Apprenticeship v Uni

I’m currently doing ACCA with a local accountants where I live but I have also got a place to do Accounting and Finance in Bristol Uni (may try and change to Economics and Accounting) I’m not sure whether to leave my apprenticeship for Uni as I think I may have more/better opportunities in the future with a degree, especially if I decide i don’t want to be an accountant anymore. However? I will end up with student debt and May struggle to find a job after Uni. Also worth mentioning that in an effort to stop me from leaving my apprenticeship they have offered to sponsor me for a degree if I am able to do it while working. However, this would most likely be from a ‘Metropolitan’ university. Not sure what is the best thing to do?

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 1

angelinahx

Original post by jack.perry

I may have better opportunities in the future with a degree

lol

on a srs note though do whatever you think you'd enjoy more, no one on tsr can tell you what to do

Reply 2

ajj2000

Original post by jack.perry

Hey - nice position to be in! You are in demand!

Few questions:

- how many ACCA exams have you done?
- how large is the firm? You say its a local accountants - how many staff in the firm/ how many partners?
- how long have you worked there?
- how much are you paid and how will your pay progression look?
- what sort of work are you doing? What is the size of the clients?

Reply 3

jack.perry

Original post by ajj2000

Hi!

- I’ve only sat one exam, I should’ve sat more but corona..
- It’s not a large firm - probably about 20 staff and and 2 partners
- I’ve worked there just over a year
- I do pretty much a bit of everything - accounts, management accounts, vat, audit
- Majority of clients I’d probably say are small with the odd bigger/large company

Reply 4

ajj2000

Cool - I'd be pretty even between the two options. If you fancy university it could be great! How do the finances look for going to Bristol? Did you get a large enough loan to live on?

Reply 5

jack.perry

Original post by ajj2000

Cool - I'd be pretty even between the two options. If you fancy university it could be great! How do the finances look for going to Bristol? Did you get a large enough loan to live on?

Yeah I’m finding it really hard to decide! Should be alright I think finance wise as I’m from Wales so get a learning grant. I don’t think i would need to, but I wouldn’t mind getting a part time job either just to live more ‘comfortably’. Not 100% sure but I think eventually I would like to work in a bigger city and leave Wales so can’t decide whether a degree from Bristol would be beneficial to have

Reply 6

Rose992

Have you considered doing 9 of your ACCA exams and then doing the last 4 with USW in newport as part of their MSc?

https://www.southwales.ac.uk/courses/msc-professional-accounting-with-acca-tuition/

You could start in 2021 as a two year part time, have your work pay for it and end up with a master's, no debt and a secure job you've put years into instead

Reply 7

Rose992

Original post by jack.perry

Also, have a look on indeed !
What's the pay bracket for acca qualified and what's the pay for degree qualified?
There's nothing to stop you from training and working with your Welsh company for a few years before moving to a big city! (Lol check ur contract for this actually)