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An apprenticeship is better than uni so why are apprenticeships seen like they are

For dumb people? Theres no debt (uni does have debt) and you can get experience

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Honestly, it's a lot better now than what it was between five to ten years ago.

Before hand, apprenticeships were synonymous with jobs like bricklaying, beauty therapy and plumbing (nothing wrong with these sectors) and had piss poor pay. Hardly anyone, unless you seriously hated formal education wanted to go down that route.

It wasn't until.the conservative government really started pumping investment into apprenticeship programmes that it started to change for the better. Now you can get apprenticeships at top international banks, law firms, consultancies etc - it wasn't always like that and it's going to take quite some time for that negative stigma to shift to be honest.

If apprenticeships in my sector (commercial property) were as good as they are now when I was finishing school 9 years ago, I definitely would have done one.
How can I, a biomedical scientist get an apprenticeship at a Lab without a degree?
Same with a medical student or law students and economics students scrambling to get limited apprenticeships? How do you expect 17/18-year-olds to decide on where they want to work when they're still doing A-Levels?
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Original post by TheStarboy
How can I, a biomedical scientist get an apprenticeship at a Lab without a degree?
Same with a medical student or law students and economics students scrambling to get limited apprenticeships? How do you expect 17/18-year-olds to decide on where they want to work when they're still doing A-Levels?

Well apprenticeships are good for working class people, saves them 9 grand debt and if they don’t like studying they can work and study once a week at college. If you’re still doing A levels then you should have some idea of what degree you want in the future so you must know what you want to work as.

Some people need a degree for the field they want to go into, some don’t
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Anon36472
Well apprenticeships are good for working class people, saves them 9 grand debt and if they don’t like studying they can work and study once a week at college

That's a terrible idea. Why should top companies go for hard working-class students when they can go for privately educated students? And those working-class students just have to go through college because of what?
Original post by Anon36472
For dumb people? Theres no debt (uni does have debt) and you can get experience


Perhaps apprenticeships are suitable and a better choice for some people, but not all?
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Original post by TheStarboy
That's a terrible idea. Why should top companies go for hard working-class students when they can go for privately educated students? And those working-class students just have to go through college because of what?

I don’t know, its just an easier route
minimum wage of apprenticeships is 4.15£ now. whereas if you go to university and get a good grade, you can land a job making on average around 22k. better degrees can get you even more money.

apprenticeships with high pay are very competitive to get into, and may also require specific qualifications, such as a degree

EDIT: even a standard job has a higher minimum wage: https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
(edited 3 years ago)
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Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
minimum wage of apprenticeships is 4.15£ now. whereas if you go to university and get a good grade, you can land a job making on average around 22k. better degrees can get you even more money.

My sister did an apprenticeship after BTEC Level 3 and then got a job on the NHS doing minimal work as a ward clerk and gets paid £10 something (can’t remember what).
Original post by Anon36472
I don’t know, its just an easier route

You purposed a one size fits all solution and now you're seeing why it doesn't work. Apprenticeships only work for some people, not all of them.
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Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
minimum wage of apprenticeships is 4.15£ now. whereas if you go to university and get a good grade, you can land a job making on average around 22k. better degrees can get you even more money.

apprenticeships with high pay are very competitive to get into, and may also require specific qualifications, such as a degree

Not everyone is cut out for education, so they opt for an apprenticeship.
Original post by Anon36472
My sister did an apprenticeship after BTEC Level 3 and then got a job on the NHS doing minimal work as a ward clerk and gets paid £10 something (can’t remember what).

basically getting paid peanuts. What if you get a degree and get a job that satisfies you and you get paid even at least 2x that amount per hour.

Also hourly pay without context of weekly working hours is irrelevant.
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And then not everyone who gets a degree at uni gets into the field they want to go to. For example a degree in business management got someone into a job as a security guard, a degree in business and marketing got someone else into a shop as a cashier in Iceland, a degree in something got someone into an apprenticeship and was in the same position as my sister who went from btec level 3 to an apprenticeship, so she wasted her time.

Some degrees are useful and can get you into a job in that field, like a degree in law and criminology
(edited 3 years ago)
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Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
basically getting paid peanuts. What if you get a degree and get a job that satisfies you and you get paid even at least 2x that amount per hour.

Also hourly pay without context of weekly working hours is irrelevant.

A 9-5 job obviously
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Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
basically getting paid peanuts. What if you get a degree and get a job that satisfies you and you get paid even at least 2x that amount per hour.

Also hourly pay without context of weekly working hours is irrelevant.

Well working class people like having an easier life, they don’t want to try hard and learn hard concepts like they do in A levels, they like doing minimal work sitting at a computer as a receptionist in a hospital as long as they are paid something
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Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
basically getting paid peanuts. What if you get a degree and get a job that satisfies you and you get paid even at least 2x that amount per hour.

Also hourly pay without context of weekly working hours is irrelevant.

My brother has the worst qualifications ever, he got one GCSE in ICT, then did a btec entry level course for 3 years and then got a job as a security guard and earns nearly the amount you get with a degree like 10k and thats a 12 hour shift
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Anon36472
Well working class people like having an easier life, they don’t want to try hard and learn hard concepts like they do in A levels, they like doing minimal work sitting at a computer as a receptionist in a hospital as long as they are paid something

there are loads of apprenticeships in middle class as well, not just working class.

if you know what career you want and you know that doing an apprenticeship can get you there then its a no brainer unless you really really love uni
Original post by Anon36472
My brother has the worst qualifications ever, he got one GCSE in ICT, then did a btec entry level course for 3 years and then got a job a security guard and earns nearly the amount you get with a degree.


Well good for them. But most people in a society prefer to have a intellectually challenging job, that actually benefits the world. You don't need lots of qualifications to be a bouncer outside of Sainsburys.
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by JJJJJAAAAMES
minimum wage of apprenticeships is 4.15£ now. whereas if you go to university and get a good grade, you can land a job making on average around 22k. better degrees can get you even more money.

apprenticeships with high pay are very competitive to get into, and may also require specific qualifications, such as a degree


Depends really, 3 or 4 years into a good apprenticeship you can be miles ahead of your typical grad. I did an accountancy apprenticeship (but left after a year as wasn't for me and went to uni) but if I stuck with for another 3 or 4 years I'd be earning way more than my grad job and actually be qualified in something
Original post by Anon36472
Thats most, what about people who are less academic/have learning disabilities? Someone has to do these working class jobs.

Why do BTECs exist? Because not everyone is brainy and can do A levels.


I did a BTEC and have learning disabilities and I still went to uni and I’m enjoying myself. I couldn't do any ’working class’ jobs

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