If you are at the stage in your life when you have finished school and you are thinking about carving a career for yourself, you will have many different options at your disposal. For most people, the main decision is whether to go to university or do an apprenticeship. However, you also have other options today when you consider how popular online courses are becoming. With that being said, read on to discover some advice.

What is an apprenticeship?

Before outlining the advantages of an apprenticeship, it is first essential to reveal what it actually is. Apprenticeships are training programmes that are work-based, which essentially means that you will be learning on the job.

Why choose an apprenticeship over university?

• Earn money will you learn – One of the key benefits associated with choosing an apprenticeship is the fact that you will actually earn money while you learn. You may only be on a small amount per hour but it is better than nothing. If you were to go to university you’d have everything from education fees, to textbooks, to housing costs to contend with.
• Real-life experience – The main advantage that an apprenticeship has over a university is the fact that you will be learning the skills that you are going to use on the job. A lot of people that go to university complain that all they ever learn is theory, and thus when it comes to securing a job they don’t know how to apply this theory to a real-life situation. Nowadays, employers want experience, and you can find yourself in an excellent position if you have done an apprenticeship.
• Make valuable contacts – You are essentially in the working world and you will be interacting with professionals all of the time. You will make contacts that can help you both now and in the future. Networking is a valuable part of any business nowadays.
• You may be offered a job – It is not uncommon for apprentices to be offered a full-time job if they impress. This is the easiest way to get your foot on the career ladder. Make yourself indispensable to the business and there is no way they are going to let you go.

What about online degrees?

The choice between university and taking an apprenticeship is not as straightforward as it used to be. After all, you can now do both thanks to online degrees. From online program options to degrees in science, accounting, and tech; you can do virtually any degree online today. This has happened the door to more possibilities and certainly more flexibility. This is especially beneficial for stay-at-home parents and anyone else who does not have the ability to commit hours to going to an apprenticeship or university every week. You can also use online studying to help you prepare for specific tests and courses, for example, you can practice for the UCAT test online if you are a medical student who is looking to progress in this industry and carve a career for yourself.

Another great thing about doing a degree at home is that you will be able to do this online while you are taking an apprenticeship. If you want to give yourself as much ammunition as possible when entering the job market, taking an online degree while you do your apprenticeship is one of the best ways to do so. You will ensure that your CV is packed with qualifications and plenty of experience before you have even secured your ‘proper’ full-time job. This is definitely something worth thinking about. Nevertheless, the path you go down really all does depend on you and what you want, as well as your circumstances. After all, we would all love to do everything, but we have financial constraints and personal circumstances to consider. This is why online degrees have been so welcome – they present another solution for anyone who is looking to make their way or change their career. Plus, you can go at your own pace. Therefore, if you already have a job but you are interested in switching careers, you can do an online degree in your spare time until you are ready to take the plunge and pursue something different.

When you carefully consider the four points that have been mentioned, it really is not difficult to see why so many people are turning to an apprenticeship over a university place.