Freshers or firm life?
In the latest instalment of our Career Conundrums series, a school leaver who has secured a place to study law at university is wondering whether to take a year out and apply for solicitor apprenticeships instead.
“I just got my A-Level results and I’ve got the grades to study law at uni, which is great! Up until recently I was pretty set on going. I was looking forward to moving away from home and getting the whole student experience.”
“But lately I’ve been looking into solicitor apprenticeships that are opening up later this year, and now I’m not so sure. The idea of earning while I study, not paying thousands in tuition fees, and getting real work experience along the way is really tempting. The catch is I’d need to take a year out to apply, with no guarantee I’d actually get a place. I’m also a bit worried about missing out on uni life, and honestly not sure if I’m ready to jump into the working world at 18. It would be great to get some views from people who have been in a similar situation.”
If you have a career conundrum, email us at tips@legalcheek.com.
Depends what you’re going for. If it is at the upper end of the market, the simple reality is that apprenticeships at the top City/national firms are extremely, extremely competitive (many get more applications per place than they do for TCs) so even if you’re a very strong candidate it’s a pretty low likelihood of success. Easier if you’re a current U6 because you can dual track it and you don’t lose out, but in your position committing to a year out for what is ultimately a very long shot is a big call to make. In that situation I would probably just go to university, the fees aren’t so bad if you can land a good TC at the end of it.
If it’s regional/high street then balance probably shifts, not only because it’s less competitive in the first place but also because the pay is that much lower on qualification that not having a student loan will make a far greater difference in the long run.
If you’re absolutely set on a career as a commercial lawyer then I’d stick with the university pathway.
If you aren’t sure you’re ready to join the working world just yet then maybe uni is the best option. A six-year solicitor apprenticeship is a serious commitment!
As someone who has just finished their 6 year solicitor apprenticeship – just go to uni. 6 years of studying and working in city law wears you down, and by the end you are crawling over the finish line with your friends who did it the normal way and still have light left in their eyes. Go to uni and have fun for a bit longer.
I would suggest do both. Do the law degree, have fun at Uni and gain the legal grounding. Then apply for a Graduate Apprentice Solicitor scheme. We have two at our firm and they don’t have the financial burden of paying for the SQE scheme and training courses as it was covered by government. You’ll also have the crucial theoretical knowledge that a non-law grad might struggle with.