Degree Apprenticeship Or Degree??

I currently hold a place at Uni of Leeds in Food Science and Nutrition (BSc) 2025 Entry, but I have also recently discovered that Leeds Beckett does an environmental health practicioner degree apprenticeship that I am thinking of applying to.

I am debating which one to go as l am now entering my second gap year and I have been out of education for almost three years working fulltime so I was looking forward to making some friends at uni as I literally have zero at the moment and never get the chance to talk to people my age. I feel like my life is on hold rn and I want a social life which I think Uni is good for but at the same time I don't want the debt and I am worried about the career prospects of food science and nutrition degree even though Leeds is a Russell group and much better ranked university than Leeds Beckett. I also think the salaries for a qualified Environmental Health Officer in Australia are higher (I am possibly considering the idea of moving there after graduation), but I don't know if I want to be trapped doing a four year apprenticeship for a job I might not even end up wanting to do in the end. I want to get married in my mid 20s and have kids so eventually I will want to work more part time/ remote.
Has anyone done anything similar?? And what do you think is the best option for my career and social life aspects pls

Reply 1

quick-smear

Hey, have you decided what you want to do yet?

Reply 2

Emma:-)

Entertainment Forum Helper, Careers Forum Helper

Original post by rizlmynizzle

I currently hold a place at Uni of Leeds in Food Science and Nutrition (BSc) 2025 Entry, but I have also recently discovered that Leeds Beckett does an environmental health practicioner degree apprenticeship that I am thinking of applying to.
I am debating which one to go as l am now entering my second gap year and I have been out of education for almost three years working fulltime so I was looking forward to making some friends at uni as I literally have zero at the moment and never get the chance to talk to people my age. I feel like my life is on hold rn and I want a social life which I think Uni is good for but at the same time I don't want the debt and I am worried about the career prospects of food science and nutrition degree even though Leeds is a Russell group and much better ranked university than Leeds Beckett. I also think the salaries for a qualified Environmental Health Officer in Australia are higher (I am possibly considering the idea of moving there after graduation), but I don't know if I want to be trapped doing a four year apprenticeship for a job I might not even end up wanting to do in the end. I want to get married in my mid 20s and have kids so eventually I will want to work more part time/ remote.
Has anyone done anything similar?? And what do you think is the best option for my career and social life aspects pls

Id go for the apprenticeship. You still gain a degree. But you are also working, earning and gaining experience (which is useful in this day and age). With uni you will get the debt, which you wont get with the apprenticeship. You also arent guaranteed a job after uni.
You can still make friends. You may make friends with the people you work with or make friends with people on the course/college side of things. Also, outside of work, you can join clubs, social groups etc to make friends.

Reply 3

emilyyy1527

That’s a big decision, and it’s great that you’re weighing both career prospects and social life. Uni offers a strong social experience, while an apprenticeship gives work experience without debt. If work-life balance is a priority for the future, it might help to look at careers with flexibility. I also came across this article:https://betterme.world/articles/wellness-program-for-employees/ about workplace wellness programs-something to consider when thinking about long-term job satisfaction.