In this episode of CourseCast, I speak to two first-year degree apprentices to explore a question that is becoming increasingly difficult for sixth-formers to answer: should you go to university, or pursue a degree apprenticeship instead? Rather than relying on abstract comparisons or marketing claims, this episode is grounded in lived experience. Through the specific case of accountancy, it examines cost, workload, social life, and long-term career prospects in a way that reflects how these decisions are actually made.
The aim is not to argue that one route is universally superior. Instead, the episode asks a more precise question: in vocational fields like accountancy, what do degree apprenticeships genuinely offer, and what do they trade off?
Episode Structure
The conversation is deliberately structured to mirror the thought process of a prospective applicant. Rather than jumping straight to conclusions, it moves step by step from explanation to evaluation, and finally to practical advice.
We begin by clarifying what a degree apprenticeship actually is, addressing widespread confusion around pay, qualifications, and how apprenticeships differ from traditional university degrees. Emma and Issy explain how they are paid full-time salaries while completing qualifications equivalent to a degree, with all tuition and exam costs covered by their employer.
From there, the discussion moves into learning and workload. This section explores how academic study is integrated with full-time employment, what exams are like, and how responsibility in the workplace develops far earlier than many people expect. Rather than shadowing indefinitely, both guests describe being trusted with meaningful tasks from early on, with safeguards in place to ensure mistakes become learning opportunities rather than failures.
The episode then turns to a direct comparison between university and degree apprenticeships, focusing on speed of progression, financial cost, and employability. Emma and Issy explain how completing professional qualifications alongside work can leave apprentices years ahead of graduates who must still train after finishing university. This section is particularly useful for students considering degrees that ultimately require further qualification anyway.
Next, we address social life and lifestyle, often cited as the strongest argument in favour of university. Rather than dismissing this concern, the episode treats it seriously, exploring what is genuinely gained and lost by not entering a campus environment.
Finally, the conversation closes with practical application advice. Drawing directly on the guests’ experience, this section covers application volume, interviews, assessment centres, work experience, and common mistakes, offering concrete guidance rather than vague reassurance.
Meet the Guests
Emma is a degree apprentice in accountancy. She chose this route as a direct alternative to university, emphasising both the financial benefits and the breadth of opportunities that qualifying in accountancy can unlock later on. For her, the combination of paid work, funded qualifications, and long-term flexibility made the decision straightforward.
Issy is also completing a degree apprenticeship in accountancy alongside Emma. She describes the apprenticeship as a more rational option than university, allowing her to earn rather than accrue debt while gaining valuable experience. Looking ahead, she is particularly excited by the financial freedom the route offers, including the ability to travel once she qualifies.
What the Episode Reveals
A recurring theme throughout the episode is efficiency. Emma and Issy both describe starting their apprenticeship with no accounting background and progressing through structured training that aligns closely with their day-to-day work. Unlike many university courses, where theory and practice can feel disconnected, their academic study feeds directly into tasks they complete in the office, reinforcing learning through immediate application.
The episode also challenges several common misconceptions. Degree apprenticeships are not an “easy option”, nor are apprentices passive or marginal within their workplaces. Both guests describe demanding exams, increasing workloads, and high expectations, alongside structured support and protected study time.
Social life is treated with similar nuance. While apprenticeships do not automatically generate large peer groups in the way university does, Emma and Issy argue that maintaining active weekends, financial independence, and existing friendships can offset this difference. The trade-off, they suggest, is not isolation versus community, but structure versus spontaneity.
Crucially, the episode avoids false binaries. It acknowledges that some subjects and career paths still strongly favour university, while making a compelling case that for vocational disciplines like accountancy, the traditional university route is often assumed rather than examined.
Why You Should Watch
This episode does not offer a universal answer to the post-18 question. What it offers instead is something more valuable: clarity. By walking through the structure of a degree apprenticeship, comparing it carefully to university, and grounding the discussion in honest experience, it equips listeners to make better-informed decisions.
To hear the full conversation, including detailed application advice and candid reflections on trade-offs, watch the complete episode on YouTube. If you are currently weighing your options after school, this episode of CourseCast may fundamentally reshape how you think about them. Please feel free to contact us with listener questions and episode requests on Instagram or by leaving a comment on any of our videos!