Are Apprenticeships Better than University?

During National Apprenticeship Week 2025 we are shining a light on why our learners chose an apprenticeship programme. Here we chat with Daniel, studying a Level 3 Multi-Channel Marketing Apprenticeship, on why he thinks apprenticeships are better than university.

Apprenticeships or University?

"When it comes to deciding on the next thing to do after school and college there are two main choices.  The most common path after school is to go to university and get a degree.

However, something that is on the rise is getting an apprenticeship.

An apprenticeship is where you gain practical experience and an immediate income while learning a marketable skill and making yourself more attractive and useful to employers. You basically will 'earn while you learn.'

An apprenticeship is usually split into two parts: learning the theory and then putting it into practice.  

My day at work

For example, I work in a business that designs and builds websites for clients - Harrogate Web Solutions. I work on designing an initial layout for a website and then, once I have client approval, I build the actual site using technology such as Wordpress. Before I started this apprenticeship, I didn't know much about website building, but now I have learnt the theory and use it every day to build actual websites.

Once the website is live, I monitor how it's performing using tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console which tells me how many visitors are going to the website.   This helps me recommend to the client which pages they should improve to increase the number of people that see the page.  For some clients we manage the website once we have created it, so I spend a lot of my day making live updates to the websites and adding content and images.

My training

The other side of an apprenticeship is the learning. I usually do my apprenticeship coursework on a Friday, where I learn about a variety of marketing knowledge and skills by reading materials, listening to audio files, watching videos and attending live classes.

I chose to do an apprenticeship, as I didn't really enjoy school and wanted to do something that interested me. I really enjoy learning the theory and putting it straight into practice and accomplishing something.

I can earn while I learn

One of the biggest benefits and reasons you might decide to choose an apprenticeship over university is because of the immediate income. Apprentices have employment contracts and are paid at least the minimum apprentice wage of £6.40 per hour if they are aged between 18 and 20, and this is due to rise in April to £7.55 an hour. So, I am being paid to learn and improve my skills and make myself more useful to my manager.

Apprenticeships are usually shorter than the time you would spend at university (mine is 15-19 months) and could lead to a permanent job role at the end. In a lot of cases if the employer thinks the apprentice has performed well on both the practical and learning side of the apprenticeship, they decide to employ them on a normal contract when the apprenticeship comes to an end.

Making myself employable

I like the fact that I am learning how to thrive in a work environment, learning skills that will make me more employable and earning an income at the same time!

One of the biggest misconceptions is that people think that to get a good job and to earn a good income you must go to university. This is not always true, as someone who has done an apprenticeship can end up working in the same role in the same place as someone who went to university and got a degree.

Overall, there are many advantages to both apprenticeships and university degrees, it just depends on what type of career path you are interested in following and what kind of experience you want. 

I made the right choice

I am really happy I chose an apprenticeship because I am gaining more experience than I would in university, and this will help me in my future career. I really enjoy my job, and I love designing the sites as I like being creative.  I get a kick out of seeing the finished site up and running and I know I have done a good job."

#NAW2025

VQ Solutions is a UK Government-accredited training provider offering apprenticeships in a range of subjects and levels, from Marketing, Business Admin, and Network Cabling to IT and Human Resources.  If you are unsure what your future looks like and would like more information on our exciting range of Apprenticeships, see our website or call us on 01423 740006.