For individuals
Parents, school leavers and people already in work
Three different questions, three straight answers. Pick the one that applies to you.
For parents
Is an apprenticeship as good as university?
This is the question we get asked most, usually with some worry behind it. The honest answer is that they are different routes to the same place, and for a lot of young people the apprenticeship is the stronger one. Here is the comparison without the spin.
| Degree apprenticeship | Full-time university | |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Level 6 is a full bachelors degree. Level 7 is masters level. | Bachelors degree, then masters if they continue. |
| Tuition cost | Nothing. Funded by government and employer. | £9,790 a year for 2026/27, repaid from future earnings. |
| Income while studying | A salary from day one, rising as they progress. | None, unless they work alongside their studies. |
| Debt on finishing | None from the qualification. | Commonly £55,000 to £65,000 over three years including maintenance loans. |
| Work experience | Three to five years by the time they qualify. | Placements and internships, if they secure them. |
| Job at the end | Usually stays with the employer who trained them. | Applies alongside every other graduate. |
| The trade-off | Less of the traditional student experience. Working and studying at once is genuinely demanding. | More independence, more time to decide, a wider social experience. |
It is not a fallback
Degree apprenticeships at large employers are often harder to get into than the equivalent degree course. Competition is real.
It is not a dead end
Level 2 leads to Level 3, which leads to Level 4 and beyond. People do progress all the way to masters level this way.
Ask about the employer
The employer matters more than the qualification. We will tell you honestly what a placement is like.
For school leavers
An apprenticeship is a job. With training on top.
You are employed, you get paid, you get holiday, and part of your working week is spent learning. At the end you have a qualification and years of experience, and you have not paid a penny for it.
You get paid
From your first day. The apprentice minimum wage is £8 an hour in your first year. After that, if you are 19 or over, you move onto the normal minimum wage for your age, currently £10.85 at 19 to 20 and £12.71 at 21 and over. Many employers pay above the minimum anyway.
You pay nothing
No tuition fees, no debt. The training is funded.
You keep going
Level 2 to Level 7. You can reach degree and masters level without ever paying fees.
You have options
19 sectors, from chef to electrician to AI. It is not just trades.
The levels, in plain English
Level 2 is roughly GCSE standard. A starting point
with no experience needed.
Level 3 is roughly A level standard. Most school leavers with decent GCSEs
start here.
Level 4 and 5 are higher than A level, similar to the first years of a degree.
Level 6 is a full bachelors degree.
Level 7 is masters level.
What happens when you contact us
We have a short conversation about what you are interested in and what you are good at. We check what you are eligible for. Then we match you to employers who are hiring, help you with the application, and prepare you for the interview. There is no cost to you at any point.
For people already in work
You do not have to leave your job to get qualified
This is the part most people do not know. An apprenticeship can be used to train someone who has worked somewhere for years. There is no upper age limit. If it gives you substantial new skills, you qualify. Your employer pays little or nothing, and often nothing at all.
No age limit
You can start an apprenticeship at 25, 45 or 60. Age has not been a barrier for years.
Your current role counts
Team leader, supervisor, manager. There are standards at every level including masters.
You keep your salary
You stay on your normal pay. This is training within your job, not a step backwards.
A message you can send your manager
Most people never ask because they assume it costs the business money or that they are too old. Copy this, change what you need, and send it.
Talk to us
Fifteen minutes, no hard sell
Grab a slot in Karl's diary. Free advice, no pitch. If what you need is not something we do, we will say so and point you at who does.