Delineo’s social media apprentice Bonnie discusses the positives and potential negatives of an apprenticeship.
Deciding what you want to do with your life as a teenager isn’t the simplest of decisions and it’s easy to find yourself with more questions than answers. Do I want to go to university? What’s an apprenticeship? How do I go about winning the EuroMillions?
Things become more difficult considering half of your peers know exactly what career path they want to take. It makes you feel frantic you aren’t that assured. Meanwhile, the other half are running around like headless chickens without a clue – comforting. Having had experience in being both, I thought that I’d put together some pros and cons of being an apprentice in a scheme.
Pros
Practical experience
You have the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience in your chosen field. Gaining experience whilst working towards a qualification allows you to build up a respectable CV and ensure that everything that you’re learning will be relevant towards your career.
Earn while you learn
Earning money while earning a qualification is definitely a positive. Being motivated by money may mean that an apprenticeship would be more appropriate than university as you can start earning from the get go. The current national minimum wage for apprentices under 19 is £2.65 an hour, although many firms pay more than this.
No debt
This speaks for itself; you can go into life after your apprenticeship debt free.
Learn on the job
Apprentices learn on the job, building up knowledge and skills, gaining qualifications and earning money all at the same time. You work towards a work-based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) which is recognised by employers all over the country.
Cons
You can’t gain access to certain careers through an apprenticeship route
Having an undergraduate degree is an essential requirement for certain careers, particularly in areas such as medicine and science.
Missing out on the university experience
For many, university isn’t just about getting a degree, it’s about moving to a new place, meeting new people and having a good time – shocking, I know. So by doing an apprenticeship, you have to plunge straight into the world of work which may take a hit on your social life.
Responsibility
Some might feel overwhelmed at first. Your employer will have deadlines to meet and clients to please. This can be a steep learning curve and it’s important to take things seriously.
It’s important to remember that everyone is different and what works for you may not work for other people. Different careers and employers have different specifications. Some may value experience over a qualification or a good attitude.
(Remember if all else fails, your chances of winning the EuroMillions are 76 million to one. Good luck!)