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Apprenticeships vs. university: finding the right pathway for your future

At NCFE, we’re gearing up to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week by bringing you the latest information and statistics to guide your decision on whether studying an apprenticeship is right for you.  

An apprenticeship is an exciting pathway which provides hands-on training, where the apprentice gets to learn on the job while working towards a qualification. This leads to the development of valuable skills, as well as industry experience in your chosen field. After completion of the apprenticeship and qualification, the employment provider can choose to hire the apprentice in a permanent position.  

 To help you in your decision, this article will explore how apprenticeships compare to undergraduate degrees in terms of experiences, opportunities, and outcomes. 

Levels of satisfaction 

The Department for Education’s Apprenticeship Achievements publication of 2024 shows that 84% of apprentices were satisfied with their experience upon completion. 

What’s more, 36% of apprentices believe they would not be working in their current industry if it hadn’t been for the opportunity to complete an apprenticeship. This indicates that a large proportion of apprentices see the opportunity as key to entering an industry.  

The three main reasons stated by apprentices for undertaking the apprenticeships were to gain experience at the same time as a qualification (74%), to progress in a career (51%), and to get hands-on experience (46%). It is important to remember that statistics on apprenticeships can include both respondents who are young apprentices, generally described as people under the age of 19 starting out in their careers, and established professionals taking on qualifications to progress in an existing career.  

The satisfaction rate for university graduates was similar, with only 13% of respondents reporting that their experience was worse than expected. 22% reported that their experience was better than expected, with other respondents stating it was mixed or matched expectations.  

39% of graduates believed their course was good value for money, however this data includes Scottish students who typically have lower fees. Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland responded with 36%, 40% and 41% satisfaction respectively.  

The rate of satisfaction with regards to undergraduate degrees’ value for money has been generally dropping since records began in 2013, when all regions’ response to this question was over 40%, but has recovered from a significant dip in 2021, which was caused by restrictions on face-to-face time due to pandemic restrictions.  

These statistics deal with experience and perception – but what do the employability statistics say?

Click here for the full press release

 

Channel website: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/

Original article link: https://www.ncfe.org.uk/all-articles/apprenticeships-vs-university-finding-the-right-pathway-for-your-future/

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