Apprenticeship as a Career Pathway

Unemployed for 2 years under Thatcher. Zero careers advice. Here's how I found my path: Fresh out of school in the 1980s with no direction and no guidance. The journey: - Enrolled in a 2-year minerals surveying course for mining work - Pit closures made that career path obsolete before I started - Switched to City & Guilds in Estimating and Quantity Surveying at Liverpool Tech - Got the qualification but no jobs existed in northwest England - Finally landed assistant QS role in the south with day release study The key difference? Earning while learning through a 5-year part-time degree instead of 3 years full-time study. This approach kept me: → Grounded in real-world application → Motivated by immediate relevance → Financially stable while studying → Connected to industry from day one What I learned about education and careers: Traditional university isn't the only path: - Getting a degree guarantees nothing in today's job market - Practical experience often trumps theoretical knowledge - Discovering your chosen profession isn't for you halfway through creates debt that takes years to repay The apprenticeship model works: - Learning a trade while earning wages - Building real skills that employers value - No student debt burden - Clear career progression Most importantly: No one should look down on tradies because they don't have a degree. Some of the smartest, most capable people I know learned their skills on the job, not in lecture halls. In the industry, I've seen graduates struggle while experienced tradies become successful business owners. The lesson? There are many routes to a fulfilling career. The key is finding what works for you and not being afraid to pivot when circumstances change. What's your career journey story? Did you take the traditional path or find your own way? 👇

I have lost count of how many times I've said these seven words... ❗ No one is ever just an apprentice. ❗ Why is that important? Because apprentices, while learning, are also part of a team, which means: 🚀 Apprentices are helping the team successfully achieve its goals. 🚀 Apprentices are, therefore, helping the organisation to achieve their goals. 🚀 Apprentices are bringing fresh ideas to improve processes and increase efficiency. Maisie Goodyear is a Digitas UK Media Apprentice, and I have the honour of supporting her during her Multiverse Data Technician Apprenticeship. And this was Masie's worry before starting her apprenticeship, but now she's thriving, and so is her team: "My apprenticeship so far has not only provided me with hands-on experience that I wouldn't be able to achieve elsewhere but also helped me develop personally. I am now so much more confident as a result of feeling like I'm growing exponentially in a multitude of different ways. I was slightly worried before the apprenticeship that I should have gone to university, but in hindsight, I am so happy with my decision to be *not just* an apprentice!" This is the reality for so many apprentices. University is great for some, but it’s not the only path to success. Learning on the job, developing real skills, and making an impact from day one - That’s the power of apprenticeships. For National Apprenticeship Week, let’s challenge outdated mindsets. Apprenticeships aren’t a "second choice" - they’re a smart choice. #NAW2025 #Apprenticeships #NotJustAnApprentice #MyMultiverse #FutureofWork #NationalApprenticeshipWeek

Every week I receive hundreds of messages about the Bring Back the Trades, Inc movement. Many are simply requests on how to get started in the trades. Along with those requests come some really disturbing stories about the lack of information or outright misinformation many people are getting. I thought it would be beneficial to do a little "myth-busting" and set the record straight on a few things I've noticed along this journey: 🔷 "A graduate from a trade school is now a journeyman in their trade and can expect top pay" False ❌ . While this is industry specific, as a rule, trade school gives a good primer to candidates who attend but most trades (plumber and electrician are good examples) will require 4-5 years of practical work to achieve the journeyman (or top pay) at their discipline. 🔷 "You must attend trade school in order to apply for an apprenticeship program" False ❌. Apprenticeship programs usually have few, if any, prerequisites. While they will differ by trade and location, most are awarded based on a combination of two scores, a written exam intended to gauge basic skills such as reading comprehension as well as basic math and a face to face interview. While attending trade school or working in the trades already show excellent initiative to an interview committee, it is not a requirement. 🔷 "A four year degree is always superior to an apprenticeship" False❌. A national study by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI), has found that on average, graduates of joint labor-management apprenticeship programs in the construction industry are able to achieve wage and benefits parity with other types of workers with four-year college degrees. When the cost of college and lack of earnings for that 4 years period are considered, the apprenticeship model actually adds back over 6 figures of income. 🔷 "The trades are a good alternative for kids who aren't college material" False❌. The trades are just another career path, requiring a different source of education. Most times kids aren't performing in school because they aren't interested in the material but when presented with something that appeals to them, their passion for learning takes on a new dimension and they actually LEARN, as opposed to memorizing things for the purpose of standardized testing. 🔷 Bring Back the Trades, Inc is a skilled trades advocacy group providing mentoring, information, career fair type "skilled trades exhibitions and scholarships to those wising to attend trade school. Find out more about us on our social media channels or our website, bringbackthetrades.org

We've highlighted cybersecurity worker shortages for years, yet AI is poised to eliminate many entry-level positions. How ironic... The problem we're facing is clear 👇 If AI handles the entry work, how do newcomers gain the hands-on experience needed to develop into the senior professionals we desperately need? We can't expect someone to jump straight from training into advanced threat hunting or red team operations. The trades offer us a proven model. Electricians and plumbers learn by working alongside masters through structured apprenticeships. The same approach could transform how we develop cybersecurity talent: ➡️ Structured progression from basics through advanced techniques ➡️ Real-world experience handling actual security incidents ➡️ Direct mentorship from veteran practitioners ➡️ Support system that reduces early-career burnout ➡️ Clear path to advanced roles like red teaming A well-designed apprenticeship program creates a sustainable pipeline of talent who understand your environment, culture, and specific security needs. Is your organization ready to build this kind of talent pipeline? The frameworks already exist - we just need the will to implement them.

“A solicitor apprenticeship - what’s that?” A comment I heard recently when discussing #SolicitorApprenticeships. After some more discussion - the individual was in awe of this incredible route, and wished they could have qualified this way! Awareness around solicitor apprenticeships is growing, thanks to organisations such as City Century that are challenging the status quo and making the legal industry more #Accessible. However, many in the legal profession still aren't familiar with the apprenticeship route and its benefits for firms and individuals. The solicitor apprenticeship route allows individuals to enter the legal profession while studying for a degree and working full-time. This approach isn't just about #SkillAcquisition; it's a long-term investment in individuals who will shape the future of your organisation. Apprenticeships provide a dynamic way to recruit, train, and retain top-tier talent, ensuring your team is equipped for sustained growth. Additionally, apprenticeships contribute to #Diversifying legal teams. As the industry moves towards greater #Inclusivity, apprenticeships offer pathways for individuals from diverse backgrounds to not only enter but thrive in law. This #Diversity enriches workplace culture and enhances the firm's ability to understand and address a broad client base. Apprenticeships also challenge the notion that traditional education is the only path to success in law. Apprentices gain practical skills and earn while they learn, making the profession more #Accessible and #Diverse. The competition for apprenticeship places is tough - some have even compared it to being harder than gaining a place at #Oxbridge. This proves it's not an easy alternative but a valuable pathway to gaining a degree. Coming from a single-parent, low-income household, I couldn't imagine financing a degree without neglecting my studies whilst having to working full-time. The apprenticeship route offers me protected study time and a guaranteed salary. The skills I've learned as a paralegal apprentice have been invaluable, and whilst I’m yet to secure a solicitor apprentice position - I'm passionate about pursuing this path further and raising awareness of this route. #SolicitorApprenticeship #LegalProfession #InclusiveLaw #Diversity #SocialMobility

Everyone talks about making “smart financial decisions.” But no one tells you what it really is: → I didn’t take out £45,000+ in student loans. → I didn’t wait three years to start earning. → I didn’t start my career at 21. Instead, I took a route people still misunderstand: A degree apprenticeship. Here’s what people warned me: “You’ll miss out on the uni experience.” “You won’t progress as fast without a degree first.” “Apprenticeships are just for people who didn’t get good grades.” But where am I now? Well... I’ve worked with multi-billion-pound clients before 19. I’m earning and saving while my friends are repaying loans. I’ve skipped straight to the level most grads hope to reach by 25. And no one’s EVER asked me where I went to university. (lol) Because they only care about results, not routes. Apprenticeships aren’t a second-best option. They’re the smartest financial decision I ever made. So if you’re a sixth-former or college student: → Don’t let outdated opinions cost you £45,000+. → Don’t let 'traditional uni' stop you from starting work early. → Don’t overlook the route that could give you career freedom at 18. (P.S. What’s the worst misconception you’ve ever heard about apprenticeships?) 💭

I've always been a firm believer that apprenticeships are one of the most effective training models that will help our workforce become future-ready without requiring a four-year degree. (Even back in high school, I proudly used a 50th Anniversary of the National Apprenticeship Act tote bag that my dad brought home from a conference - my workforce wonkiness runs deep!)   The latest Executive Order from the The White House on providing additional career pathways to “secure well-paying, and high-need American jobs” places a welcome emphasis on registered apprenticeship and comes with a clear call to action: federal agencies have 120 days develop a comprehensive workforce development strategy that includes a plan to surpass 1 million new and active apprentices.     While the EO emphasizes skilled trades, it should also create an opportunity to focus more broadly on good jobs for all U.S. workers. In addition to skilled trades, non-degree pathways like apprenticeships can accelerate job creation in high-demand sectors like health care, advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and beyond — all of which can benefit from clearer and stronger connections between learning and work.    And, the work to spur job growth and workforce pipelining doesn’t stop at the training program. Many people face barriers that prevent them from completing programs like apprenticeships—whether it’s the cost of tools or equipment, transportation, childcare, housing, or other essentials. Which is why JFF and its partners work to remove those barriers to successful apprenticeship completion – including the recently announced National Apprentice Fund, with support from Google.org, to help people get a leg up in growing sectors of the economy that need these skilled workers and offer opportunities for upward career mobility.     At Jobs for the Future (JFF), our North Star goal is that 75 million people facing barriers will work in quality jobs by 2033. Achieving that goal will depend on expanded access to apprenticeships, transforming underlying workforce and education systems to ensure they are future-focused, and robust federal and state investment in proven strategies that provide training and supportive services.    That’s the most direct way to deliver what American workers have told us they need the most– new pathways to a promising future.    #Apprenticeship #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfWork #AI #Jobs #EO #SkilledTrades #MiddleSkillJobs #InclusiveGrowth #NationalApprenticeshipDay https://lnkd.in/eW3kRtwe

Your degree won't guarantee success anymore. Here's what they don't tell you about the £40k decision: I've watched countless students struggle with this decision. Here's what most students don't realise about degree apprenticeships: → You're earning while others are burning through savings → Real-world experience from day one → No student debt hanging over your head → Direct industry connections → Professional qualifications alongside your degree The hidden advantage? By the time traditional graduates start job hunting, you'll have: - 3-4 years of industry experience • A professional network • A clearer career trajectory • Actual savings in your account • Inside knowledge of your industry But there's something even bigger at play. Companies are increasingly valuing practical experience over theoretical knowledge. The landscape has shifted: 1. Traditional degrees often teach outdated material 2. Industries evolve faster than university curricula 3. Employers want proof of capability, not just papers 4. Real projects matter more than exam results My observation after talking with my peers in both paths: Degree apprentices often progress faster in their careers. They understand workplace dynamics, professional relationships, and industry practices that can't be taught in a lecture hall. The answer? University isn't wrong. It's just not the only right answer anymore. Your career success depends more on what you do with your opportunity than which path you choose. Follow me George Hannah for more insights on modern career paths and professional development.