This week is National Apprenticeship Week, so I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to talk about why an apprenticeship might be right for you. In this post, I’ll be talking about the pros and cons, as well as my own experience. Yes, I did start off on an apprenticeship. One thing I want to mention is this is based on how they are in the UK. Things may vary in other countries, so please make sure you do your research first.

What is an apprenticeship?

An apprenticeship is the opportunity to combine working with studying to gain skills, knowledge and experience in a specific job. It is often seen as an alternative to going to university, which lets face it, costs thousands these days.

What are the pros and cons?

When thinking why an apprenticeship might be right for you, it’s important to look at both the pros and cons. There are so many that I could mention but I don’t want this post to be too long, so I’ll just mention a few. The great news is if you are under 25, the UK government currently fund your apprenticeship alongside your employer. This means that unlike university, you don’t have lots of upfront and ongoing costs. Sadly it does mean that the subjects are restricted to certain industries, but there are still plenty to choose from.

Once trained, you can potentially earn a lot more than entry level employees. It can also be a direct route to employment with most apprentices offered a job at the end. However, bare in mind that this isn’t guaranteed. Wages for apprentices are often lower than other places whilst your training. Whilst I did mine, I was on less money than some of my friends who were shelf stacking at supermarkets.

One of the big things to consider with apprenticeships is that it ties you to one employer for a period of time. Sometimes this can be for the length of your course. Other times, your employer may have written into your contract that you then need to stay employed with them for a period of time after completion. It’s almost like a guarantee that they are just paying to train you up for you to leave once you’ve got what you wanted. Apprenticeships are very much a long term thing. They usually take between one and four years to complete. Of course this depends on many factors, including the industry and the level of apprenticeship you are doing.

My experience

Still unsure why an apprenticeship might be right for you? Let me tell you a little bit about my experience. I became an apprentice shortly after I left school. I have to admit it feels like a lifetime ago now, however talking to other people, it seems not much has changed other than more money. Whilst all my friends were making plans to go to college and then university, I knew it just wasn’t for me. What I wanted something that would have a more practical and hands on approach to learning. I was completely done with sitting in a classroom, learning from a book. I was also done learning about things that I knew I would never use.

Who uses algebra anyway?

Back then, I wanted to choose something that I felt would always benefit me and so I chose the retail section. Because there would always be shops right? This was long before the internet was what it is today and yes, I know that makes me sound like a dinosaur!

I was recommended a company through a family friend and then found an employer willing to hire me as an apprentice. That first day I was nervous as hell but I got through it. As I expected, I started at the bottom, doing cleaning, making hot drinks etc. I didn’t feel bad about this because it felt like how things were done. By the end of the first week, I had been till trained and was well on my way.

How my apprenticeship worked:

In terms of the apprenticeship side of things, my trainer would come in once every three weeks. During this time, he would observe me at work. Admittedly, I used to dread this, because I hated being watched. However, I just carried on with my jobs that day and there was never any issue. In addition to this, we would also go through the various bits of paperwork I needed to complete. This would be in the form of work booklets that would ask questions about all things retail. It might be health & safety one visit, whilst the next might be how to pacify and rectify an angry customer. The observations would tie into this theme as much as possible.

I was lucky with my employer. They were very supportive and would help me in any way they could. I felt respected and like one of the team. I had signed up for a years apprenticeship and once I’d passed, I was offered a full time role. It was exactly what I wanted. In addition to this, I was then able to progress further by doing higher level apprenticeships. As my knowledge and experience increased, so did my wage, which I loved. Above I mentioned that apprentice wages were often less than what certain employees get elsewhere. However, once I was trained, I found that I was earning way more than all my friends. It gave me so much more security and I ended up being with that employer for nearly ten years.

Final Thoughts

So there is why an apprenticeship might be right for you. If you want to know if I would recommend an apprenticeship as a path to go, I would definitely say its something to think about. There are so many factors to consider, some of which I’ve mentioned above. You really have to think about how you like to learn etc. I look back on my experience with fond memories because I really did enjoy it. Having a trainer, I had the added reassurance that they would keep tabs on my employer and my safety. This isn’t to worry anyone but unfortunately, sometimes employers in general can take advantage. However, during an apprenticeship, your best interests and wellbeing are always kept in check.

I hope you found this post useful. If you have any questions, feel free to either leave a comment or message me on Instagram or Twitter.

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