LEARNING AND EARNING
AS thousands of sixth-form college students think about finishing off their applications for university, we look at the growing success of degree apprenticeships and other vocational qualifications.
Jordan Turner, 24, knows exactly how good they can be having finished an IT degree apprenticeship only last year. He is now working as a manager for tech giant Capgemini in Maidstone with no debt and a great job.
What are you doing at the moment?
My role as an account manager/ business development lead is all about matching our business tech skills and solutions to clients.
This involves developing client relationships, sharing campaigns and plans, identifying potential opportunities and ultimately trying to sell our expertise and what we can offer to our clients.
It is very much a people role and I love it. I have been with the company for six years, and when I finished studying, I started in a technical role but I soon realised it wasn’t for me. I moved to the sales team and have been happy ever since.
Why did you decide to do that instead of going to university?
When I was doing my A-levels in sixth form, I applied for university – that was the focus at my college.
I applied for work experience at a number of companies with a business background too, and reached out to a few consultancy firms. I was blown away when someone from Capgemini’s recruitment team got back to me.
They asked if I had heard about degree apprenticeships and explained the programme they offered.
I researched some more and ended up applying to them alongside my university choices. It was the best thing I could have done. I secured an offer from them and decided to go down the apprenticeship route.
Was it hard to work and study?
Juggling work, study and life can be tricky but I managed to establish a routine that worked for me. I would use my commute and free time in and around work to study, which helped limit the amount of free time I was spending on my university work.
Capgemini were really supportive which made it easier to make sure I was spending the right amount of time and energy equally across work and university – as well as allowing time for myself.
What was it about an apprenticeship that appealed?
It was really about the blend of hands-on work experience alongside academic studies, and getting good exposure to both.
At the end of the course, compared to new university graduates, I had more than three years of work experience – something that I feel really helped kickstart my career.
Employers really value the knowledge and skills that technical education brings, so it’s great to have on-thejob experience as well as studying.
You learn so much on the job, and doing the two together, learning and earning, allowed me to take what I was learning at university and use it in my day-to-day job.
I have no regrets... I am constantly recommending vocational qualifications
What have the advantages been?
The combination of no student debt, as well as having a proper growing salary from the age of 18, has allowed me to do things I never imagined would be possible – real life-changing personal stuff outside of work too. I bought my first house at 22.
The biggest thing for me is that I feel I am in a really good position to take control of my career and reach the levels I aspire to get to.
I have no regrets. I’m constantly recommending doing a degree apprenticeship or other vocational qualifications such as T-levels to young people.
In my opinion it’s a no-brainer to consider them. If the job you aspire to has an option for a degree apprenticeship, then go for it.