education style
An alternative to university
Apprenticeships are no longer seen as a poor substitute for academic study. Sam Bilton discovers what opportunities they can offer
U
niversity may not be the route to a high-flying career it was once thought to be. According to recent research from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), more than nine million jobs will be in fields that do not require a degree by 2022. Perhaps the alternative to a university education could be learning through doing in the form of an apprenticeship. “You can do an apprenticeship in over 1,500 job roles across 170 industries now so they’re a great way to pursue a high-level career without the need to do full-time study at university,” says Julie Taylor from the National Careers Service. Apprentices earn a wage and are entitled to all the usual employee benefits. Apprenticeships
often include some element of part-time study. They can be an excellent alternative to university because the higher level of apprenticeships allows young people (usually aged between 16 and 24) to work their way up to the equivalent of a bachelor degree while being sponsored by their employer. The long-term prospects for apprentices are also good, with 85 per cent staying in employment and 65 per cent of those remaining with the same employer.
can last from six weeks to six months but are usually unpaid. They act as a bridge between school and work.
Some employers may look for evidence of work experience before appointing an apprentice. One way to gain this vital experience and learn a new skill is to take up a traineeship. A traineeship is an education and training programme with work experience that is focused on giving young people the skills and experience that employers are looking for. They
“Some people appreciate full-time study while others prefer to learn a job by doing it.
“The National Careers Service believes there are a number of routes to employment for young people depending on the way they work and learn best. We would never say it’s definitely university or it’s definitely apprenticeships,” adds Julie.
“You may find in the future that there’s not much difference between the long-term career prospects of someone who has come up via the apprenticeship route and someone who has gone to university.”
The apprentice
The Employer
After attaining 10 GCSEs at school, Josh Cox was in the first year of sixth form and working part-time as a kitchen porter in a local pub when he decided to go for an apprenticeship. He began an apprenticeship in mechanical engineering at Universal Race Technology (URT) in 2007, aged 17.
Caffyns of Eastbourne is a group of motor dealerships working across 12 locations in Sussex and Kent. It has been offering apprenticeships ever since the company was founded in 1865 and has around 25 apprentices at any one time. Caffyns now offers various intermediate and advanced apprenticeships, ranging from customer service and vehicle maintenance, to software, web and telecoms.
“It seemed like a great opportunity to better my skills and knowledge, while working in the job I enjoyed,” says Josh. While he was working at URT Josh attended Chichester College on a part-time basis, achieving a Level 3 NVQ in mechanical engineering. He finished his apprenticeship in July 2011 and is now employed full-time with URT. Josh credits his apprenticeship with giving him not only enjoyable practical experience but also invaluable life and career skills. “I have been given lots of opportunities to work on great projects, and have had lots of support and help all the way through my apprenticeship from URT,” he explains. “My goal now is to excel within the company.” He adds: “I would highly recommend apprenticeships as they are a great way to learn skills and gain knowledge. They bring you closer to the company you work for and can lead to great opportunities.”
Find out more The National Apprenticeship
Service: apprenticeships.org. uk or call 08000 150 600.
“Caffyns enjoys employing apprentices,” says Barbara Robinson, Caffyns’ human resources manager. “We love to watch the enthusiasm and passion for cars they have at their initial interview grow into skills they are proud of, which will enable them to pursue excellent careers in the motor industry.” The apprenticeships are supported by training delivered by Northbrook College and other providers. As well as work experience this means new recruits can also gain a range of vocational qualifications including Level 2 or 3 NVQs relevant to their chosen career path. Many apprentices work their way up through the company to management level. “From day one our apprentices contribute to the business not only by learning the job,” says Barbara, “but also by learning about us as a company and the systems we use. This means they are able to assist their mentors in many ways.” National Careers Service helpline 0800 100900
With thanks to the Skills Funding Agency.
october 2014 | sussexst yle .c o m | 7 5