Apprenticeship vs University | Which path is right for you?

In our third episode, Georgina Stapeley, Melissa Greenwood and Rebekah Lowles explore the options available after college and sixth form, through three distinct perspectives: A degree apprentice, a criminology graduate who transitioned to an apprenticeship post-university and a HR apprentice.

This episode covers:

• Their journeys into an apprenticeship
• Key factors to consider before deciding on an apprenticeship
• Common myths and misconceptions
• Practical next steps

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Visit the Bristows website for more information.

Note: All information was correct at the time of recording.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Hi and welcome back to Ask an Apprentice. I'm Georgie Stapley and today I'm joined by my colleagues Melissa Greenwood and Rebecca Lowells. Today we will be offering advice to help you decide whether a business services apprenticeship or a university route is right for you.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

We'll be breaking down the real differences between a business services apprenticeship and university. We'll discuss our journeys into our apprenticeships and what our apprenticeships entail and what to consider when deciding between an apprenticeship versus university. We'll also be doing some myth busting and then finally giving you guys some practical next steps. So let's get started with our journeys into our apprenticeships. Melissa, please can you start us off?

SPEAKER_02 0:46

Sure, I received my 2.1 in applied criminology before starting my apprenticeship at Bristows with Leap Tanant. University taught me and grew my analytical and transferable skills such as my communication and time management, while giving me the opportunity to grow and explore my interests to help kickstart my career. At university, I explored topics such as cybersecurity and threat mitigation tools, which led me to want me to begin my technical career, which led me to my information communications technician apprenticeship here. This apprenticeship has allowed me to put my interests together while being mentored and coached along the way.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

I joined the firm in late 2022 on a level 3 digital marketing apprenticeship, which is equivalent to two A levels, and I found it to be useful and relevant for what my career in marketing was going to look like. After completing that apprenticeship, I was offered the opportunity to begin a level 6 digital marketing apprenticeship, more commonly known as a degree apprenticeship. A degree apprenticeship is very similar to other apprenticeships in the sense that you study alongside working, but a key difference with this apprenticeship is that you typically have one day a week allocated to attending university, whether this be in person or online. The course is three years long and will hopefully, fingers crossed, result in me achieving said degree at the end of the course. I've been lucky enough to do two apprenticeships at Bristows, and the reason I chose this latest apprenticeship was because it's a great way to combine the skills you tend to learn at uni and the skills you tend to learn at work all into one. They complement each other and you really get to challenge yourself.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

So a business services apprenticeship is a work-based training program where you gain a qualification and learn practical business skills, all whilst working for an employer and earning a salary. Your time is split between on-the-job training, so working within the business and off-the-job learning with an apprenticeship training provider. Business services apprenticeships cover a wide range of areas such as marketing, HR, finance, IT, and you can earn a recognized qualification and real world experience. I chose this route because I preferred hands-on experience, and after trying university but realizing it certainly wasn't for me, I wanted to gain a qualification and develop real-world skills and experience. An apprenticeship has been a really positive pivot for me, allowing me to gain practical and academic experience whilst also developing a clear understanding of how a business operates on a day-to-day basis.

SPEAKER_01 3:04

Now that we've talked about the different routes we each took, let's move on to some factors to consider for anyone deciding between the different routes. The first thing to consider is learning style and assessment style.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

If you enjoy studying, writing essays, attending lectures and seminars, then university might suit you well. It often involves a lot of independent study, research, and coursework, so it can be a great option if you liked having time to explore topics in depth and develop your academic skills. University can also give you the opportunity to try different modules while meeting a wide range of people and experienced student life. Also, if you prefer being assessed through series of exams and presentations and reports and essays, university may be for you.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

However, if you prefer learning through practical experience and applying your knowledge in real situations, an apprenticeship can be a really good option. Instead of spending most of your time in lectures or studying theory, you're actively involved in real work from the beginning. This means that you can see how the skills you're learning are used in a professional environment, whether that's working in a team, supporting projects, or developing problem-solving skills. You're also building confidence in the workplace and gaining really valuable experience that can help you progress in your career. For many people, that hands-on approach makes learning feel more engaging and helps them to develop more practical skills much earlier on. I think it's really important to note as well that it is not a less academic route and you still study towards professional qualification. You have protected time in your working week to do so as well. So in an apprenticeship, you're assessed against knowledge, skills, and behaviours called KSBs, which are key things that the apprenticeship standard says you need to develop by the end of the programme and by the end of your learning. In my apprenticeship, this is completed through essay questions and presentations, which helps you build towards your endpoint assessment.

SPEAKER_01 4:49

A degree apprenticeship can be a great option if you like the idea of combining academic study and practical work experience. You'll typically spend most of your time working within a company while also studying towards a university degree alongside your role. This means you can apply what you're learning in your studies directly to real projects in the workplace, which helps bring the theory to life. You're also developing professional skills, gaining industry experience, and building a network while progressing academically. It's important to remember that a degree apprenticeship still involves studying at a university level. You graduate with the same degree as someone who studied full-time at university, but with several years of work experience as well. It follows a similar structure to Rebecca's course in the sense that you're working towards your endpoint assessment, which consists of an essay report and presentation, but there is also an add-on of a graded interview.

SPEAKER_00 5:35

So next up to consider is lifestyle and experience, which links a lot into a typical day in the life of an apprentice.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

My day-to-day life at Bristows involves picking up tickets and requests from across the firm on the IT help desk. I also do this alongside working on my three main projects from Leap Talent, formerly known as Just IT, where I combine my workshop coursework and technical knowledge and understanding into my daily practice at Bristow's when answering help desk tickets. This involves working within Active Directory and admin centers to laptop builds and hardware switch outs.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

While at university, one day out of the working week, my time is split between various lectures and seminars. While at work, I support on website, social media, and creative initiatives.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

For an apprenticeship, your day-to-day experience is essentially your full-time job. You're in a professional environment, usually Monday to Friday, and this is where I spend the majority of my time completing real tasks, supporting projects, and learning from my colleagues. This ranges from conducting inductions for new starters to handling employee queries. For me, I have an eight-hour virtual workshop once to twice a month on a Wednesday, and this is where I learn my key content for my CIPD qualification. Then for my apprenticeship, I have six hours a week dedicated apprenticeship time where I work on tasks such as presentations, essay questions, and professional discussions. Another important factor is how you gain work experience. So, with an apprenticeship, work experience is built into the overall program from the start. You're working in a real role from day one, gaining practical experience and learning from your colleagues and developing real skills. On my second week, I was already helping to induct new starters, despite literally only being here two weeks myself, which shows how much Bristos trust and value the role that apprentices play.

SPEAKER_01 7:22

Yeah, I would also agree that this is the same for a degree apprenticeship. With full-time work and part-time studying, you have plenty of overlap. What you learn at work will enrich your uni learning and vice versa.

SPEAKER_00 7:32

Yeah, no, I totally agree with that one. My apprenticeship has also given me opportunities beyond my day-to-day roles, such as being part of the London Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. And some of us will soon be participating in an upcoming apprenticeship careers fair at a local university.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

A degree will offer plenty of opportunities to kickstart your career by offering placements and internships as well as many scheduled and frequent careers fairs and frequent CV and interview skill workshops to help prepare you for when you finish your degree.

SPEAKER_01 8:02

Another important factor to think about when deciding between these routes are your long-term career goals. A degree enables you to gain wider academic experience and build a deep understanding of your specific subject. It can be good to have greater flexibility if you are unsure of your exact career path.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

However, apprenticeships can also be a really valuable route when thinking about your long-term career. You're gaining practical experience, developing professional skills, and building networks within your industry from a young age. So, when deciding, it's definitely worth considering whether you would prefer to focus on broader academic study first or start developing professional skills and experience earlier within your career.

SPEAKER_01 8:40

Exactly. And it's important to remember that isn't just one path to a successful career. Apprenticeships and university can all get you there.

SPEAKER_02 8:47

Another important factor people may consider when choosing between university and an apprenticeship is the financial element of it. With a degree, you're covered and entitled to a student loan through the student finance. That can help with study expenses such as maintenance loans, all under the university finance team at your university.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

With an apprenticeship, you're employed by the company and earning a salary whilst you train. Your employee covers the cost of your training, so you are being paid to learn and also gain experience.

SPEAKER_01 9:15

When it comes to degree apprenticeships, students do not pay for their tuition. Instead, the employer and government cover the full costs. This is why degree apprenticeships are described as debt-free degrees. Now, I think we should touch on a few misconceptions people have when deciding between university and apprenticeships. What's our first myth? Apprenticeships are only full manual jobs.

SPEAKER_00 9:36

What would you say to that, Rebecca? So, whilst apprenticeships do exist in trades like construction or engineering, there are apprenticeships across a huge range of industries. For example, law, finance, tech, HR, marketing, and more. These lead to a professional qualification such as a CIPD, CIM, or even a university degree like Georgie's. Our second myth is that apprenticeships are less academic than university.

SPEAKER_02 10:01

Apprenticeships involve structured learning alongside your job. You're assessed against KSPs, which means you're developing theoretical, practical understanding of your role. You can have a really successful career path along an apprenticeship, and this can lead to long-term career progression.

SPEAKER_01 10:16

Thanks, Melissa. And for degree apprenticeships, the only difference between you and a full-time student on a traditional course is that you are already working in the relevant field.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

Our third and final myth is that apprentices have no social life. What do you guys think about that one?

SPEAKER_02 10:30

That's not true. Whilst an apprenticeship is a full-time job, you still have evenings, weekends, and annual leave, just like any other job.

SPEAKER_01 10:37

You also have the chance to build friendships with colleagues, network with other apprentices, and get involved in social events. So while the experience might be different from traditional university life, you can still have a really active social life alongside work.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

Thank you both. I do agree. And especially at Bristows, there are lots of different social activities, committees, and after work events to get involved with. If anything, I feel like my social life has improved and I still find time to visit my friends who have gone to university or those who have already graduated. Later in the year, we have a specific episode on application tips.

SPEAKER_02 11:08

However, we thought it would be good to provide you with some next steps.

SPEAKER_00 11:13

So the next step is just exploring your options. Take some time to look at the different apprenticeships or courses that interest you and get a feel for what's out there. So careers and apprenticeship fairs, apprenticeship websites, LinkedIn, and other social media tools are all useful to explore what is out there. It is also a really good idea to talk to people who have been down these routes. So whether that's an apprentice, a degree apprentice, or a graduate. Hearing about real experiences can give insight into what daily life is like and help you to imagine yourself in that environment. We will delve into more specific tips in an episode later this year, though.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

It is also important to reflect on what matters to you personally, whether that is earning whilst learning, gaining professional experience early, or enjoying the traditional university experience.

SPEAKER_00 11:56

Definitely. And don't be discouraged if an apprenticeship feels like the less traditional route, and try not to let anyone, whether that be teachers, friends, or even your school in general, pressure you into a path that doesn't feel right for you. Remember, an apprenticeship is a worthwhile and valuable path, so don't let anyone convince you that university is the only way to succeed.

SPEAKER_01 12:15

Thanks both. We hope you found this episode helpful and that this gave you insight into apprenticeships versus university. Make sure to watch out for future podcasts on Ask an Apprentice.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

And if, after listening to this episode, an apprenticeship is a path that interests you, then follow our Instagram page at Bristos Apprenticeships to find out more and ask any questions you may have.