Find out about the pros and cons of apprenticeships to help your students map out the best route forward

Student with ID card on bike holding a flask

Source: © Pablo Caracol/Début Art

Steer your students in the right direction so they choose the right learning pathway

Apprenticeships can offer a gateway into a variety of careers in fields such as dentistry, food technology and environmental health. For learners looking for an alternative to the conventional educational route from age 16 onwards, they combine on-the-job training with nationally-recognised qualifications ranging from GCSE equivalents right up to degree level and beyond. But who are they right for?

The pros and cons

Apprenticeships have many benefits, says Katie Dryden-Holt, vocational skills programme manager at the RSC. ‘Earning while learning means that people who need to go to work for financial reasons can have the opportunity to enter a profession. The range of apprenticeship levels also means those who don’t want to study to degree level have an opportunity to enter a profession.’ 

‘Apprenticeships focus on hands-on experience and skills, alongside gaining knowledge through a taught programme,’ says Mike Hughes, a chemistry teaching technical specialist at The University of Manchester. ‘Learners are paid a wage while they learn and do not have to pay any tuition fees [if at university]. They often enter the workplace as a more skilled worker than other routes.’ In Katie’s experience, science companies tend to employ apprentices with the intention that they will become permanent members of staff.

Tom Taylor, head of degrees at work at Anglia Ruskin University, agrees. ‘Employers are generally very committed to their apprentices, so they provide strong support to develop an individual’s skills. As well as earning money, apprentices find themselves three to four years ahead in their careers. They get practical experience, but they have learnt about other skills too, such as teamworking, which boosts their employability.’

‘There’s an apprenticeship for everyone, from a school leaver at 16 to someone leaving college after A- or T-levels, even someone looking for a career later in life’ 

For students thinking about higher education, Tom says it’s worth remembering that degree apprenticeships are all about preparing for a job. ‘Some students will have a clear view of what they want to do and will be ready for the world of work. Other students may be interested in a subject, but unsure of what they want to do with it.’ He stresses that with degree apprenticeships, students must be prepared for commitment. ‘There is still reading, studying and assessment. On top of these, the student is working. Some 18 year-olds might not be ready for this level of commitment, or confident enough.’

Mike agrees that apprenticeships can be tough, especially those in science and engineering. But his own apprenticeship in applied chemistry was a better fit for him than a conventional degree. As someone with dyslexia, it proved an effective way to learn, as he had time to digest the theory from lectures when he was at work.

Apprenticeships are particularly suited to those who enjoy the practical side of a subject, says Mike. ‘With the wide range of levels, there’s an apprenticeship for everyone, from a school leaver at 16 to someone leaving college after A- or T-levels, even someone looking for a career later in life like I did. Teachers should also encourage students likely to leave education because they need to earn a wage to consider applying for apprenticeships.’

The finer detail

Apprenticeships are open to students from age 16. In England, there are 15 apprenticeship ‘maps’, bringing together occupations recognised by employers. There’s one for health and science, but science apprenticeships also fit within other maps such as engineering and manufacturing, and education and childcare. The devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales manage their own schemes. Here’s a rough breakdown of what’s available in the different nations:

NationApprenticeships

England

Level 2 (GCSE equivalent); level 3 (A-levels); level 4 (foundation degree); levels 5–7 (bachelor’s or master’s degrees)

Northern Ireland

Level 2 frameworks; level 3 frameworks; levels 4–8 (higher-level frameworks), which include foundation degrees, bachelor’s and master’s degrees

Scotland

Levels 4–6 (foundation); levels 6–8 (modern); levels 8–10 (graduate)

Wales

Level 2 (GCSE A*–C level); level 3 (A-levels and higher); levels 4–7 (HNC/HND); levels 6–7 (foundation and degree) 

Apprenticeships last a minimum of one year but can last up to four or more years. Those who are under 19, or who are 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship, are paid a minimum of £4.81 per hour, although many businesses pay more. After that, apprentices are entitled to the national minimum wage or national living wage rate for their age. They should be paid for time working plus the time spent training.

Students can find information about apprenticeships on the relevant government website. Then they apply directly to the employer. However, this may change soon because the government and the university admissions body UCAS are working on plans to advertise opportunities alongside undergraduate degrees. Soon students will be able to see the different routes into a career destination displayed together. From autumn 2024, the government wants students to be able to apply for apprenticeships through UCAS.

The finer detail

Apprenticeships are open to students from age 16. In England, there are 15 apprenticeship ‘maps’, bringing together occupations recognised by employers. There’s one for health and science, but science apprenticeships also fit within other maps such as engineering and manufacturing, and education and childcare. The devolved administrations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales manage their own schemes. Students can find information about apprenticeships on the relevant government website. Then they apply directly to the employer.

Apprenticeships last a minimum of one year but can last up to four or more years. Those who are under 19, or who are 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship, are paid a minimum of £4.81 per hour, although many businesses pay more. After that, apprentices are entitled to the national minimum wage or national living wage rate for their age. They should be paid for time working plus the time spent training.

The statistics

With a much greater range of higher-level apprenticeships available, there has been significant growth in the number of people starting apprenticeships at levels 4/5/6+ (foundation degree and above) in the science sector, according to the latest apprenticeship survey by the Science Industry Partnership (an alliance of employers). In stark contrast, level 2 apprenticeships (GCSE equivalent) within the sector fell by 90%.

Overall, the survey found that around 2500 people started an apprenticeship within the science sector in England in 2020/21. However, this was a fall of around 50% compared to 2015/16; numbers declined across all sectors by 33% during the same period.

The survey shows a significant drop in the number of apprentices being trained at chemicals companies (-48%), downstream petroleum companies (-52%) and in the polymers industry (-70%). The decline is most pronounced among small- and medium-sized companies (down 72%). In comparison, apprenticeship use in the pharmaceuticals industry edged up (+4%) and grew well in scientific research and development (+42%).

‘It is up to those who have done an apprenticeship to speak up and encourage others to consider this rewarding route into a career’

‘I’m not sure there is one reason [for declining numbers], but some of it is down to the appalling minimum wage for apprentices,’ says Mike. He’s particularly concerned about the year-on-year decline in students from working-class backgrounds starting apprenticeships. Just 18% of all apprentices who started in 2020 come from the most deprived areas of England, according to a 2020 report by the Sutton Trust. There are challenges around the ‘brand’ of apprenticeships, adds Tom. ‘Often they don’t have the prestige of other routes, although this is beginning to change with degree apprenticeships.’

‘It is up to those who have done an apprenticeship to speak up and encourage others to consider this rewarding route into a career,’ says Mike. ‘It has completely changed my life for the better and I would recommend this route to everyone.’

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Maria Burke is a freelance science and business journalist