apprenticeship or college ?
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Soldato
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College and then go into a level 4 apprenticeship. More beneficial unless you want that extra 2 year experience, but then it's down to what the apprenticeship offers and who it is with.
Agree
Couple weeks ago I was 100% sure to do IT Network Level 3 course.
But now Im thinking of doing a different course or similiar.
I was also thinking about plumbing as apparently theres not enough plumbers in UK.
I think its better to do a apprenticeship as you get experiance, but do I get similiar or better/worse qualifications?
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If you're going into a vocational apprenticeship, qualifications aren't really 'technical' academically. You're a plumber/electrician/gas fitter and that's that once you have your relevant certs. If you go technical (IT or Engineering), they are much more technical academically and with (hopefully some) relevant technical theory to your job. It's easier to go further academically in a technical apprenticeship. Quite a few people end up with degrees when they find the right place to complete their apprenticeship.
On their own, most NVQs/C&G qualifications aren't really worth much as many of them rely on you being able to actively apply the knowledge you pick up in studying.
On their own, most NVQs/C&G qualifications aren't really worth much as many of them rely on you being able to actively apply the knowledge you pick up in studying.
Associate
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I did a electrical apprenticeship and am now a electrical engineer as the company paid for the degree, got my hnc with my apprenticeship. Best thing i could have done as loads of my old school mates have not got a decent job after getting a good degree
Soldato
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A skill is worth more than just going to college.
none of the jobs will take you after college, it will be hard to find a flipping office junior position with uni these days with no experience.. apprenticeship gives you both experience and taste of the career you're heading towards... and you leave without a debt
i won't lie it is quite hard sometimes and the amount of free time i have is close to 0 but it will be worth it in the end 
As long as you don't have the mind set that a load of graduates that come out of uni have - I have a first class degree therefore I will automatically get this *dream* job;
I personally would say do college, get the theoretical out of the way and then either go down an apprentice route or get a job in the field of interest and start low working upwards from within.
That's personally because I find once you start work full time, going back to school/college/uni is quite daunting as it throws you out of sync with 'work life/family life'.
I personally would say do college, get the theoretical out of the way and then either go down an apprentice route or get a job in the field of interest and start low working upwards from within.
That's personally because I find once you start work full time, going back to school/college/uni is quite daunting as it throws you out of sync with 'work life/family life'.
Associate
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Depends what it is you want to do, Apprenticeships (from what I hear) are a few years of crap pay but you get the knowledge and experience then after that you can go into the working world with experience.
college is great, but if you could do an Apprenticeship go for it I say, college gives you knowledge and 0 experience. You need the experience.
college is great, but if you could do an Apprenticeship go for it I say, college gives you knowledge and 0 experience. You need the experience.
I'd say collage, from my experience people dont care about experience they care about little bits of paper! Whatever you do DONT JOIN THE ARMY!!!! They lie to you lol, i spent 7years as a CMT (combat medical technition) about the same as a civve paramedic, i left 3 years ago and have still been trying to get into the medical side of work but my quals mean nothing out here thefore my experience (of which i have a lot in primary and emergancy healthcare) means nothing too 
Get your quals, offer to work somewere for next to nothing (if you cant find work stright away) even for free for a whilst as it shows massive initiative and willing and things will go from there.
Hard to give advice like this, this is what your dads for lol.
Get your quals, offer to work somewere for next to nothing (if you cant find work stright away) even for free for a whilst as it shows massive initiative and willing and things will go from there.
Hard to give advice like this, this is what your dads for lol.
I'd say collage, from my experience people dont care about experience they care about little bits of paper! Whatever you do DONT JOIN THE ARMY!!!! They lie to you lol, i spent 7years as a CMT (combat medical technition) about the same as a civve paramedic, i left 3 years ago and have still been trying to get into the medical side of work but my quals mean nothing out here thefore my experience (of which i have a lot in primary and emergancy healthcare) means nothing too
Get your quals, offer to work somewere for next to nothing (if you cant find work stright away) even for free for a whilst as it shows massive initiative and willing and things will go from there.
Hard to give advice like this, this is what your dads for lol.
your experience is very wrong then
i and my mate who i studied with have experienced it less than a year ago and trust me experience is what you need to get your foot inside.. unless you know people I'd say collage, from my experience people dont care about experience they care about little bits of paper! Whatever you do DONT JOIN THE ARMY!!!! They lie to you lol, i spent 7years as a CMT (combat medical technition) about the same as a civve paramedic, i left 3 years ago and have still been trying to get into the medical side of work but my quals mean nothing out here thefore my experience (of which i have a lot in primary and emergancy healthcare) means nothing too
Get your quals, offer to work somewere for next to nothing (if you cant find work stright away) even for free for a whilst as it shows massive initiative and willing and things will go from there.
Hard to give advice like this, this is what your dads for lol.
An apprenticeship gives you both the little bits of paper and the experience though, if you want to follow a career that you can get an apprenticeship in then go for that every time.
Almost every job I looked at after getting my degree wanted the qualifications and a year or so experience it's a catch 22 you can't get the job without experience, you cant get the experience without the job, I was very lucky I found a position where they were willing to let me learn the ropes with no prior knowledge.
your experience is very wrong then
Im sorry hows it wrong? This has been my ongoing struggle shall we say since i left the forces. So yeah its not wrong, its whats happening to me -_-
I was lucky enough to have an apprenticship that paid minimum wage, a lot of them these days will just treat you as slave labour, pay you the bare minimum (£80 a week!).
If you can't find one that pays minimum wage then you may as well just do a college course and work in maccy Ds or whatever part time.
Bare in mind that NVQs are worthless when applying for university, I had to start on a Foundation Degree with a BTEC Award (one A-level) and my work experience, the NVQ level 3 was literally worthless when applying for BSC courses.
If you can't find one that pays minimum wage then you may as well just do a college course and work in maccy Ds or whatever part time.
Bare in mind that NVQs are worthless when applying for university, I had to start on a Foundation Degree with a BTEC Award (one A-level) and my work experience, the NVQ level 3 was literally worthless when applying for BSC courses.