Do you get a batchelor's degree from the apprenticeship? If the answer is yes then it's a total no-brainer....do the apprentriceship.
You can do most of the critical computer science modules for free on Coursera from the likes of Stanford/MIT etc so you can fill in the academic gaps.
If you don't get a proper batchelor's from the apprenticeship, it's a bit more tricky. Having a degree does open doors (most importantly in my experience, requirements for working visas abroad).
This is very good advice. I didn't do a degree and the only thing that bothers me is that certain visas can be difficult without one.
I've been in the internet industry for 12 years and I've found that people that will succeed will succeed regardless of their educational background. I know lots of exceptional people that have degrees and lots that don't. It really comes down to how smart they are and the kind of attitude they have.
I would worry less about whether employers would "accept" coursera modules and worry more about the things you need to understand for your job. When you are sitting in an interview being grilled by top engineers the only thing that matters is how well you can answer their questions. Very few companies are going to give you a software engineering role based on your solely degree.
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