Outside the specific degrees that lead to a profession many university qualifications do not guarantee employment. Many graduates have to go on after their degree to retrain in a vocational role or learn their skills on the job.
A degree is a good way of training the brain to think to analyse and shows commitment to study. Unfortunately today it has become a very expensive business. The debt incurred whilst studying will take years to pay off and can discourage many from attending university in the first place. A college education does however help the student to mature and often becomes to conduit to forming romantic relationships.
Apprenticeships often have the benefit of being paid on the job and learning a specific skill that can be utilised throughout a career. The main disadvantage is that they are usually very specific and the market for that trade might diminish. Most apprentices do not have the benefit of developing their social life but the training will help them into the world of work much earlier.
Both degrees and apprentice training can be very good or a complete waste of time depending on the support you get during the training period and how your training can be monetised . One big benefit of trade training is it allows an individual to set up a business early in their career.
Today university can be seen a means of rounding off a students education and no longer differentiates individuals in a competitive world. Most politicians have been through the university system so they assume that all comers in the community would desire the same. Many however have had the benefit of financial support from their families and are gifted in academic study. Many of the public do not have access to funds and are not academically inclined. They would often prefer to gain a trade. of course there is an overlap between some apprenticeships and academic education but these types of apprenticeship do not usually lead to a practical trade skill.
Peter Bull ( author of Get In Touch With Your Start Up Building Business )