How hard is a tech apprenticeship?

Morning Luke,I'd say the DTS - Digital & Technology Solutions apprenticeship is relatively difficult depending on your background. I had none/minimal knowledge of simple programming or networks/hardware, so I've had to work quite hard to be averaging a first (1:1). Comparing my educational experience, if I rank A-levels as a 5/10, I'd say my first university course (Chemical Engineering) was like a [link removed] and an apprenticeship is an 8/10, purely because you have a similar amount of theoretical learning as uni combined with commitments to working for your employer on a daily basis - this can fluctuate based on your team's workload, your ability, and your communication with colleagues for your requirement of free time to do uni [link removed]'re required legally to spend 20% of your employment time studying or doing off-the-job activities ([link removed] doing training, preparing case study evidence for KPI/KSBs etc.), so there is time made available in your schedule to balance the commitments, but you'll probably have to study sometimes for 1 or 2 hrs at weekends or before/after depending on deadlines etc. I did this, but I had 0 foundation. Others with A-level Comp Sci or prior programming XP have said the difficulty of the programme isn't overly taxing (maybe a [link removed] aligned with university) - especially with the aid of tools like ChatGPT in studying* and the fact you can embed learning quickly by applying the knowledge from uni at work. Tech topics are well documented too, so that's a massive help 👍Finally, as an [link removed] you're viewed as an employee before a student, so there's "added" pressure/discipline in that. With uni alone, hypothetically you could not turn up to lectures and be fairly relaxed in your day-to-day activities, but as an apprentice I'll warn you the typical uni "lifestyle" is going to be hard to maintain, you'll have real people counting on you for work and if you're constantly failing exams or not attending lectures without good reason, it won't reflect well at all and your employment can likely be "effected" for a nicer way to put it🤣