Invaluable workplace experience
Stephanie and James are both completing BSc Chemistry degrees but will study over five years instead of three. This is because they are working alongside their studies as paid employees in industries relating to their course. By the end of their apprenticeships, both Stephanie and James will not only have completed their degrees but will also have obtained five years’ worth of relevant work experience, making them truly industry-ready upon graduation. James explains:
Apprenticeships offer you a good opportunity to gain a qualification – exactly the same as what you would learn with full-time education – but they also provide you with invaluable workplace experience.
James says this first-hand experience has meant he has been able to obtain a wealth of scientific knowledge and enhanced insight into his industry. What’s more, he has been able to develop transferable workplace skills, including communication and report writing skills. He is passionate about his role at Pfizer and has valued seeing the positive impact the work has on patients.
Stephanie, meanwhile, has been undertaking fascinating roles including working as a team to manufacture, test and develop drug substances. She chose to complete an apprenticeship after researching them. “I found out how valuable having both experience and a degree is.”
Another benefit of degree apprenticeships is that as well as providing salaries to apprentices for their work, employers cover tuition fees.
The recipe for success
Stephanie and James are in agreement that it has not been easy balancing work, studies and personal commitments. But Stephanie explains with sufficient planning it became manageable and easier. "You learn to prioritise tasks and gain better time management skills.” In particular, Stephanie has been improving her researching skills so that she has everything she needs for her essays, making the writing process smoother.
James’ advice for success is to set a strict schedule and keep to it, and he makes sure his work doesn’t start to leak into the time he has set aside for studying. He says it is also important to make sure time is set aside for personal commitments and downtime. “It’s necessary to avoid burning out and maintain your mental health.”
A head start within industry
James and Stephanie have been satisfied with their experience of studying at the University of Greenwich’s Medway Campus. James finds the Drill Hall Library a good environment to work in, while Stephanie commends the university’s laboratories.
But, for Stephanie, it is the lecturers who make the university special.
Lecturers go out of their way to support and help students. They have been able to provide extra revision classes and extra studying resources.
James agrees staff have been supportive. “I have always found that staff understand the challenges of students balancing learning and work commitments.”
The future is bright for James and Stephanie. James is considering continuing to work in his industry or going on to undertake a PhD once he graduates, whilst Stephanie has been offered a permanent position with her employer upon completion of her apprenticeship. She recommends the route to anyone considering obtaining a degree, because “it’s a real head start within the industry.”
