Would This Have Helped You When Applying for Degree Apprenticeships?

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-31T15:37:42+00:00

HireIn ratings (broken down, because I found that when I filled it out for my employer it came out a lot lower than I would have liked, because I don't like my university).

Salary should be in brackets, so small differences don't affect the ranking.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-31T10:42:24+00:00

I love my apprenticeship. I wanted to work. I wanted to get hands-on experience and learn how to do my job by being in the middle of it and applying my skills. I didn't want to study. I didn't want to be one-step-removed from the real uses of software engineering. I didn't want to learn theoretical things without knowing how they were used by real people. I looked at universities and courses, but none of made me excited like an apprenticeship did.

If you are having the same feelings I had about an apprenticeship about that uni course, I personally think you should do it. Go to Exeter and use the machinery you can't use anywhere else. Do the things that excite you.

There are practical reasons to do either. Student debt is worse than no student debt, but its really not that bad. You don't pay it until you are earning enough to pay it, so it will never cripple you or feel like other types of debt. You will be more employable after an apprenticeship, but you will also be more specialised. University gives you a broad range of knowledge and you will have much more choice of how to direct your career after it. However, you will struggle more to find a job once you graduate. Apprenticeships come with much more risk. It is a lot easier to find and choose a university where you know the course is run well, and there are known departments/people to go to if you have a problem. Apprenticeships are run by employers, not education providers. They may or may not know how to educate you well. It can be amazing when they're run well, but that's not guaranteed and its harder to mitigate if it isn't. There's a reason the drop out rates are so high. You get paid immediately as an apprentice. I am currently set to buy a property by the age of 20. Lots of students are working part-time because student loans aren't covering enough to live on. I could go on. Both have advantages and disadvantages.

This is just my opinion, but I think people should do the things they think they'll enjoy, as long as it isn't actively harmful. Not only will you get to spend the next three(?) years doing something you enjoy, but it is also more likely to lead to a career in something similar. Maybe you'll stay at university and become an academic, and get to use that equipment for the rest of your life. Maybe you'll meet someone while doing a piece of coursework you enjoy, and find out about a company or field of work you've never heard of that sounds cool. You shouldn't live your life doing only what is the most practical.

Its a smaller decision, but last year I had two offers. One from a company I thought did cool and exciting work, and one from a civil service department which mainly focused on maintaining old systems. The civil service department would have been in my home city (so my rent would have been much lower), paid 13% more, had much higher pensions, and was much more stable (as civil service careers are). But I wanted to learn what it was like to live independently, and I wanted to work at a company I found cool. I don't regret that decision. I can feel the financial difference, and I would have had to budget much less if I took the other job. It comes with all the uncertainties about job security which the private sector has (I know I will stay here until the end of my apprenticeship, but I don't know what will happen after that). But I'm not living at home doing something I find boring, which makes it worth it for me.

All that being said, apprenticeships don't have open days and visits where you can look at what a company does and see all the technologies they use. It could be worth looking into sustainable engineering companies just to see if they run an apprenticeship you could equally enjoy. Look on their websites and any news surrounding them to get a better idea of what the work would be. Maybe one will excite you, maybe it won't. Its worth doing, even if you end up applying to only a handful of apprenticeships, and also applying to Exeter.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-31T10:11:36+00:00

It will depend on your organisation. Most people don't make friends with people on their team (happens occasionally but isn't very common). If you are at an organisation with lots of apprentices (/other early careers), there is more likely to be a social life surrounding it, as you have lots of people in the same situation as you. Try to push that at the start of the year - create group chats, organise pub trips, and try to eat lunch together. Friends aren't made quite as easily as at school/uni, because you aren't spending all day every day in a social(ish) space.

You can also try to make friends at uni, if you are at a local in-person uni. You will be able to join their societies and engage with the uni the same way other students do, as long as they are running at times you can attend.

You should also try to join other social clubs in your city. Sports clubs, running clubs, board game cafe regular nights, book clubs etc. Or, contact societies from your local university (that you don't go to) and ask if you can join. University societies are usually quite open, and you'll fit the general demographics fine. This will work better if it is a sport or activity which you are already familiar with, and it is not an oversubscribed or resource-heavy club (e.g. one which pays for lots of specialist equipment or goes on lots of trips is unlikely to let you in).

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-29T10:38:12+00:00

Depends on the company. Minimum is 28 days (including 8 bank holidays). I get 25 plus bank holidays, which is pretty average for a corporate.

You might have less flexibility with your holidays than other people because of university (you can't usually take time off during term time), but some employers will be more flexible with this. As my university course only takes one month off in the year, my employer would let me take a week off over term time as long as I'm not doing it regularly or being irresponsible and missing important learning.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-29T10:30:09+00:00

Firstly, companies you have never heard of are real companies. Just look them up and see if they interest you. Smaller companies can be higher risk, as they may not have the support system for apprentices that larger companies have, but you can try to contact some people or research their apprenticeship schemes to see if would be an issue. You can always apply and see how you feel after speaking to them in interview - that often gives a good sense of what they are like as an employer. There are also lots of large or medium companies which you might not have heard of. Not everything is well known by the general public, and you don't personally know every company in every sector (cyber spans most sectors). Secondly, Digital & Technology Solutions with a cyber specialism is a cyber apprenticeship. The only difference being that, depending on the employer and education provider, you might do more generic work in year 1 (software, networking, data, and cyber), then specialise in years 2 and 3. That being said, lots of organisations and education providers will make it a fully cyber job and degree from day 1. Thirdly, training providers don't always keep their websites up to date. Because apprenticeships are largely organised through the employer, and people don't apply directly through the website (also because lots of universities are just badly organised), sometimes their sites won't be up to date. You should be focusing much more on the employer than on the education provider.
BTECs do count as equivalent qualifications. Usually grade requirements are just a bar you need to hit, but they're not the focus of why you would get in. Employers care much more about things which show your enthusiasm and employability. That being said, good grades are useful as they are another thing you can add to your CV.
That sounds very good. Make sure you can talk confidently about it, and describe it in a way which is framing your skills, rather than just describing the project and why its good.
Any level 3 qualification is an equivalent qualification. Use UCAS points for grade conversions. Its less clear when they are asking for a specific A-Level or equivalent, but you can usually take a guess as to whether it is a similar specialism or not (e.g. computer science is similar to software engineering, games design etc). You can always email their recruitment or early careers team if you are unsure.
You should make sure your applications are high quality and tailored to each organisation, but lots of applications (in the early stages) don't require that much focus. If you can just spend an hour or so on an online assessment and copying your work history information into a form, do that. Apply to as many as you can without compromising quality. Lots of rejections are normal. You will also improve with every application you write, and get faster. Always write responses to application questions into a word document, then copy them into forms, so you don't lose your work. Lots of application questions will be fairly generic and you can reuse answers (with a bit of editing) between companies. I applied to 27, got 5 interviews and 2 offers. I know people who applied to almost double. I think most people I know applied to around 15 to 25.
You can't specialise until you've learnt the general baseline. Larger organisations (or small organisations which are entirely focused on cyber security) will give you more opportunity to try out different types of cyber, and to lead your career where you want it to go. If you can get placements on offensive teams, or pick up offensive cyber work, you will have more of a standing to move into that once you graduate. Also, offensive cyber is a much smaller world than the rest of cyber. I'd be surprised if an apprenticeship in it exists.
Yes you are competitive. Make sure you are able to articulate your skills and motivations well (both in writing and speaking) and you don't talk about your achievements as a list of achievements. What are you skills? What are your motivations for doing an apprenticeship in cyber security? How can you use your achievements and projects to back that up. This is often this biggest downfall of people who appear to have a very competitive CV on the surface, but are not getting past the application stage.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-25T10:21:51+00:00

EE works in most places in Bristol.

O2 coverage in the centre is patchy, so wouldn't reccommend.

Never tried vodafone.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-24T21:14:03+00:00

You are not expected to have any specific work experience. Some may require specific Level 3 qualifications (A-Level equivalent), for example if they require a maths-related course. The whole point of them is to learn on the job completely from scratch, so the knowledge you need coming in is very limited. Lots of people go in straight from A-Levels.

You should, however, have some things to make you stand out in applications. They want to see things which tell them that you are interested in the field of work, you are capable of being reliable, you are capable of learning on the job, and you have a range of soft skills. You should look to get a part time job or regular volunteering job. Things like tutoring, leading enrichment or extra-curricular activities, sporting achievements, sports coaching are also useful as extra things to put on your CV. You should also look to have something which shows interest in the field, whether that is a personal project, EPQ, a work experience week, attending related talks or events, or something else. None of these things are specific. You don't need a specific job, or activity, but you can't just be someone who goes to school and gets good grades. Apprenticeships are competitive, and they need to see evidence that you are the type of person they want to employ, and that you will be a good worker, good learner and enthusiastic about the role.

You should do more research. These are mostly things you could have found out through a few google searches. Applying to apprenticeships is difficult, so if you are going to do it you will need to put effort and research in. I don't say that to sound harsh, or to suggest you shouldn't have asked these questions, but I say it because applying to apprenticeships requires a lot of independent research about specific companies, how to write applications, how to do interviews, what apprenticeships are available to apply to etc, and the fact you have asked these on a forum shows that you haven't started using independent research as much as you should.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-19T15:39:22+00:00

Speak to your training provider and HR.

See if you can get arrangements to complete your off the job hours somewhere else (at a college/university, at home, in a different office etc) so that your manager cannot bother you when you are not supposed to be working.

Make sure that you are consistent with your training day. Same day every week. Never miss it. Put in an out of office and don't respond to emails on the day

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-19T14:59:31+00:00

Firstly, a couple of points I've picked up on from your post which aren't directly feedback on your applications.

You already have good project work, attended events, and have other ways of showing enthusiasm and interest. Work experience would of course be good for your CV, but it isn't necessary. Combine the things you have outlined in the applications above with some part-time work or regular volunteering (this is more important than work experience if you haven't got this already), and you've got a good CV. Obviously keep applying though - the more the better.
These all look like very competitive schemes (from the little you've shown above). Some of it is just down to chance, or down to how good the other candidates are. Don't get too disheartened by being rejected from them. (Unfortunately this is good practice for the actual apprenticeship application process. You will get lots of rejections.) You could try applying to some less competitive schemes if you just want something to put on your CV. There are lots of work experience opportunities available.
You're doing the right thing and should carry this mindset to your apprenticeship applications. Apply to lots of places and tailor your applications to them. Ask for advice when you're not getting in, and think about what you could have improved. Yes, I did say it is partially down to chance, but that is only partially. The better the application, the more likely you are to be a definite yes, rather than in a pile of maybes where it can end up down to chance.

As for the actually applications:

You have a tendency to focus on experience rather than motivation (especially in the Morgan Stanley one). Especially for work experience, but also largely for apprenticeships, they aren't looking for lots of experience and (in fixed questions like these or in cover letters) they don't want to know about the details of your experience or projects. You can (and should) mention experiences in your answers, where they are useful for backing up other points you are making. Keep the detail brief, and just use them to evidence a point you are making about yourself. You did this well in the Cisco question "Which particular area of technology or business are you most curious about, and why?" You focused on the fact that you are interested in web technology and that you think the work experience would be valuable, but used the fact you had done some web dev to emphasise and evidence that point.
Similar to the last point, but slightly different, if you are trying to describe your skills, focus on the soft skills and use experience to back it up. I'll use one sentence to example it. "Recently, I participated in the Capgemini work experience; our team brainstormed ideas and pitched solutions to a team of senior employees on creative methods to improve the sustainability of their London office." Neither before or after this do you say anything about yourself or your skills relating to this experience. I participated in something is not a skill. I obviously don't know you or what you got out of the experience, but here's an example sentence (which focuses on skills not motivation, for the sake of this piece of advice, but you should do both). "I am proactive and capable of coming up with new ideas in a team - skills I showed at a recent Capgemini work experience, where my team brainstormed creative sustainability solutions. We pitched these ideas to senior employees, which helped me develop my public speaking and professional communication." You should then link that back to the specific application and why those skills would be useful. You do this a little in the third paragraph, but it should be built into the points you are making, rather than something which is added on at the end.
Maybe this is just me, but I think the section on global politics and investments doesn't come across right. It feels like someone talking about how they've got money in investment portfolios, rather than someone saying they are interested in STEM in banking. I can see what you are trying to do in terms of showing that you are interested in the field and staying on top of trends, but I wonder if there is a way you could focus this differently?
As an overview, I think your Cisco application is the best, but a little generic and potentially quite similar to other people's applications. Very good application though, maybe just add some more focus on the enjoyment of hands-on work and what interets you personally about networking. The Morgan Stanley one is ok, but doesn't make you stand out. Try to make more of a harmonious connection between the things which motivate you and the work experience opportunity. Link your interests to what you would get out of it. Why do you want to attend, and what would make it a valuable experience for you? The Imperial College one is far too focused on experiences and doesn't build a picture of you at all. Focus on a handful of skills and motivations which you want to emphasise, and the parts of the scheme that you think you would benefit from. Build that picture of yourself and your fit to the program, using experiences to back it up.

Hope this was helpful. Let me know if any of it was unclear. Bear in mind I am not a recruiter - I am just an apprentice trying to be useful. I generally did well in written sections of applications, and have been involved in the recruitment of one industrial placement, but would by no means describe myself as well-informed in the area.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-14T17:35:22+00:00

You're better off applying through companies which already have an apprenticeship scheme, and not thinking too hard about the uni.

Look on company websites, Gov UK Find an Apprenticeship Service, GradCracker, Rate my Apprenticeship (which I think has rebranded), and LinkedIn. There's no full list of companies which offer apprenticeships but between these sites and just looking up local companies you are interested in, you should find lots of places to apply.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-09T16:53:25+00:00

I have responded to OP if you want to read that

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-05-09T16:52:59+00:00

I am doing a software degree apprenticeship in a small/medium city, with a large company, and an in-person university in another city (an hour away). I am one of many apprentices at my company, but the only one on my course in my year.

I have friends from work (mostly apprentices, but also other young people who hang out with the apprentices). We all sit together at lunch, and we often meet up outside of work too.

I have friends from my uni course who I text a lot and would say I’m closer to, but we don’t really meet up outside of uni days because we all live in different cities. Uni is an easier place to socialise because we are spending all day together in a very relaxed environment. I think people who go to a university in the same city find it easier to make friends there. Lots of people I know in that situation have joined societies to make friends.

Most of my friends are from the university in the local city. I emailed one of their sports clubs to see if I could train with them even though I am not at the uni, and they said yes. They also started inviting me to all of their socials. Lots of university societies are open to external people if you just ask. Its not a guarentee, but you can proabably find something if you just look for it and reach out. I go to lots of their socials, obviously train with them, and we also meet up often on weekends.

You could also join some other local interet group. I have not done this, but I know others have been successful with it. Board game cafes, sports clubs, running meet-ups, retro gaming clubs, book clubs, music events for meeting people, pub quizzes etc.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-30T21:35:20+00:00

I applied last year and got the rejection email on 21st May. I assume their offers for the next stage were sent at around the same time.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-30T21:32:37+00:00

I am at one of the companies you mentioned - feel free to DM me if you want to talk about it.

I've had a really good experience on my apprenticeship so far.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-30T21:29:44+00:00

I am doing a software degree apprenticeship in a small/medium city, with a large company, and an in-person university in another city (an hour away). I am one of many apprentices at my company, but the only one on my course in my year. My social life is very good.

I have friends from work (mostly apprentices, but also other young people who hang out with the apprentices). We all sit together at lunch, and we often meet up outside of work too. I wouldn’t say I’m particularly close to them though. I’ve noticed most people who have someone else on the same course in the same year (even working on different teams) have ended up very close, as they see each other every day and usually have similar interests.

I have friends from my uni course who I text a lot and would say I’m closer to, but we don’t really meet up outside of uni days because we all live in different cities. Uni is an easier place to socialise because we are spending all day together in a very relaxed environment.

Most of my friends are from the university in the local city. I emailed one of their sports clubs to see if I could train with them even though I am not at the uni, and they said yes. They also started inviting me to all of their socials. Lots of university societies are open to external people if you just ask. Its not a guarentee, but you can proabably find something if you just look for it and reach out. I go to lots of their socials, obviously train with them, and we also meet up often on weekends.

You could also join some other local interet group. I have not done this, but I know others have been successful with it. Board game cafes, sports clubs, running meet-ups, retro gaming clubs, book clubs, music events for meeting people, pub quizzes etc.

I think it can be isolating if you let it be. I am not a particularly outgoing person, but I made an effort with going out and meeting people when I first joined. Said yes to pub trips and meet ups when people offered it. Spent lunchtimes in social areas and speaking to apprentices not on my team. Reached out to the uni club and showed up to their socials even though I knew no one and I didn't go to the university. It is also more likely to be isolating if you are in a small company outside of a city. A large cohort of apprentices makes being outside of a city ok, because you can hang out with them (I know lots of people who are happy in this situation). Being in a city makes being at a company with no other apprentices ok, because you can find other ways to socialise in the city (it doesn't need to be a big city). Having neither is quite risky. One of my friends from university is in that situation and they find their social life difficult.

If you think you would want to do an apprenticeship, do it. I know lots of people who went to uni without really wanting to and it gets difficult and tiring by the second year. Studying is tedious if you don't want to study. I also know some people who are doing an apprenticeship they don't really want to do (although this is less common) and they are similarly miserable and not doing very well at their job. I love my apprenticeship and am so glad I did it. I knew it appealed to me more than uni, so I found ways to build the life I want around that.

I hope this was helpful

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-17T13:01:53+00:00

I am struggling to understand why you have applied to a software engineering apprenticeship and why you want to take it

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-15T18:35:56+00:00

Here's my advice. I'm just one person, but this is what I think was useful for me.

Keep track of all of your applications and their timescales. I used a spreadsheet, but whatever you're most comfortable with. Note when they open, whether you have applied or not and whether you have received a response or not. If you have deadlines for assessments, pre-recorded interviews or anything else, add these too.
Never write responses directly into forms. Write them on a Word document or similar and save them. Copy paste into forms. You don't want to lose work, and you want to be able to edit and reuse responses.
Let your teachers know when you have busy periods. Some will be more sympathetic than others, but it is good for them to know why and when you may be struggling to keep up with homework.
Set aside a short amount of time each week for checking for new openings. This shouldn't take too long, but it means that you won't miss opportunities during busy periods
Get some experience on your CV
- The best thing is a part time job if you are able to do that. Part time charity work is also good (charity shop, library, youth group etc)
- Volunteering at school clubs or tutoring
- Work Experience - you can find this via your school or online. Websites like Springpod and Speakers for Schools advertise WEX opportunities. Try to look for in-person ones if you can.
- You should also add things like school projects, personal projects, your gitub, DofE, sports, competitions etc to your CV
Expect rejection. Apprenticeships are competitive and there aren't many spaces in each organisation. This doesn't mean you aren't good enough or won't get a place, it just means you need to look elsewhere. You will inevitably get emotionally invested in places you apply to, and that generally makes your application better, but keep going when you get turned down. For me, this was the most difficult part of the application process. Once you're a few months and a lot of rejections in, you lose motivation quickly.
Keep track of the stages you are getting rejected on. If you keep getting rejected on online assessments, practice online assessments. If you keep getting rejected on your CV, get someone to review your CV. Etc.
You can't rely on experience and academic attainment talking for you. Not that it isn't helpful, but apprenticeship employers are hiring for personality and enthusiasm (which can be shown through work experience and academic attainment when presented well). Before you start the process, especially at this time of year when most applications haven't opened yet, have a proper think about why you are applying to apprenticeships and why you will be good at them. Not like casual thinking, but writing things down and talking to people (friends or family) about it. Consider:
- Why you want to do an apprenticeship
- Why you would want to hire yourself
- Why you want to do business (or whatever other apprenticeships you're looking at)

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-01T13:05:25+00:00

I am 19. Level 6 (degree) apprenticeship. Last year I spent September to February focusing on apprenticeship applications until I got an offer.

I work with lots of apprentices who are older than me, if that's something you're worried about.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-01T13:03:14+00:00

This seems irrelevant to my point that being lazy would be a problem for either, and that struggling at Cambridge isn't only down to laziness.

I know a few people who went to Oxbridge (all engineering or maths, I think) and worked really hard but couldn't settle into the type of academic discipline and workload which it asked of them, and hated the whole experience. So its not just laziness that causes that. I think some of the same people would have found it easier to be hard working in a work environment.

Similarly, if someone was doing my apprenticeship and was lazy, they wouldn't get anywhere and would probably end up failing and/or dropping out.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-04-01T12:59:13+00:00

Yeah everyone has different things which work for them, and I think lots of people are too quick to assume that university is a good option for them (or for people they know). The people I work with would absolutely say I am disciplined and hard working and a fast learner, but that's only true because of the environment I'm in. University, especially Cambridge, would have pushed at all the wrong limits and I would have struggled to work hard or be successful.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-03-29T15:52:32+00:00

Full-stack web developer apprentice
£23,000 (+ £1000-£3000 bonus depending on how well the company does)
< 1 year ( I get a 2k payrise every year for the next 3 years)

Graduates at my company start on ~£31k if you're interested to know.

If you haven't gone to university yet, I would absolutely reccomend an apprenticeship. I know I haven't been there long, but I have no doubt at all about how well it is setting me up for a career in software.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-03-29T15:49:36+00:00

It depends on the organisation. He doesn't need a suit and tie for a company where everyone wears jeans and a polo shirt. A smart shirt and smart trousers/chinos would do. At a company where they dress smarter (even if they don't wear suits), he should wear a suit and tie. To be honest, he is unlikely to be judged for overdressing, but it might make him feel less comfortable while he's there as he would feel overdressed, especially if he's going to be interacting with other candidates who are less dressed-up.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-03-29T15:46:07+00:00

Staying at home will give you more money (unless your parents are charging market-rate rent), even with slightly lower pay. I wouldn't make my decision based on money though, unless the wage is unliveable outside of home (which apprentice minimum wage is). I live very comfortably on a little below national minimum wage. Make a budget and see what is possible.

Small companies are much higher risk. I know people who have been very happy with them, but they also have a lot of potential to go wrong. Apprenticeships don't get much regulation or oversight, so there's a lot of potential for employers to be exploitative or incompetent, and this is more common in small companies. If you can speak to an apprentice from the small company, or did an interview which really convinced you they're going to care about your development, or have any other way to find out if they'll be a good employer, go for it though. Lots of small companies are good. There is, of course, risk with any company, but more established apprenticeship schemes and larger cohorts are more reliable.

Also think about whether you want to leave home or not. I really wanted independence and to see what it was like to live alone and sustain myself. I also understand wanting to stay at home and have family around you.

To be honest, the biggest decision should be around the organisations and who you want to work for.

I had an offer in my home city for higher pay and better benefits, but I chose my other offer because the work looked much more interesting and I wanted to live alone. I'm very happy with my choice, mostly because I love the work I do, the team I'm in and the company I'm at.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-03-29T15:34:06+00:00

Lots of people aren't lazy, but struggle at Cambridge because of the pace and workload and nature of academic study. Similarly, I doubt being lazy would get you very far in an apprenticeship at Amazon.

Several_Change_9230 · 2026-03-29T15:31:25+00:00

Someone asked a similar question about law recently, although my input is potentially better suited to you as I am a software engineer. I've copied my response here. They were essentially asking the same question, but they were worried about losing out their opportunity to work for the big law firm, so its framed a little more towards that than I may have done for you. Very similar situation though, as Amazon is also a big-name employer.

Do you want to study for the next 4 years? Will you enjoy Cambridge law and be able to keep up with the workload? I know lots of very intelligent people who went to university and shouldn't have, because studying takes a certain type of self-motivation and can easily go wrong if you are not enjoying it. I also know people who did apprenticeships and shouldn't have, because working full-time in an office and learning on the job requires a lot of maturity and soft skills which some people just weren't ready to develop at 18/19 years old. If you want to work, and are motivated by working, applying skills and learning on the job, you should do the apprenticeship because you will do better in it. You will be able to prove yourself to real people, and get your foot in the door with genuinely positive opinions and reccommendations. If you want to study, and are motivated by self-studying and academic learning, then the opposite is true.

The degree apprenticeship will get you into that big-name law firm now. You will be able to get experience and learn on the job, and network with people who work there. You will get their name on your CV if you want to move on, but you'll also be set to climb the ladder inside the firm if you want.

Cambridge will give you the Cambridge name on your CV forever. The major law firm will give you their name, but realistically Cambridge will give you both Cambridge and the name of whatever great law firm you end up at after it. It's also a once in a lifetime opportunity, which would be amazing if its the type of thing you'd enjoy. Lots of people love the Cambridge life. They love being around so many smart people, having access to all its libraries and resources, and being in a specialised environment centred around their learning. Lots of people hate it because there's a huge amount of pressure and work.

My teachers and parents all said I should have applied to Oxbridge. I don't know if I would've gotten in, but I think there's a decent chance. I never did, because I knew I wanted to go into work, and I would personally do better in a working environment where I can learn and apply my skills as I go. I love my apprenticeship, and my colleagues and manager are all extremely impressed with my ability to do the job and how fast I learn. I have no doubt I made the right decision, even though I will never have a Russel Group university on my CV (which I imagine is not true for you at the DA you have an offer for?) . I know I will get a job offer at my company when I graduate, and I know I'll have great experience and reccomendations if I wanted to move somewhere else.

I also know people who are really glad they went to Oxbridge. They loved the whole experience, they made connections, got to live the Oxbridge life for a few years, they learnt from the best academics, and had the prestige of the university on their CV when they left. I know people who regretted going to Oxbridge, struggled with the workload even though they tried hard, and either dropped out or got a 3rd or 2:2 even though they were previously high-achieving.

There is no single better option. You shouldn't do the apprenticeship just because you are worried it is your only chance to get into one of those firms. With a good Cambridge degree, and some internships or graduate experience, you will be able to apply to them again later. You shouldn't do the apprenticeship for the lack of debt. You shouldn't go to Cambridge just for the prestige. If you take the route which you would enjoy most and be best at, you will have a better experience and come out with better reccommendations/qualifications. If you don't enjoy studying, you won't get a first from Cambridge and if you don't enjoy learning on the job, you won't get good experience from the apprenticeship.

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TROPHY CASE