Here at Instant Impact we want to make the start of everyone’s career an unforgettable experience. In doing this, we want to make sure that students know about all the different options available to them.
The educational system does seem quite simple. You attend primary school at the age of 4, secondary school at the age of 11, sixth form/college at 16, and then University at 18 - right?
But what if you decided that University wasn’t the right route for you, and that you wanted to gain both real-life work experience and continue your studies in a practical environment?
That is exactly what I did. I was hesitant at first – throughout my whole life I was told by my parents, peers and teachers that University was the only route to go down. As a result, from a very young age I was adamant that I wanted to go to University. This all changed when I heard about the apprenticeship route. I have always had a great work ethic and since the age of 16, I absolutely loved working. I wanted this to continue, but not just on a part-time basis – I wanted to build a genuine career for myself and almost get a head-start on the career ladder! At the same time, I certainly didn’t want to sacrifice my education. However, as soon as I heard that by carrying out an apprenticeship, you could gain amazing qualifications up to master’s level, and work full-time alongside, I thought this was the perfect opportunity and a fantastic alternative to the traditional University route.
There is still a stigma out there that apprenticeships are only for the ‘less academic’. This is false - it’s for both practical and academic individuals who also strive for success! I am really trying to put a stop to this mindset. Here are my 5 reasons as to why completing an apprenticeship is just as great as going to university:
- You get the best of both worlds: Not only are you working full-time alongside industry professionals, meaning that you are gaining some great experience with on-the-job training, but you are also gaining an industry recognised qualification!
- You can now receive the equivalent of a master’s during your apprenticeship: As an apprentice, you can now study for certain qualifications up to Level 7, which is equivalent to a masters. Who said that apprenticeships were for the less academic?
- You can complete apprenticeships in several different areas: There are several different options to choose from construction, planning, engineering and agriculture, to business, administration, law and IT (just to name a few). You can complete an apprenticeship in pretty much anything!
- Experience is highly valued by employers. Have you ever heard of people going for interviews and being turned away due to “not having enough experience”? By completing an apprenticeship, you are gaining some great business and industry experience from a young age, which will be highly valued by employers in the future!
- There are opportunities to progress! Depending on the company that you work for, there can be opportunities for you to progress after the apprenticeship is complete if you decide to stay there, and you could even possibly progress whilst still being an apprentice! I was promoted during my apprenticeship and I have received another promotion since completion – you could possibly even be in a senior position by the time your friends graduate!
Written by our Talent Partner - Shanice, who is officially graduating from her Apprenticeship on May 21st.
