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Considering a Degree Apprenticeship? Q&A with experts and current apprentices!

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Original post by McrMetMason
@emmf2310 Yes, when you apply to a degree apprenticeship you spend 80% of your time working (and then getting paid a salary for that work) and then 20% studying for the degree and the degree is paid for my the company


Original post by McrMetEmma
Hello! @emmf2310, you would be employed so would receive a wage from your employer. Your employer will pay the fees for the course so you shouldn't have a need to take out student loans on top of this.

ahh thats great thank you so much!

whats the usual salary for someone looking at doing a tech based degree apprenticeship?
Original post by Pink Unicorn
Are degree apprenticeships suited more to those who prefer learning practical skills? :smile:

Hi @Pink Unicorn Yes apprenticeships are great for people who want to learn practical skills and even the content studied at University is focused on learning skills that you would actually use and need in your job :smile:
Original post by emmf2310
ahh thats great thank you so much!

whats the usual salary for someone looking at doing a tech based degree apprenticeship?

@emmf2310 at Bentley our degree Apprenticeship programs begin at around £21,000 but they go up throughout your Apprenticeship as you gain more knowledge and experience and you will finish at around £30,000 but each company is different so I can only speak for Bentley :smile:
Original post by 222student222
Hey! I will be doing a degree apprenticeship in September. Any tips or advice in regards to moving away from home, making new friends and adapting to working full time?

Hey @222student222 I currently still live at home so I can't speak to that but as for making new friends I would say just be yourself and don't be scared to organise things with people especially at the start of your apprenticeship, so maybe during your first time at uni make a group chat and add everyone from the class and then organise going out for food or drinks or something social like that with people. and you can do the same at work if there are any other apprentices starting at the same time as you because they will also be looking to make new friends :smile:

as for adapting to full time work I think its important to ensure that you do have a work life balance, so make sure to organise things with friends on weekends or just take some time to chill by yourself and watch some movies on the couch :smile: so that you don't burn out. also make the most of any time you get at work or uni to work on your assignments then you won't have to catch up that time on weekends and evenings working on assignments.
Original post by Leongecko
Hi, I work for the NHS and im really interested in a degree apprenticeship either in radiography or medical physics, I am studying an access to healthcare science diploma out of my own pocket to get the ucas points, but when i broached the subject with my boss she said I was too old. (i am 50). Apparently only having 20 odd years left in the workforce isnt seen as value for money. Can they discriminate my age and are there rules saying they are only for younger people?

Hi @Leongecko There is absolutely no rule that says degree apprenticeships are only for younger students, in fact there are a few apprentices in my class who are 40+. If your current boss doesn't see the value then perhaps you could look into applying for degree apprenticeships in the subjects you would like and going into a new position. Alternatively it may be worth mentioning to your boss about how the government can help subsidise the cost to the company through the apprenticeship Levi I believe. I am not an expert in this topic so I would recommend researching it yourself and seeing how exactly it works before you bring it up to your boss. Hope this helps :smile:
Original post by 222student222
Hey! I will be doing a degree apprenticeship in September. Any tips or advice in regards to moving away from home, making new friends and adapting to working full time?

Hi @222student222, congratulations on securing your apprenticeship. I may not be able to advice on moving away from home, apologies. Making new friends may seem tough but being together as a cohort it makes it a lot easier. Everyone is in the same boat and networking is really encouraged in the workplace/uni. As apprentices, we have a weekly social meet-up where we all can chat and catch-up virtually for 30 mins each week. This makes the process a lot easier so there's always things like this you can set up. Also, earlier last year at Barclays, we introduced a 'coffee chat' where apprentices would get assigned to another apprentice to chat over 15 mins, this really helped me to introduce myself to others in the cohort (especially because we all joined virtually in 2020).

Adapting to full time work is a smooth process because of the support and flexibility you have from uni and work. Initially, we started off doing training and workshops which meant our days were a little shorter and then you gradually get introduced to work based projects etc. from your team so you aren't thrown in the deep end.

Hope this helps :smile:
Whats the best part about doing a degree apprenticeship and why did you choose it over doing a degree or just an apprenticeship? I'm struggling to choose what I want to do out of those three as they all have positives and negatives, just need some opinions really

@McrMetLeon @McrMetFizah @McrMetMason
Original post by thanos34
Whats the best part about doing a degree apprenticeship and why did you choose it over doing a degree or just an apprenticeship? I'm struggling to choose what I want to do out of those three as they all have positives and negatives, just need some opinions really

@McrMetLeon @McrMetFizah @McrMetMason

Hi @thanos34, the best part for me that made me choose it over a degree apprenticeship is the ability to get 'on-the-job' experience and gain valuable work experience whilst doing your degree. By the time you have your qualification, you have 4 years experience of working in the industry which makes you a lot more employable. It's also a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn too and you don't have the additional student loans either as you get a wage as well as your degree fully paid for.

Hope this helps :smile:
Original post by thanos34
Whats the best part about doing a degree apprenticeship and why did you choose it over doing a degree or just an apprenticeship? I'm struggling to choose what I want to do out of those three as they all have positives and negatives, just need some opinions really

@McrMetLeon @McrMetFizah @McrMetMason

Hi @thanos34, great question. For me I think that a degree apprenticeship really is the best of both worlds as you work full time but also get a degree along side it. So far the benefits I've found are that you get a degree without getting into student debt, and the degree is indistinguishable from a degree that a 'normal' student would get.

Also you get 4 years of really good experience so by the time you finish your apprenticeship the people who will have just done 'normal uni' won't have much experience and whereas a degree apprentice will have the same degree but also will have worked in a company for four years and know how to behave and work in the world of world.

also I have found that a degree apprenticeship has given me a lot of experience in seeing how the 'real world' works but I still have the relative security of doing an apprenticeship so you aren't expected to know absolutely everything yet. but in the Apprenticeship so far I've been given so much responsibility, more than I expected I would as an apprentice so it helps you develop your experience further.

Also being paid a salary really helps you to be more money concious and helps you to begin saving up for the future and to spend money and do things with your friends.

I think one of the only down sides I have heard people mention to a degree apprenticeship is the lifestyle being different from the 'typical uni experience' but as an apprentice you still can go out with your friends and still move out and live with room mates and other apprentices and what a few apprentices I know including myself do is if you already have friends at uni or who plan to go to uni you can go to their uni for a weekend or take holiday from work and then still experience that uni life.

So I would definitely recommend a degree apprenticeship :smile:
Good luck
Heyy anyone got any tips for apprenticeships and the interviews? X
Original post by McrMetMason
Hi @thanos34, great question. For me I think that a degree apprenticeship really is the best of both worlds as you work full time but also get a degree along side it. So far the benefits I've found are that you get a degree without getting into student debt, and the degree is indistinguishable from a degree that a 'normal' student would get.

Also you get 4 years of really good experience so by the time you finish your apprenticeship the people who will have just done 'normal uni' won't have much experience and whereas a degree apprentice will have the same degree but also will have worked in a company for four years and know how to behave and work in the world of world.

also I have found that a degree apprenticeship has given me a lot of experience in seeing how the 'real world' works but I still have the relative security of doing an apprenticeship so you aren't expected to know absolutely everything yet. but in the Apprenticeship so far I've been given so much responsibility, more than I expected I would as an apprentice so it helps you develop your experience further.

Also being paid a salary really helps you to be more money concious and helps you to begin saving up for the future and to spend money and do things with your friends.

I think one of the only down sides I have heard people mention to a degree apprenticeship is the lifestyle being different from the 'typical uni experience' but as an apprentice you still can go out with your friends and still move out and live with room mates and other apprentices and what a few apprentices I know including myself do is if you already have friends at uni or who plan to go to uni you can go to their uni for a weekend or take holiday from work and then still experience that uni life.

So I would definitely recommend a degree apprenticeship :smile:


Original post by McrMetFizah
Hi @thanos34, the best part for me that made me choose it over a degree apprenticeship is the ability to get 'on-the-job' experience and gain valuable work experience whilst doing your degree. By the time you have your qualification, you have 4 years experience of working in the industry which makes you a lot more employable. It's also a fantastic opportunity to earn while you learn too and you don't have the additional student loans either as you get a wage as well as your degree fully paid for.

Hope this helps :smile:

Amazing thank you!

Are you going to be employed by your companies afterwards or is that not how it works? Can you apply for grad schemes and things like that afterwards?
Original post by StrawberryDreams
Hey everyone!

Apologies if you receive a tag twice today but wanted to make sure you made the most of this opportunity if you needed/wanted it :smile:

We have experts in degree apprenticeships, including a current degree apprentice from Fujitsu, online until 5pm if you have any specific questions at all you want answered!

Just head over to this thread and pop your question in there: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7192154

Hope this helps but no worries if you can't make it :biggrin:

Strawberry



What areas are they looking for in degree apprenticeships?
Original post by roldbury12
I have recently got a degree apprenticeship but I am still waiting on my certificate for the apprenticeship I have just finished. Is there anyway the University I am meant to be doing my degree apprenticeship with defer me if I don't get the required UCAS points? Currently stressing as I only have my target grade which is what got me the degree apprenticeship.

Hi @roldbury12 , I would get in contact with your employer and the university and explain the situation. They should be able to advise what to do about your certificate. (It's not usually possible to defer a degree apprenticeship as it's reliant on being a combined programme of work and study, so even if the university would let you defer the course, you may not have the job offer a year later! )
Original post by emmf2310
ahh thats great thank you so much!

whats the usual salary for someone looking at doing a tech based degree apprenticeship?

Hey @emmf2310, I can't speak for every degree apprenticeship, but at Manchester Met the minimum salary for our degree apprentices currently is £14,000 a year - though many of the employers we work with choose to pay above this. Hope that helps :smile:
Original post by Hary2022
What areas are they looking for in degree apprenticeships?

@McrMetLeon will get back to you to let you know what areas Fujitsu look for in degree apprenticeships :smile: Thanks!
Original post by Hary2022
What areas are they looking for in degree apprenticeships?


Hi @Hary2022, the subject areas for degree apprenticeships tend to be focused on sectors that need new trainees or sectors that are expanding rapidly so need more skilled workers :smile: For college and sixth form leavers this includes things like business management, many different career paths within the digital sector, some sciences and other areas like engineering and construction. Universities all offer different programmes so it's worth some research into what would interest you!
Original post by Sophie0198271
Heyy anyone got any tips for apprenticeships and the interviews? X

Hey @Sophie0198271, some tips I'd give are make sure you have a professional and clear CV ready for any potential apprenticeship applications.
Also do your research into the company, and the job role, and make sure it's the right path and sector for you - for a Level 6 degree apprenticeship straight from sixth form or college you will spend 4 years studying for the degree and in the same work place, so it's good to make sure it would suit you!

If you get invited to an interview, again I would say make sure you have prepared fully and done research into the company. It's good to practice answering interview questions with friends or family and think of some mock answers you could give. Also make sure you act professional and give a good impression, including dressing smartly and being polite, friendly, and enthusiastic with your interviewers.
Do you know if/where I can find an apprenticeship in fine art? I know there is lots of degrees in fine art I would just like to do an apprenticeship but I can’t seem to find any
Original post by thanos34
Amazing thank you!

Are you going to be employed by your companies afterwards or is that not how it works? Can you apply for grad schemes and things like that afterwards?

Hi @thanos34, after an apprenticeship you are not guaranteed a job but most apprentices do receive an offer for the same or a slightly different position after their apprenticeship. some people like to view an apprenticeship as a really long interview where you have four years to meet people in the business and show what you can do with all the projects you complete. But even if for whatever reason you are not offered a position after it, you still will have done a lot of networking around the business and university and have four years of experience and a degree without any of the student debt so arguably an apprentice is in a better position than the average student at graduation :smile: and the apprentice can then go on to apply to jobs that require experience.

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