Apprenticeship or College ????

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Beth17

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I have been going A-levels for the best year. It really isn't for me and learn much better from going practical things. The equine industry is all I want to work in and I know it doesn't pay well but i cant see myself doing anything else. But i don't know whether to do an Apprenticeship or go to college ? I'm leaning more towards to Apprenticeship as I like the idea of getting experience and also been hands on, and also being paid will help loads with my two horses. Please if anyone as any advice please let me know.
thanks :)
 
Hi :) can't really give you advice, but I'm kind of where you are at the moment.

I'm just finishing my A-levels, and I have an interview for another college on Wednesday to do the Extended Diploma in Horse Management. I've always though I was really academic, but the last two years have shown me otherwise.

I looked into apprenticeships, but college just seemed like the better option for me.

I hope everything works out for you! x
 
Hi, What exepriance and background do you have with horses? At the moment lots of people apply for lot sof jobs so you need to think how you can make yourself stand out. I always think Alevels are a very tricky time, they are certainly a step up from G.C.S.E but that doesnt mean they are not worth doing. I am assuming university is not an option? I would suggest you go and speak to a career advisor at your college/sixth form as they can direct you into the 'equine industry' as you seem rather vague and you may need a bit of a plan. Make sure you dont throw away this year do your exams (if not already done??) and you will have your AS results to fall back on. you may change your mind when you get your exam results.
 
I have been riding for 10+ years now (I'm 17) and have had numerous loan horses and now have an ex racehorse and a 5 year old welsh section D cob, so quite experienced. And as of university I am more hands on and find it hard academically so I might think about uni later on but not sure. And I have tried numerous times to ask my careers advisor at sixth form but the entire school is useless to be honest, and they know absolutely nothing about the equine industry. And just about to do my last AS exam, I'm not expecting good results haha
 
Hummm sounds like a normal career advisor but dont give up with them - thats their job make them advise you (will be a good life lesson motivating them). Well academia is not for everyone - so dont worry about that :) How do you pay for the horses at the moment? (just thinking if you are getting a payment for doing your alevels that you may not have if you drop out). I would say have a look at what apprenticeships are available and what you would need to do to get on them and the same for the college courses. Do your research so that you can make an informed decision. I would be hassling your career person to help you with this! :)
 
I feel bad because I have to rely on my parents to pay for them which I don't like but yeah been looking into apprenticeships and there are quite a few near me and college courses, although colleges are at least an hour away + couldn't live therefore because of my horses so that's another pro for the apprenticeship. But I'm going to keep researching and asking my 'career advisor' :)
 
Beth17 said:
No unfortunately, doing an apprenticeship means I will be working 5 days a week so I wouldn't be able to go to college.
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Th groom on our yard is doing an apprenticeship, and she goes to college one day a week. Most, if not all, equine apprenticeships have day release at colleges now unless they are on a training yard.

Best of luck whatever you decide :)
 
I did a national diploma in horse management and it will never get you anywhere but it was a bl0ody good two years! Enjoyed every second and was pretty hands on as long as you were 'good enough' the 'good' people rode 4 times a week - thankfully I managed to get into that group. It really was the best time of my life. Do I regret it? No. 3 years on I'm still shovelling ***** but hey not all of us want to be bankers :D
 
Quite frankly any youngster wanting to pursue a career with horses really ought to have a training of some kind in something else against the day it all goes wrong. It may never go wrong but at least if it does you have a way of earning a living. So if I were you, I would get all the qualifications and training before embarking on any kind of apprenticeship or horse job.

I was once where you are and horses are a very hard way of making your living and you don't see many "old grooms" etc. It does tend to be a young persons game.

Good luck with whatever you decide from someone who has a whole wardrobe of T shirts.
 
One I am qualified to answer :D I work in this field.

The confusion over college and apprenticeships is that different trainign providers do it differently, some will do 4 days at work with one day college release for the 'knowledge' part of the apprenticeship. Some do all training on site. All apprenticeships have a 'knowledge' element and a 'practical' element.

There are pros and cons of both types:
5 days at work feels more like work, but can be difficult to have the time in the day to actually do the 'book learning' stuff as it is very easy to get caught up in the day to day grind and not get to the academic part.

College release means you get the college feel and get friends doing the same course that you see every week. You also have the benefit that you definitely get that protected training time.

Look very closely at how the different colleges deliver their apprenticeships. If you can source an apprenticeship you can sell yourself to an employer as having 'free training' attached to your employment.

Good luck whatever you choose and do tell me if I have confused you! :)
 
im pretty much in the same boat. did really well in my gcse's, but this AS level year has be awful.... i really shouldnt havent taken up my place at 6th form, but hindsight is a brilliant thing!

so im considering working pupil places on dressage yards. i understand its hard work, long hours, and you pretty much the bottom of the pile..... but it will give me the experince of pro yards etc
however i am taking all my bhs stages independently and working on ukcc's
 
Suelin said:
Quite frankly any youngster wanting to pursue a career with horses really ought to have a training of some kind in something else against the day it all goes wrong. It may never go wrong but at least if it does you have a way of earning a living. So if I were you, I would get all the qualifications and training before embarking on any kind of apprenticeship or horse job.

This. t+d If you were comfortable at GCSE the chances are that the step up to A level has been a shock (if you moved school/college), or you may have chosen the wrong subjects BUT if you were good at GCSE that has not dissappeared.

If youngsters (sorry im not being patronising with that) want to go into the equine business thats really fab, BUT if you have the skills and ability to go further in education i always think you should go as far as you can to keep all doors open. Horses are always there and waiting for you to come back to, try and keep your options open so that you dont end up hating them because the long cold days and winters are hard work and if you feel like you have limited yourself you may well regret it in the future. There are hundreds of careers (its not all about money) to choose from but equally you wont know unless you try ;) Best of luck in your decisions as I said to the OP you may both change your minds when you get your results OR make your mind up one way or another :)
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My daughter lost her father during her GCSE's and then found that she just couldn't continue with her A levels and opted to go to Hartpury to do a National Diploma in Horse Management (Breeding). She passed with triple distinctions and originally chose to go to Uni to do an Animal Science degree however she changed her mind in order to go to work instead.
Now she realises she should have continued with her A levels to help her into another career, not horses as having worked in the industry she has found it hard work for nothing. At approaching 22 now she is stuck in her current low paid job and competing against so many better qualified people for regular jobs and is regretting her decisions.
I would advise that you get as good a regular education as you possibly can that you can then fall back on, there will always be horsey jobs, however old you are.
Also, apprenticeship or college you will struggle to maintain your horses and maybe should consider putting your ownership of them aside if you decide to go down this route.
 
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