Apprenticeship v university
Duration Apprenticeship
University
Eighteen months for the intermediate apprenticeship, 24 months for the paralegal apprenticeship and six years for the solicitor apprenticeship. It takes around five years to qualify as a legal executive.
Undergraduate degrees usually last three to four years.
University is the right path for some people because it offers the chance to study an interesting subject in detail and gain a valuable degree that opens up career options. University can also be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, filled with opportunities for getting involved in new things and meeting life-long friends. On the other hand, an apprenticeship offers a more direct path to those same career options, without the costs of going to university or the same intense competition for places. Apprenticeships are also perfect for people who are not keen on more full-time study after finishing their A levels and are eager to kick-start their careers.
It is important to remember that in the legal profession, you can have the same career whether you choose university or an apprenticeship, which means that your choice is not so much about where you end up, but how you get there – some apprenticeships even involve gaining a university degree. Law apprenticeships lead to three possible careers – solicitor, legal executive or paralegal. All three are also available if you choose to go to university. Find out more about what being a solicitor, legal executive or paralegal involves on pages 4 and 5 in “Career paths”. Meanwhile, this table explains some of the key differences between an apprenticeship and going to university.
Work experience Apprenticeship
University
Full-time work in a law firm or the legal department of a company or other organisation.
Optional work placements and internships – students interested in law should apply for work experience at law firms.
Qualifications Apprenticeship
Social life Apprenticeship
University
University
As an apprentice working and studying full time, you may miss out on some social opportunities that come with going to university, such as the chance to meet new friends among students from all over the world and enjoy all the experiences that university has to offer. However, offices often have great socialising cultures too, with plenty of activities to get involved with, and you are bound to make good friends.
The opportunities for socialising at university are fantastic. From the societies covering everything from political debating to cheerleading, to the thriving music, arts and social scenes at most universities, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Professional qualifications to become a solicitor, legal executive or paralegal. Completing the solicitor apprenticeship also involves gaining a law degree.
A university degree in one of hundreds of possible subjects which is widely recognised. For a career in law, a university degree in any subject makes you eligible for the postgraduate professional courses you need to complete to become a solicitor, legal executive, paralegal or barrister.
Cost
Apprenticeship
University
Career prospects Apprenticeship
None to the apprentice – the costs of apprenticeships are covered by the government and employers, while apprentices themselves are paid at least the apprentices’ National Minimum Wage.
With tuition fees standing at over £9,000 a year and living costs on top of that, many students leave university in tens of thousands of pounds’ worth of debt.
University
Both law apprentices and university graduates can pursue a career as a solicitor, legal executive or paralegal.
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