'd say only go uni if you have a good idea about what you want to do and you know it definitely requires a degree. If I didn't want to become an early years teacher I'd have done an apprenticeship in childcare and become a registered childminder rather than go to uni. You seem to have some sort of idea about what field you want to go in. If that field doesn't require a degree or if the particular job you want to do doesn't require a degree then do the apprenticeship. If in some years you find a career that requires a degree then you can always go to uni as long. As you've got at least a level 3 (equivalent to a levels) you'll be fine.

Other options are finishing your a levels and then doing an apprenticeship, and then if you really need to then you can get a degree if your future dream job that you dont yet know about requires it. The thing about this is that some apprenticeships (depending on who you do it with) make you start at level 3 so you'd have wasted 2 years getting your a levels for nothing. Of course, if you think you might want to go to uni later on then having those a levels can help with that.

In the end you end up with *something*. You can go to uni at any age, but with apprenticeships you have a limited time.

Reply 3

whatisthis47

Original post by Sean1997

I should also mention that I dislike college! So is it worth going for the apprenticeship, and is it better than college?

It's not a case of which one is better. It's more about which one is more suitable for your future goals.

Reply 4

Sean1997

Yeah the apprenticeships i'm looking at right now are apprenticeships with sky, a big company that will guarntee me a job at the end of it, and that is a level 3 course. So I'm not sure if I should drop out of college after the first year or not. It will be an equvilent qualification, just not as valued.

Thanks for you help!