Different Directions

Imagine learning and earning at the same time – and we’re not just talking about a parttime job. You could go down a different path and achieve all your goals without having to set foot in a university

The tables have turned since your mum and dad were at school – in more ways than one. Gone are the days when university was a novelty, as school leavers across Scotland gear up to start their degree… but what if university isn’t for you?

MODERN APPRENTICESHIP “I didn’t really enjoy school so I thought, if I’m not enjoying high school, what is it going to be like if I do four more years at university?” says Lisa McCabe who successfully completed a Modern Apprenticeship last year. Now working in a full-time job and fully qualified, 18-year-old Lisa from Wishaw believes the benefits of learning whilst you’re earning are fantastic for those unsure about university.

School is a great place to learn new information and gain qualifications but sometimes you miss out on the skills needed to succeed in the ‘real world’. That’s where Skills Development Scotland (SDS) come in. They are the leading organisation in Scotland dedicated to ensuring you get the most out of your future career, whatever route that involves.

Noticing school leavers may have a skills gap, SDS introduced Modern Apprenticeships (MAs). An MA is an alternative direction to university where participants can gain qualifications through on-the-job experience. “My brother did an apprenticeship after he left school, an engineering one. Obviously you get paid and you’re learning at the same time. That was quite interesting, and then I saw an advert on Facebook for Skills Development Scotland,” explains Lisa who sent across her CV and ended up working for… Source Magazine!

Yes, our very own Lisa completed an MA with Source – well, the company we are run by, DC Publishing – and worked her way up from admin assistant to become a production assistant, working closely with sales and design and ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes on the magazine.

POSSIBILITIES “For some apprenticeships you go to college, but the one I did was all in the workplace. A Modern Apprenticeship is a total of two years, but that’s the maximum time – you usually end up finishing it after a year or just over a year,” says Lisa who went on to achieve a Level 3 Modern Apprenticeship in business and administration.

“I think it’s good to go out, start working and show what you’ve learned from a Modern Apprenticeship – it’s not like I’ve left school and not done anything”

As more and more school leavers opt out of university, there are more directions to take than ever before. One site committed to helping students who don’t want to take the traditional route is Not Going to Uni (www.notgoingtouni. co.uk). Tom Mursell set up the site after he noticed there were no websites providing information on alternatives to university for school leavers. Since 2008 the site has evolved. “We’re busier than we’ve ever been because there are so many opportunities available for young people,” says Not Going to Uni’s managing director Sean Allison. “Previously, people only thought about apprenticeships as brick laying or something along those lines. In this day and age there are so many frameworks and you can be an apprentice anywhere.”

Not Going to Uni points school leavers in the direction of apprenticeships, college diplomas, distance learning, jobs, and even gap years. Going to university isn’t for everyone – you either love learning or you loathe it and wish you were doing something more productive with your time. Earning extra cash is also a great bonus.

ACCOMPLISHMENT Lisa continues: “I think it’s good to have your own freedom to get to know the workplace. I think an apprenticeship is a good way to do that because you’re still learning, but you’re learning the ways of an office as well.” Learning on the job is also a great way to get handson experience of a career that you are interested in, or working towards a goal in a career you didn’t know was possible.

After gaining her Level 3 qualification, Lisa received her SQA certificate featuring her new achievement, which she can show during any future job interviews. “I think it’s good to go out, get working and show what you’ve learned from a Modern Apprenticeship – it’s not like I’ve left school and not done anything,” says Lisa.

DECISIONS Having worked her way up the ranks at DC Publishing, Lisa’s job now involves looking after Source and five other titles. She says: “When I started I was doing admin. I was then told that I could do more and the first thing I got responsibility for was chasing up the adverts that go in the magazine – that’s a big responsibility. You just try and do everything the best you can and it shows that you can actually do it, then you get more and more responsibility.”

Dedication, time and effort is all that is asked from you during an apprenticeship. Going out and earning – bringing home your first wage – is an appealing prospect that can open doors that university might not be able to. Lisa concludes: “My advice is to think about it first, see what’s out there and don’t rush into anything – there are many options out there.”

Understanding what’s available to you – whether that’s training for an apprenticeship, going to college, getting into work, travelling for a bit or going to university – is key to making the transition from school as smooth as possible. It’s all about finding what’s best for you. It’s time to take the bull by the horns and direct your future down the path that’s right for you.

FIND OUT MORE Think a Modern Apprenticeship is the path for you? Head to www.apprenticeships.scot to see what’s out there.