Funding, timing and qualification
For aspiring solicitors without a training contract lined up, deciding whether to start the SQE can mean weighing up the cost, the time commitment and what comes next.
While many students wait until they have secured a training contract and firm sponsorship, others begin the SQE beforehand. But what does taking that step without a TC in place actually involve, and when might it make sense to wait?
Legal Cheek writer Nadia Ismail sits down with events coordinator Hannah Thompson to discuss their different experiences of approaching the SQE. Nadia started and self-funded the course without a training contract lined up, later securing one during her studies, while Hannah will begin the SQE having already received a training contract offer.
Drawing on her own experience, Nadia discusses why she decided to start the SQE straight after university, what it was like studying without a training contract confirmed and the realities of balancing the course with applications, interviews and assessment centres.
How much should the financial commitment factor into the decision? Does having started or completed the SQE make any difference when applying for training contracts? And when might waiting for firm sponsorship make more sense?
The pair also look beyond the traditional training contract route, exploring other ways to gain qualifying work experience and why not having a TC does not necessarily mean putting qualification on hold.
From self-funding and applications to QWE and timing, the episode considers some of the key questions facing students thinking about taking the SQE before securing a training contract.
You can listen to the podcast in full via the embed above, or on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
The Legal Cheek Podcast is proudly independent. Thanks to our sponsor Simpson Thacher, home of the private equity training contract, for making that possible
