With rises in tuition fees, going to university seems like an expensive venture that may not result in much gain. Thankfully, there are alternatives, including becoming a trade apprentice.
In response to the rise in tuition fees recently and after the dishing out of A level results a couple of weeks ago the ECA (Electrical Contractors’ Association) is now calling for increased awareness of different vocational routes. The hope is that focusing further on apprenticeships and other options will help to counteract the steady decline in qualified, skilled workers industries like electrical and industrial are currently facing.
Diane Johnson, who is skills ambassador for the ECA, talked at length about the steps the ECA wants to take, and called upon the government to step up their game.
Johnson said: “A university degree can be a valuable asset to a career, but it’s not the only option, or even the best choice for all young people. Not everyone wants or can afford to go to university, where they could rack up thousands of pounds of debt without a guarantee of a job at the end. Apprenticeships offer a bona fide alternative route to employment and have done so for decades.”
However, Johnson warned: “All too often, vocational training is seen as the poor relation to academia. If apprenticeships are to remain a credible alternative to a degree, we need to value them and Government needs to stop ‘dumbing down’ standards for political reasons.”
She said: “The government is placing a renewed focus on apprenticeships to reduce youth unemployment, and more firms are offering this option to school leavers. But without setting firmer standards for training, we face a situation where anything ‘non-academic’ is badged as an apprenticeship. We can’t compare courses that are more like work experience, to quality training programmes that offer a skill for life.”
She added: “Unless the government establishes a protected apprenticeship ‘brand’ that defines quality training, the reputation of apprenticeships will be severely damaged. They won’t be seen as a credible alternative, leaving young people with fewer choices for their future. It’s not fair to school leavers, and it’s not fair to industries like construction which have offered quality apprenticeships for decades.”
Johnson continued: “We are facing a perfect storm: creating a generation of unemployed, indebted young people, living in a country that faces a future skills shortage – all so the government can claim it has reduced youth unemployment. We need to value our apprentices and protect the quality of their training. This would turn the situation around and leave a lasting skills legacy that our country can be proud of. Our society needs skilled people, regardless of their qualification route. Today’s school and university leavers are tomorrow’s taxpayers and industry leaders, and will be those helping support an ever increasing number of pensioners. It is not right that they should be used for short-term political gain. They deserve better from our government and education system.”
Tuition Fees Rising
The Guardian reports that, on average, universities are now charging £8,393 per year to study a university course. That’s an incredible amount, considering just two years ago, fees on average equated to £3000 a year.
Speaking as a former student, even that seemed like a lot of money. I approached university education eagerly as I wasn’t particularly aware of any other options, and although I had a good time at university and learned quite a lot, when I finally graduated in 2011 I struggled for absolutely ages to nail down a real career or even finding any job at all!
It made me question often whether I made the right decision going to university, and although it did pay off eventually, it was exceptionally annoying to spend all that money, come out with a qualification and find the world simply didn’t seem to want me.
That’s exactly why I’d stress anyone currently debating university as the right choice to consider alternatives. Here’s a little known fact – if you’ve been to university and gained a degree qualification, it is then absolutely impossible to embark on apprenticeship courses. Again, this is something I tried when struggling to forge a career, and many of the apprenticeships I found were extremely interesting-sounding prospects that had great chances for learning a lot in established companies and potentially joining that firm as a qualified individual.
However, thanks to going to university, that vocational route was completely locked off.
As outlined above by the ECA, there’s currently somewhat of a stigma attached to apprenticeships. Many seem to view them as ‘the easy route’ for those who can’t go to university, but in reality, delving into an apprenticeship is probably a much more intelligent route for absolutely anyone.
Not only do you actually get paid while doing your apprenticeship, but you actually actively learn the ropes of a career while doing it. This essentially means your being paid to be educated, enhancing your skills,working your way into a company and establishing yourself as a qualified individual.
In terms of electricians and other trade routes, carrying out an apprenticeship is a great way to learn the tricks of the trade and learn from experts in the field, all without the massive fees a university can impose upon you.
You've got to remember, after all, that tuition fees are the least of your worries at university. On top of that there's maintenance loans, your living fees and all kinds of other expenses (mainly the beer fund) which crop up as you go through university, and thanks to the rise in tuition fees, combining all these factors together is going to leave you with a massive amount of debt once you finally leave university.
Thankfully you don't have to pay it back unless you earn above a certain threshold (£15,795 before tax per year), but I really feel sorry for those who are going to university now, as the prices are astronomical.
