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Should I leave my apprenticeship to go to university?

I have an unconditional offer from Essex for a foundation degree in an engineering subject.

I currently have an engineering apprenticeship at a perfume company. It's a 4 year apprenticeship and I'm about 2 years and 6 months in.

It would be easy to finish my apprenticeship and achieve my HNC..... However.... If i do so, I lose my first year of funding at uni as I would have spent 2 years in Higher Education and therefore lose my gift year and my first year funding.

So the real question is

Should I go to university this year (with full funding)

Or just finish my apprenticeship and achieve my HNC but never attain a degree

???


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Reply 1
Go uni, you'll have a better experience and it's more respectable than an apprenticeship, you wont regret it
I would say go to uni a degree will open up lot's more doors for you it's also the last chance you got to act your shoe size and not your age also if you live at home it's a good chance to learn how to live on your own or a chance tonprovevto yourself that you can.
Reply 3
I say finish the apprenticeship get job then save up for a year and self fund the first year of your Uni degree.
Reply 4
Original post by Bames
I say finish the apprenticeship get job then save up for a year and self fund the first year of your Uni degree.


We would be talking saving up 15k + though. That would be very hard for a 20 year old...


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Reply 5
Original post by lewif002
We would be talking saving up 15k + though. That would be very hard for a 20 year old...


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not really live in Bed and Breakfast, or move back in with mum, cycle to work and live off noodles and put the bulk of wage packet money in a saving account for a year, not that hard for 20 year old without much responsiblities.
Well it would seem better to finish the apprenticeship considering the length of time you've already spent on it and experience in industry is always good. It also depends on what you want afterward/career prospects. There shouldn't be anything stopping you going uni after the apprenticeship and you can always check if there is. Loans do cover money issues pretty well.
Reply 7
Original post by Sirhuckleberry
Well it would seem better to finish the apprenticeship considering the length of time you've already spent on it and experience in industry is always good. It also depends on what you want afterward/career prospects. There shouldn't be anything stopping you going uni after the apprenticeship and you can always check if there is. Loans do cover money issues pretty well.


The only thing stopping be going after my apprenticeship is I lose a years worth of funding (9k tuition + 4.5k maintenance loan). Whereas if I go this year I get full funding


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Have youbtryed talking to connexions
Reply 9
Ask Essex whether there would be an option to convert your HNC into a degree. This might be possible if the subject is similar, and might mean you could skip the first year of the degree so would only need funding for yr s 2 and 3.


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I had a similar issue, i signed up for an apprenticeship before September last year expecting to be done for Uni this year, however the course provider informed me i was signed up about 6 months in i found out they had failed to do so, so i wouldn't have finished in time for Uni so i handed in my notice this month - made my choice a bit easier than yours, but if your anything like me i would take Uni whilst your younger i feel you'll enjoy it more.
Finish apprenticeship then uni, looks way better on CV
Reply 12
Original post by Ftmshk
Ask Essex whether there would be an option to convert your HNC into a degree. This might be possible if the subject is similar, and might mean you could skip the first year of the degree so would only need funding for yr s 2 and 3.


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Yes I can do this, but then SFE also adjust their calculation so it states I am only studying for 2 years, plus my gift year, minus 2 years.

So no matter what, if I finish my apprenticeship and then go to uni, I have to come up with 9k upfront.


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Reply 13
Original post by earthworm
Finish apprenticeship then uni, looks way better on CV


Did you not read the question?
Finishing my apprenticeship and then going to university is almost not an option. It means I would need to save up like 15k before attending Uni and I would also be getting on then. I know that age doesn't matter when it comes to a degree but I would rather do it sooner as I would like to move out by 27.


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Reply 14
Original post by Rob-jones
I had a similar issue, i signed up for an apprenticeship before September last year expecting to be done for Uni this year, however the course provider informed me i was signed up about 6 months in i found out they had failed to do so, so i wouldn't have finished in time for Uni so i handed in my notice this month - made my choice a bit easier than yours, but if your anything like me i would take Uni whilst your younger i feel you'll enjoy it more.


I definitely feel I would enjoy it more! It's just the opportunity cost and worrying about how my employer would take it / how to word a resignation letter.

I don't want to hand them a resignation letter that says "I am going to university; and ditching the apprenticeship mid-way, I just think I'd enjoy it more, sorry for wasting your money". I need a way to put it in words that makes it sound viable and professional.

My reasons would be because I'd enjoy uni more, that's what I want to do, I don't want a full time job just yet and I need to go to Uni to find myself. However I can't put that in a resignation.


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I Know how you feel i had the same issues, in the end i didn't even put anything about Uni in my resignation you dont have to tell them its your choice.

I Have added snippets of my letter below, might help.

"thank you for your time and the experience you have provided me, i have enjoyed working with everyone and feel i have learned a lot "
"with my time here i have had time to figure out what i want to do and i feel its in my best interest to leave and find other ways to further my career"

" i will work till *end of notice period* ( i didn't have one so out of respect said 2 weeks instead of just walking out )

In your case you could probably skip past the under lined part and just re-word it.
Original post by lewif002
Did you not read the question?
Finishing my apprenticeship and then going to university is almost not an option. It means I would need to save up like 15k before attending Uni and I would also be getting on then. I know that age doesn't matter when it comes to a degree but I would rather do it sooner as I would like to move out by 27.
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Everyone I know who has done an apprenticeship is better off than those who went to uni, anyway once you are 26 you are no longer your parents dependent and will be able to get low income grants.
Uni would mean a lot of debt, whereas your apprenticeship presumeably pays you (although not a lot). Also, a lot of apprenticeships will lead into a job that would be similar to what graduates would go into - so there may be very little benefit in the degree. If you like the company you are currently doing an apprenticeship with and would be keen to work for them afterwards, I'd say stick with the apprenticeship. You may even be able to persuade them to sponsor you to do a year at uni to upgrade your HND to a degree, you end up with a degree for free! And a guaranteed job at the end of it...

Alternatively, as others have mentioned there is the option to go to uni after completion of your apprenticeship. You don't have to go straight away either - give yourself a few years to save up the required money.

Also, sorry but the uni experience is really rather overrated - yes, the first year you will probably enjoy partying and socialising, but after that it's just like working all over again. With more stress. And loads of debt... Unless you go to a really good uni or come out with a top class degree, you'll probably end up in a similar job to that you would have done after the apprenticeship anyway, so from a career point of view I'd say the degree at Essex is probably a waste of money/ time. So, you'd basically be paying 9k a year for the social experience... Is it really worth it? Perhaps try visiting any old school friends who are at uni if you want to enjoy some of the social aspects?
Reply 18
Original post by dragonkeeper999
Uni would mean a lot of debt, whereas your apprenticeship presumeably pays you (although not a lot). Also, a lot of apprenticeships will lead into a job that would be similar to what graduates would go into - so there may be very little benefit in the degree. If you like the company you are currently doing an apprenticeship with and would be keen to work for them afterwards, I'd say stick with the apprenticeship. You may even be able to persuade them to sponsor you to do a year at uni to upgrade your HND to a degree, you end up with a degree for free! And a guaranteed job at the end of it...

Alternatively, as others have mentioned there is the option to go to uni after completion of your apprenticeship. You don't have to go straight away either - give yourself a few years to save up the required money.

Also, sorry but the uni experience is really rather overrated - yes, the first year you will probably enjoy partying and socialising, but after that it's just like working all over again. With more stress. And loads of debt... Unless you go to a really good uni or come out with a top class degree, you'll probably end up in a similar job to that you would have done after the apprenticeship anyway, so from a career point of view I'd say the degree at Essex is probably a waste of money/ time. So, you'd basically be paying 9k a year for the social experience... Is it really worth it? Perhaps try visiting any old school friends who are at uni if you want to enjoy some of the social aspects?


Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this reply!
I totally understand where you're coming from, but my reasons for wanting to go University are purely as follows;

I feel too young for a Mon-Fri job. I'm 19 and feel trapped. I should be having the time of my life, not stuck at work all day, every day.
I can't see myself working for this company forever, I don't particularly enjoy the company or the work I do (degree is in a ever so slightly different field so would be a side step and I could potentially enjoy it more)
I don't think my company would sponsor me to top up my degree unfortunately, however there is a slight possibility. I will only have HNC so would still require 2 years at uni (full time, so part time would be 3-4 years!)
I want the social aspects of university so bad. I've heard so many great things about the night life at Essex & the accommodation would be shared with 15 other persons, I just feel I am missing out on socialising and making friends for life.
I feel a degree would open up managerial jobs/positions which ultimately earn more money.


Would this sway you, or would you still recommend the apprenticeship? I do thank you for your reply. Hugely informative but I'm just so trapped.



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Original post by lewif002
Thanks a lot for taking the time to write this reply!
I totally understand where you're coming from, but my reasons for wanting to go University are purely as follows;

I feel too young for a Mon-Fri job. I'm 19 and feel trapped. I should be having the time of my life, not stuck at work all day, every day.
I can't see myself working for this company forever, I don't particularly enjoy the company or the work I do (degree is in a ever so slightly different field so would be a side step and I could potentially enjoy it more)
I don't think my company would sponsor me to top up my degree unfortunately, however there is a slight possibility. I will only have HNC so would still require 2 years at uni (full time, so part time would be 3-4 years!)
I want the social aspects of university so bad. I've heard so many great things about the night life at Essex & the accommodation would be shared with 15 other persons, I just feel I am missing out on socialising and making friends for life.
I feel a degree would open up managerial jobs/positions which ultimately earn more money.


Would this sway you, or would you still recommend the apprenticeship? I do thank you for your reply. Hugely informative but I'm just so trapped.



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Hmmm... well, if you don't enjoy the company you are currently working for and don't intend to work there for much longer then perhaps the degree option would suit you better then - as you say it may open up more managerial positions and would allow you to get a job in another company more easily perhaps. An apprenticeship could lead into these positions, but it may be harder to move into another company straight away and could limit you at the top of your career.
Ok, sorry for some reason I read it as a HND - it is still possible that you could discuss with Essex about knocking the first year off your degree (or at least the foundation year I think you said you were planning on doing?) to reduce the debt somewhat, so you could complete the degree in slightly less time? I personally think that a foundation year would be very pointless for you since you should have covered the basics in your HNC already (I believe it's equivalent to first year degree from what I've heard? My Dad did an HND and managed to top it up to a degree in just one year anyway, and an HNC is one year shorter than an HNC...).

Yes, I do understand some of the appeal of the social aspects of uni - and it is a very easy way of making lots of good friends. From what you say, it sounds like perhaps uni would be a better option for you then :smile:

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