Degree Apprentices

Hey!

I'm going to be starting year 13 in September and I'm really interested in taking a degree apprenticeship in engineering.

I've spoken to my teachers about this but they're concerned that I would be 'underselling myself' by going down this route as I achieved high GCSE grades and my predicted grades for a level are 4 A*s. Does anyone else think that this is true?

Also, do degree apprentices still have a good social life? Are you able to make new friends at uni and go out with them or are you just too busy?

I'd really appreciate anyone's insight, particularly if you are / have been a degree apprentice.

Thank you!

Hey!

I'm going to be starting year 13 in September and I'm really interested in taking a degree apprenticeship in engineering.

I've spoken to my teachers about this but they're concerned that I would be 'underselling myself' by going down this route as I achieved high GCSE grades and my predicted grades for a level are 4 A*s. Does anyone else think that this is true?

Also, do degree apprentices still have a good social life? Are you able to make new friends at uni and go out with them or are you just too busy?

I'd really appreciate anyone's insight, particularly if you are / have been a degree apprentice.

Thank you!

Sorry just to add. If I was you I'd apply for both and give yourself as many options as possible.

Your teachers are wrong - I'm a Maths teacher and would not stop anyone going down this route. RG uni degrees aren't good prep for working as an Engineer and my top students go for a year in industry model and non-RG.

Hi, I’m in year 13 and secured an Accounting degree apprenticeship for this September.
I applied for both uni and apprenticeships and got offers for both however, an apprenticeship is my first choice.
Your teachers are wrong. There’s a huge misconception that apprenticeships are for underachievers which is NOT the case at all. I achieved 9888766655 at gcse and I am predicted A*AA at A Level.
I promise you, teachers who say stuff like that have NO CLUE how degree apprenticeships work. It’s a more rigorous and competitive application process compared to UCAS. For some programmes you do in fact need high grades.
Some teachers like to set you up for failure. Degree apprenticeships are amazing: years of experience, free degree, salary (higher than minimum wage), and with some you’re guaranteed a job at the end and some promotions too!
Regardless of grades you are tested and interviewed quite a bit before you can secure a degree apprenticeship, my current offer had 5 stages, some of which were hard.
Bare in mind with apprenticeships you have the chance to work at a top company and some are even paired with top RGs such as Warwick, Leeds, Nottingham, Exeter, QMUL, Bristol.
Yes, you WILL have a social life. With apprenticeships most of them you can work from home anyway so you will in fact have time to yourself. It’s YOUR job to pick the right company where you’ll have a work life balance, that’s what I did.
You’ll have the opportunity to make friends also, apprenticeships are not all work and no play.

Ahhh that's interesting . . .ig that for engineering the work experience is more important that book learning

Thank you for the advice!! I think I will apply to both and look at all of my options once I have my offers

Thank you sm! And good luck with your degree apprenticeship XD