So, I was looking everyday pretty much for ones that I might like (as I knew I didn’t want to go into engineering and they’re the most common ones where I live). It was about 2 and a half months after I’d dropped out that I found the apprenticeship I’m doing now. I’d seen others in that time but they weren’t quite what I was looking for. Apprenticeships are added surprisingly frequently so I don’t think it would be too long before you found one.
I had my interview about a month after applying, and was then accepted a week after that. I also didn’t know what career I wanted to go into, but I looked at the skills required and thought it suited me, and looked up what types of things it covers online and on YouTube. My apprenticeship is in project management, which is also a pretty stable career so I knew it would be quite a good option for me after having dropped out of university. The apprenticeship I applied for also didn’t ask for a CV as the application wanted me to evidence 3 skills they were looking for (I think I had to write a 250-word answer for each).
My apprenticeship is a year and a half as it’s a Level 4. I personally wouldn’t recommend doing a degree apprenticeship unless you’re 100% certain on that career path as it’s quite a commitment and they can be 4/5 years long. Modules for me are done monthly; I learn the content in 2 weeks, have an online workshop in the middle of the month and then write a case study during the last 2 weeks. Then that just repeats. I recently took an exam which will provide me with an additional qualification alongside my general apprenticeship one. But I’ll be assessed again next year for my final grade by submitting a portfolio (which details how I’ve applied the course content to my day job), giving a presentation on various areas of the course and finally having an interview to fully test my understanding/knowledge. All of this will be graded pass/merit/distinction. I get allocated one day a week for my apprenticeship work (but I still get paid for it) so you fit it in amongst your day job. And at least for me, I haven’t needed to do much study outside of work hours which is definitely a change from school/university. My day job really compliments my apprenticeship, as I often work on things that I’m learning about in the course content.
I also agree that colleges need to offer talks on apprenticeships like they do with going to university as I think more people would consider them as a valid option. In my college, it was sort of only suggested to students with lower grades as colleges love to say “we sent x number of students to university!” I can’t say for certain that I’d not have gone to university had they suggested an apprenticeship to me, as my whole schooling life had been building up to that moment, but I very well might’ve considered it.
Whatever you decide, just make sure that you’re happy. I don’t regret going to university for 6 months, as it taught me to prioritise my mental health and to pursue something that you truly enjoy. It’s hard to figure out what that might be sometimes, but it starts with what you don’t enjoy and ruling that out!
A man I met at a concert when I was 16 once gave me some very short but sound advice, which I didn’t realise the importance of until I went to university. He simply said “go out and live life.” I’ve personally taken that to mean ‘you only live once, so make sure that whatever you choose to do doesn’t make you unhappy.’ I hope this reply has helped you in some way - I believe in you!