yeh but there also gaining education and getting paid for it
See i find going to uni and doing a trade very comparable really..
Say you are doing a three year apprentership and someone else is doinga 3 year uni course.
The first couple of years and maybe even the third you will earn ******** all doing MOST apprenterships.
I just finished first year at uni and i was working 20 hours a week and earning more than my mates doing apprenterships working 40+ hours a week. As i get older my pay goes up pretty much as theres does so its quite comparable there. Either way you are getting an education and getting paid while doing it (assuming you have a job while at uni).
The real differences are that when you finish your apprentership you will be on a higher salary than most first year uni grads. But the past 3 years you have been working full time, whereas the uni students have (arguably) had alot more fun and been out alot more.
I think in financial terms most apprenterships will be far more beneficial for the ages between 18-30 but after that i think the uni grads will probably be better off, both physically and financially. Ultimately they are both good choices, its those that arent doing either that are in more trouble.