It can be quite funny when your Mum or Dad can’t understand why her phone won’t stop ringing or how to download an app. For me, the funniest moment was when my Mum got an iPhone (an upgrade perhaps a little too big for her), managed to get Siri up and had an argument with her because she thought she was a telesales person and couldn’t work out how to hang up! It’s quite funny thinking about parents using technology, so it’s safe to say that a vast majority are stuck in the stone age. Not just using technology, but also when it comes to apprenticeships. Back in their day, apprenticeships were for very manual roles and were seen to be something for lesser achieving people, which may explain why they’re less keen for you to do one. It’s important to explain to them how apprenticeships have changed, so here’s a guide when talking to your parents about apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships Vs University
A majority of parents will be very adamant that you should be going to University if you get good A-Level results. This may be because they don’t think that apprenticeships can be the equivalent of a degree. In fact, 81% of parents don't realise that higher apprenticeships are on a par with foundation degrees and, in some cases, even bachelor's degrees, a survey carried out by the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) suggests. If your parents want to know what it’s like being a law apprentice, they can read Laura’s story here. Also let your parents know that 44% of graduates wish they had done a more vocational route, such as an apprenticeship!
Salary Vs Debt
An apprenticeship is a great alternative to a degree, and the fact that you’d be earning money from the day you start your apprenticeship rather than accumulating debt will be high up on what they want to hear. They may think that this is a short term problem, however level 4 higher apprentices can actually earn up to £150,000 more than University graduates, a survey has found! Although through your apprenticeship you may be earning minimum wage which is £3.50 an hour, many apprenticeships pay a lot more than that and some apprentices can be earning £24,000 when they start! Compared to graduate jobs which start at around £19,000 this is a great alternative! Especially for careers such as law and engineering.
It’s easier to get a job
Many employers no longer look at education first when they’re employing somebody new, they’re actually looking for experience. With an apprenticeship, you’ll be getting a lot more experience than many of your counterparts as well as an additional qualification! Apprenticeships are great to put on your CV for this reason. You wouldn’t just be making cups of teas for other employees in the company, you actually get a high level of responsibility within the real working world. Read other apprentices’ stories on what an apprenticeship is like here.
Big companies offer apprenticeships
Your parents may also be reluctant for you to do an apprenticeship because they don’t want you to be stuck in the place that you grew up with a local employer. However, there are big brands that offer apprenticeships and through these, you can make your way up the career ladder. This includes the BBC, Channel 4, IBM, BAE, Pearson and even the National Space Academy! This just goes to show that apprenticeships are a great alternative to university as many apprentices will work alongside graduates on projects but working towards an additional qualification – while being paid for it!
Lots of options
It might also be worth letting your parents know about all the options that you have as an apprentice. Apprenticeships are no longer just in engineering and manufacturing, you can now even get apprenticeships in journalism, PR, teaching and even as a chocolatier! Even after your apprenticeship, this won’t limit you to what you can do. Especially if you do a more generic apprenticeship such as Business & Administration. Through this, you may start off locally but you can easily find a job in another company as they can see you can time manage and already have experience in the real world.
