What makes apprenticeships so great? Before I go into further detail, we need to understand what is an apprenticeship. An apprenticeship is where you work in a company whilst studying for a qualification, what makes it so great is the fact that you get paid a salary. An apprenticeship is basically a head start. The traditional way of getting into a career is to go to university for three years and then go on a search hunt for a job. Those days are now over, now that apprenticeships have been recognised as a great alternative to university. Taking the apprenticeship route allows you to kickstart your career and gain valuable experience in the industry of your choice, this is a luxury that university students don’t have. This is because university students don’t get the proper experience unless they chose to do a placement, which many don’t.
At the end of year 13, many students all over the UK are still unsure what profession they would like to get into, yet they still decide to go to university and study a subject they are not entirely sure of. This is extremely dangerous as they would still be racking up debt. What makes apprenticeship so great is the fact that not only do you get paid to study you are also DEBT FREE. It’s still baffling to me that a lot of people still believe that university is the only option and would never consider an apprenticeship.
A lot of people have this perception that apprenticeships are not that great because of the lack of support that is provided. I’m here to tell you that that is completely false. You are well supported throughout your journey, this is because you have your line manager supporting you, you have your coach supporting you and most importantly you have the support of your Apprenticeship cohort who are also going through the same journey as you. You guys can easily communicate and relate to each other, you guys can share your success and struggles with each other and support each other
What I’ve noticed with other apprentices is that not only are they getting their qualifications they are also devolving other valuable skills such as finance, presentation, and communication skills. This is huge as it allows apprentices to develop into a much better team players, potentially even being a team leader in a particular project. This can allow you to potentially get promoted or if you want to have that career shift, you could easily do so. Being exposed to so much experience can allow you to meet so many people in your industry, allowing you to build a network.
They are a lot of opportunities for you if you choose the right company. May companies will have a lot of events, workshops, and parties you can attend, allowing you to connect with all sorts of people, which can be an incredible way of increasing your network. Since you’re around a lot of people, this can put you in situations where you are forced to talk to people, which is great as it only enhances your confidence and communication skills. Going to events and parties allows you to also relieve some stress knowing that you’re not always working, knowing that there is also a fun side at your workplace.
In conclusion, Apprenticeships are a no-brainer and a great way to kick start your career and the beauty of it all is that you are free from debt. It is also a great way to self-improve and become a valuable team player for the company that you work for, giving you incredible opportunities down the road.
