How do employers value apprenticeships compared to degrees?
As apprenticeships and degrees are different qualifications, it is difficult to compare the two.
Employers value both qualifications. An individual’s suitability for any specific role will be dependent on their competencies, aspirations and experience as well as qualifications.
An apprenticeship is a combination of a level 3 technical qualification and structured vocational, work-based experience; aimed towards specific roles in industry. In contrast to this, a degree is a single, academic qualification (up to level 6 depending on award), obtained often without the need for work experience. It is usually used by employers as an indication of a person’s ability to learn to this level but does not necessarily demonstrate an ability or even suitability for a specific role.
As degrees are higher level qualifications, they sometimes command higher initial salaries, but not always – this depends entirely on the individual, the role and the company. In fact degree-only qualified employees often enter employment being regarded as trainees and may even start working at a lower level than those that have completed an apprenticeship.
It is worth noting that apprenticeships usually attract the more vocationally orientated employee and also provide more stages for the employee to determine their rate of development, such as the Foundation Modern Apprenticeship (level 2 qualifications), the Advanced Modern Apprenticeship (level 3) and other options to continue education even further.