15 Aug 2025
Now this year’s A level exam results have been published many students will be contemplating their next steps towards either getting a job or various options in further education.
But with a degree now costing upwards of £32,000 just for the course fees, it isn’t an attractive option for everybody.
There are those young people who might be deterred by the prospect of getting into lots of debt or might not have the academic grades to get into their preferred university and might not want to settle for somewhere else, but have not considered the possibility of an apprenticeship.
An apprenticeship can be undertaken by anybody over 16 – of any age – and is partly funded by the Government through the employer. An apprentice is a trainee who gets paid while they learn on the job, often with a day a week or similar at a college or in-house training centre, and can be in a wide range of professions from journalism to the construction industry.
One job that has always traditionally trained staff through apprenticeships is hairdressing.
Director of Clipso hair salon in The Maltings Simon Cox said their apprentices undertake a two- year NVQ and are accessed at each stage of the process: “This is a hands-on training programme as well as requiring writing skills. Once they’ve done that they then become qualified stylists.
“It’s great to see our rising stars grow and progress to stylists, then grow and be promoted through our ongoing training to more senior positions. One individual progressed over the years with me and eventually became assistant manager.”
Simon, who did an apprenticeship himself, said that some parents and learners don’t realise that an apprenticeship counts as continuous learning up to 18: “Academic learning is not for everyone, and our great nation is what it is because of skilled labour and professional crafts people. There would be a massive shortfall without apprenticeships being available in all skilled labour trades.”
Current Clipso apprentice Bella Prazer said: “An apprenticeship is very beneficial because it sets you up for the future along with a source of income.”
She chose an apprenticeship because she feels it will give her a realistic introduction to what salon life is like and said it is “more hands-on than any college or sixth form can offer”.
Bella also said that it will make her more “money wise at a younger age” and help her to plan for the future.
Apprenticeships have always been a vital part of how St Albans business Amthal Fire & Security functions. Its founders John Allam and Paul Rosenthal began their careers as apprentices, as did their CEO, Jamie Allam, and the company offers apprenticeships routes into many different aspects of the business, including finance, sales, supply chain and engineering.
CEO Jamie Allam said: “We’re launching the Amthal Academy at the end of September. It is designed to formalise and expand our approach to training and development. The goal is for 30 per cent of our team to be in formal education at any one time.
“We believe learning should be continuous, accessible and supported. Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways to deliver that and they’ll continue to be central to how we grow, lead and evolve.”
Fire and security engineer apprentice Ulla Surman started with the company in June and proud to be Amthal’s first female engineering apprentice: “It’s a great step forward as I know it’s traditionally a male-dominated field, and I am here to show that real progress is being made, for every girl.”
She chose to undertake an apprenticeship because she liked the idea of learning and working at the same time: “I didn’t see why I had to choose one or the other – and an apprenticeship gives you both.”
What advice would she give somebody who doesn’t fancy going to university?
“I would say not to stress. It sounds so simple, but as we continue to break down barriers and become more inclusive and diverse, there are many options out there for everyone.
Apprenticeships provide the same opportunities – or more – as university.”
Internal sales team leader Alex Dearden has been with the security firm since 2020 when he joined the team as an apprenticeship and junior sales assistant. What does he enjoy about his job? “I love being able to work with a great team every day. Additionally, it’s being able to work across a wide field of sectors with many different challenges, which means every day is a school day and we are all on a continuous learning journey.”
He won Team Member of the Year in 2024 and a Culture Carrier Award in 2025 and feels really valued at work.
Alex said he would strongly advise those leaving school now to look very favourably on an apprenticeship “because the skills you learn and experience you get in the field are amazing”.
His colleague Harry Apicella joined the company after failing his last year at university: “Whilst university was great for me academically and enabled me to progress a field of interest for me, the apprenticeship has been key for my career. For anyone that does an apprenticeship it will always be received well in interviews as it truly shows real and learned experience as well as academic qualification.”
His experience has changed the way he looks at apprenticeships: “If you don’t want to go to university, trust your gut, only you know what’s right for you, and if you don’t get into university, don’t let it get to you, it’s also completely OK. There are so many amazing apprenticeships and ‘earn and learn’ opportunities that provide alternative routes to get into an industry you’re interested in. If you’re proactive and have a look around, I’m sure you’d be surprised at the offerings available.”
St Albans-based marketing company Amber Mountain is also an advocate for apprenticeships.
Marketing manager Tia-Lily Girdlestone explained: “The hands-on experience you get from an apprenticeship is invaluable! Not only do you get to learn and experience industry skills but also life skills that you’ll take with you into every role of your career. I think that’s such a powerful way to learn because you grow in confidence while building a solid foundation of knowledge and building a network of professionals around you.”
Tia-Lily joined Amber Mountain six years ago as their first apprentice and said the experience has genuinely changed her life: “I’ve gone from learning the basics of marketing to working on major campaigns, leading on strategy, and helping grow the business and the team from the inside.
“I’ve developed not just my skill set, but my confidence, leadership, and creativity. Without my apprenticeship, I’d only be three years into my career now. However, I have six years hands-on industry experience and three years of management experience. It’s an achievement I’m extremely proud of and thankful to Amber Mountain for helping me get there.”
Marketing and design apprentice Libby Robinson said one of the biggest benefits for her was gaining practical experience while learning about marketing and getting paid at the same time.
She undertook her apprenticeship after graduating from university. It allowed her to build her experience in a structured, supportive learning environment:
“I’ve learned so much, and I’ve had the support of a team that’s always willing to teach and share knowledge, which was something I didn’t experience much of at university. It’s amazing to work in a team that shares the same passion, where we can all learn from each other and grow together.”
Jess Bunting is currently a marketing apprentice. She didn’t want to go to university and wasn’t sure what she wanted to do as a career.
It was undertaking a period of work experience that led her to want to work in digital marketing. She said she realised how highly experience is valued in the workplace and didn’t feel that university could provide that: “I knew that there were other ways I could gain this qualification. Personally, I learn best when I am hands-on with my work. So an apprenticeship just made perfect sense for me.”
She said her favourite part of her role is creating and designing email newsletters and coming up with fun new ideas for social media content.
She added: “There are so many amazing opportunities now outside of university, so it is definitely worth weighing up all your options. Similarly, if you’re worrying about not getting in, there are still so many other options for you!”
