5 reasons why a legal apprenticeship might be for you...
Wednesday 9th February 2022
By Ciaran Mallon, Chartered Legal Executive & apprenticeship graduate
For sixth form students, deciding what to do at the end of your time at school can often be a daunting task. The majority of students will go to university because that’s what everyone else does, right? However, contrary to common belief, that is not the only way to begin a successful career and it is certainly not the only way to begin a successful career in law.
If you know (like I did) that deep down university isn’t for you but are unsure of the alternatives and don’t want to end up stuck in a dead end job with no prospect of progression, then please read my list of…
5 reasons why a legal apprenticeship might be for you:
1. ‘Earn while you learn’
Probably the most obvious reason but also the most important in my opinion. You have the opportunity to earn a salary whilst working and studying towards becoming a qualified lawyer.
2. No Debt
The average student in England leaves university with debts of over £50,000. By embarking on a legal apprenticeship you won’t be weighed down by tuition fees or debt by the time you finish.
3. Real world ‘hands on’ experience
I really believe that there is no better way to learn how to do something than by doing it yourself.
At Gordons, I got the opportunity to work on various commercial property transactions, alongside experienced professionals who, over the course of a number of years, have built up a wealth of experience and are keen to pass on that experience and share their knowledge with me.
4. Remain in higher education
On the Gordons Apprenticeship, you work full time and study part-time towards becoming a fully qualified lawyer. Whilst studying, you are required to complete exams up to level 6 which is degree standard. Therefore, although you are not at university, you are still studying and gaining a qualification which is at the same level.
5. Support and Guidance
Beginning your journey in a career in law (or any career of that matter) is difficult and often challenging at times but one thing that this apprenticeship offers is a support network. Being able to turn to other apprentices or colleagues for additional support when you need it is a key factor in what makes Gordons such a fantastic place to work.
Finally, one last point to consider… if you’re someone who buys something new and, before using it, reads the whole instruction manual back to front, then university is probably for you. However, if you’d prefer to just crack on and learn about something while you’re actually doing it then I would say that a law apprenticeship is definitely for you.
You can find out more about our apprenticeship here
