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Digital Apprenticeships — Why Clearing isn't your 'last-chance saloon'!

Could IT Apprenticeships help you meet your goals?

That’s right, it’s coming up to that time when thousands of students eagerly await their exam results! 

For some, they’ll happily accept places at their chosen university, and others will enter the familiar and often daunting process of Clearing, hoping to find a place to study in their preferred field.

Last year, 758,000 students applied for higher education with just under 565,000 being accepted; a shortfall of approximately 193,000.

Imagine if some of those students were informed of other options to further their careers, such as an Apprenticeship in the tech/digital arena to fill the current and vast shortage of those specific skills in the UK?

We know, right?!

There’s a big expectation in society that students will automatically go to University once they finish their A-levels. At Firebrand, we’ve noticed that alternative avenues aren’t discussed with students when it comes to their career path outside of the traditional university degree.

We are here not to dispel this tradition but to diversify it, and to share what’s happening in the UK tech and digital landscape so that students can feel empowered to consider other options outside of the traditional clearing route if exam results are not as they’d hoped.

The growing Digital Skills shortage in the UK

At Firebrand, we like to keep our finger on the pulse and cater to the ever-growing shortage of digital skills in the UK; like this blog and our array of IT Apprenticeships, for example, to inform you on why a digital apprenticeship is a fantastic option to step into a prosperous career and not fall into uni debt.

You know we love a good stat so here’s one that’ll knock your socks off: 80% of employers admit that university graduates do not have the digital skills they need to be work-ready, according to the Chartered Management Institute. Woah!

The market is rapidly changing: what once was deemed tech savvy, our children are now showing these skills. Have you ever seen a 2-year-old navigate a tablet when they’re told no more screen time? We rest our case.

With the introduction of hybrid roles and the rapid growth of e-commerce and digital retail, IT is one of the top 3 industries, alongside finance and insurance, where candidates are highly sought after. 

Adzuna shows that tech jobs have hit a 10-year high over the past 2 years with tech roles making up 14% (2 million) job opportunities in the UK which is more than any other labour area.

However, 12 million workers lacked essential digital skills for these roles. 

This is an alarming number and should it continue, the knock-on effect could see a ‘stifling’ of the digital and tech trend growing across all industries.

Social media company Snap commissioned an Oxford Economics report showing that, by the end of this decade, 75% of jobs will require advanced digital skills.

Apprenticeships aren’t just for plumbers and joiners! 

Employers are greatly seeing the benefits of placing apprentices within the workplace to boost overall morale and productivity by investing back into their staff. Employers also receive government funding for apprenticeships so it really is a win/win scenario for both the employer and apprentice. We like that! 

University debt or 3 years of salary under your belt?

That was definitely a rhetorical question!

A university student in England on average accrues a debt of £53,000 that they will end up paying off each month once they begin earning over a certain amount.

With a digital apprenticeship, you could make that money back in the first year of your placement and pay nothing towards your apprenticeship!

Let’s say that again: if you decide to undertake an apprenticeship, you won't pay anything! Nice.

What are some more benefits of a digital apprenticeship, you ask?  

  • You’ll be straight into a working environment with on-the-job experience and you’ll get paid for it! (yes, we thought we’d share that part twice) Plus you’ll receive employee benefits such as an accrued holiday.
  • You’ll receive industry-recognised qualifications and won’t have to pay a penny for it!
  • Hands-on learning and training in a supportive work environment as opposed to a theory-based university degree.
  • Improved employability: A huge advantage when you have the digital skills under your belt to bridge the gap in the UK digital market in consideration for future roles and you’ll have vital work experience that many employers require (minimum 1 year) when considering talent for roles.
  • You’ll have 3 years of experience in the tech/digital industry with your foot well on the career ladder as your friends are just leaving uni.
  • Enjoy student discounts with an NUS card: shops, restaurants, gyms, and more!

Could Apprenticeships be right for you?

Browse Apprenticeship vacancies.