The Student Room Group

Am I too old for a degree apprenticeship?

Straight to the point.

Im 22 and had my birthday earlier this year.

I am currently doing an open uni degree in engineering, having dropped out of "real" uni twice. I'm not enjoying it, I'm working a minimum wage job which I hate and doesn't cover my living expenses. The earliest I'll graduate is October 2029.

I struggle to keep track of my deadlines, I always end up handing stuff in last minute, but getting a good enough grade anyway because I find the course very easy. Note that I dropped out of "real" uni for social reasons, not academic ones.

At A-level, during covid, I was given AAC, which I don't feel is reflective of the grades I would achieve under exam conditions (I managed 7xA*, 3xA, 1B and 1C at GCSE, before covid)

What are my options? Re-sitting my A-Levels feels like a step backwards and a waste of time. I want to quit my degree, but given the standard of people who have degrees these days, it seems wrong for me not to bother getting one.

I have no idea what I want to do in the future, personally the idea of waking up at 7am 5 days a week to sit in traffic or on a bus to go to work a job I don't like makes me want to boil my head.

Reply 1

Original post
by PotentiallyLost
Straight to the point.
Im 22 and had my birthday earlier this year.
I am currently doing an open uni degree in engineering, having dropped out of "real" uni twice. I'm not enjoying it, I'm working a minimum wage job which I hate and doesn't cover my living expenses. The earliest I'll graduate is October 2029.
I struggle to keep track of my deadlines, I always end up handing stuff in last minute, but getting a good enough grade anyway because I find the course very easy. Note that I dropped out of "real" uni for social reasons, not academic ones.
At A-level, during covid, I was given AAC, which I don't feel is reflective of the grades I would achieve under exam conditions (I managed 7xA*, 3xA, 1B and 1C at GCSE, before covid)
What are my options? Re-sitting my A-Levels feels like a step backwards and a waste of time. I want to quit my degree, but given the standard of people who have degrees these days, it seems wrong for me not to bother getting one.
I have no idea what I want to do in the future, personally the idea of waking up at 7am 5 days a week to sit in traffic or on a bus to go to work a job I don't like makes me want to boil my head.

Don't think a degree apprenticeship is for you then if you cannot keep track of your deadlines and how you gonna make sure you will be working at something you enjoy?

Reply 2

you’re not too old, i’m 22 as well and applying for apprenticeships. Just make sure you know what you want to do before applying so you actually like it and won’t drop out again.

Reply 3

My son just met a 32 year old at the assessment day for a degree apprenticeship....and that wasn't his first! As long as you can effectively convince the employer you are the best candidate, then you have a shot regardless of age!

Reply 4

Not too late at all. I started my Foundation degree at 22 and went on to get my BSc in Biomedical Science (2.2) and then went to work in the COVID labs as an Associate Practitioner before leaving in August 2023, went on to get my Masters and graduated last November (Merit) in Biomedical Science (Clinical Biochemistry specialism) and am now about to start my trainee BMS post to get my full government registration.

Never too late to do what you want, albeit there is a slight caveat of the last minute deadlines but that’s more of a motivation thing!

Reply 5

My best mates GF also just started her apprenticeship degree last September in Biomedical Science and she’s 25, never too late!

Reply 6

I’m 23 and applying for apprenticeships currently. Don’t worry about it

Reply 7

Original post
by PotentiallyLost
Straight to the point.
Im 22 and had my birthday earlier this year.
I am currently doing an open uni degree in engineering, having dropped out of "real" uni twice. I'm not enjoying it, I'm working a minimum wage job which I hate and doesn't cover my living expenses. The earliest I'll graduate is October 2029.
I struggle to keep track of my deadlines, I always end up handing stuff in last minute, but getting a good enough grade anyway because I find the course very easy. Note that I dropped out of "real" uni for social reasons, not academic ones.
At A-level, during covid, I was given AAC, which I don't feel is reflective of the grades I would achieve under exam conditions (I managed 7xA*, 3xA, 1B and 1C at GCSE, before covid)
What are my options? Re-sitting my A-Levels feels like a step backwards and a waste of time. I want to quit my degree, but given the standard of people who have degrees these days, it seems wrong for me not to bother getting one.
I have no idea what I want to do in the future, personally the idea of waking up at 7am 5 days a week to sit in traffic or on a bus to go to work a job I don't like makes me want to boil my head.

It is amazing that you can have so many chips on your shoulder ("real" uni, "standard of people getting who have degrees these days") for someone who has failed numerous times to complete what you purport to be so easy and with a fairly average academic background. I think changing study environment is unlikely to make any real difference until you have sat down and really reflected on what you actually want, as your OP suggests you have a habit of losing interest and quiting things easily.

Greg

Reply 8

Original post
by greg tony
It is amazing that you can have so many chips on your shoulder ("real" uni, "standard of people getting who have degrees these days") for someone who has failed numerous times to complete what you purport to be so easy and with a fairly average academic background. I think changing study environment is unlikely to make any real difference until you have sat down and really reflected on what you actually want, as your OP suggests you have a habit of losing interest and quiting things easily.
Greg

This is literally what I think too and I don't like giving people false hopes. If he/she cannot even think of a career that he/she like, a degree apprenticeship won't be the right option, and there's a high chance of "waking up at 7am 5 days a week to sit in traffic or on a bus to go to work a job I don't like makes me want to boil my head." becoming a reality for him/her. 80% of the degree apprenticeships are closed now anyways.

Reply 9

Original post
by greg tony
It is amazing that you can have so many chips on your shoulder ("real" uni, "standard of people getting who have degrees these days") for someone who has failed numerous times to complete what you purport to be so easy and with a fairly average academic background. I think changing study environment is unlikely to make any real difference until you have sat down and really reflected on what you actually want, as your OP suggests you have a habit of losing interest and quiting things easily.
Greg

I dropped out of uni due to conflicts with other people (i.e, I kicked someone down a flight of stairs when they tried to stab me because I defenestrated their drugs after they came back from the nightclub at 4am on a tuesday and decided that the hallway of the student accomodation was the ideal place for a party) not because I had any difficulty completing the achademic tasks.

I've since stuck with my open uni degree, and managed to persuade them to let me do the degree full time, which means I'll now graduate towards the end of 2027.

I still don't want to wake up at 7am, and it's still the case that none of the careers particularly interest me, but there we go, cest la vive.

Reply 10

Original post
by long_vacation
This is literally what I think too and I don't like giving people false hopes. If he/she cannot even think of a career that he/she like, a degree apprenticeship won't be the right option, and there's a high chance of "waking up at 7am 5 days a week to sit in traffic or on a bus to go to work a job I don't like makes me want to boil my head." becoming a reality for him/her. 80% of the degree apprenticeships are closed now anyways.

Yes, very helpful, the list of things to not do is very, very long.

It doesn't point me in the right direction though.

Reply 11

You didn’t ask for direction. You asked if you were too old for a degree apprenticeship. But since you now seem to be asking:

If you don’t need or want to resit your A levels, don’t.

If you don’t want to finish your degree and don’t intend to do anything with it, you can leave with a CertHE after 120 L4 credits or a DipHE with 240 credits at L4+5. These are real standalone qualifications that have value themselves, and they also leave the door open to completing your degree later (time limits may apply. If the degree includes professional body approval, it might not be possible to pick it up again).

If you don’t want to commute, live close to your work.

If you don’t want to work, get used to not having any money OR find a job that you hate as little as possible and find a balance between what you want to get paid and what you need to do to keep the job. Many people do not like their jobs.

And if you want to get on with other people and have an easier time in work or study: work on your people skills. Escalating nuisance behaviour into very violent confrontations clearly didn’t work for anyone involved. On a similar note, being rude about the ‘quality’ of people who have achieved more than you have makes you look bitter and defensive, not competent and confident.
(edited 3 months ago)

Quick Reply

How The Student Room is moderated

To keep The Student Room safe for everyone, we moderate posts that are added to the site.