Not going back to uni? Looking for something exciting to do with your life?

January can be a lonely month particularly if you’ve been at Uni since September, come home for Christmas and haven’t gone back.

A surprising number of young people do just that every year, so don’t feel too bad about it. It’s not the end of life as we know it. And it’s certainly not the end of your chances to be a success in life. Far from it.

So now you’re sitting on the sofa, fed up of daytime television, or you just may be bored. Now is the time to look at your options, to find a new direction and to start planning for the next chapter of your life.

At JTL – one of the UK’s leading apprenticeship providers – we know this because we’ve had a lot of young people coming to see us at this time of year for many years, looking for something meaningful to do, but where they can ‘earn while they learn’ – have something of an income whilst they study and work hard to get qualifications that will set them on the pathway to a great career – and one that can be very lucrative. It’s time to dig down and find out more about apprenticeships and the life they can offer you.

And if you have a practical side and you enjoy hands on activities, becoming an electrician, a heating installer or a plumber might offer you the challenges you want, with the security of a profession long term and a very reasonable income level that may allow you to achieve what you want from life.

And we’re not just talking to lads here. The electrical and heating and plumbing world is very male oriented of course – a very small proportion of electricians and plumbers are female, but the number and proportion is growing year on year and for very good reasons.

There are very real opportunities in these professions for women – we have loads of female apprentices looking forward to gaining their qualifications and starting their careers. A number of the women who have trained and taken their apprenticeship through JTL have started their own companies soon after qualifying. There’s a real niche for lady plumbers and electricians. Older people, especially older women feel much safer if they have to invite a plumber or electrician into their home if it’s a woman ‘on the tools’.

So OK, let’s agree you’ll take a closer look at what JTL can offer you. There are huge skills gaps across the UK that need filling and electricians and heating installers and plumbers are in great demand. We’ve relied heavily on immigrant labour in these roles in recent years and because of the uncertainties of Brexit, a lot of them have gone home or moved to other European countries where the future looks more secure.

We need home grown, enthusiastic, bright young people who are willing to train for their qualifications and join the ranks of the electricians, plumbers and heating installers that we need so desperately. With the right attitude, once qualified you should never be short of work, whether you prefer to work for a contractor or smaller local firm, or start your own business.

So if you’re on the sofa or lying on your bed thinking what on earth do I do now, check our site jtltraining.com and see what it’s all about. We think like the 7,000 apprentices we currently have working on various stages of their apprenticeships, you might be surprised at the variety of work, the intensity of work and the options there are out there for people wanting to get a profession under their belts.

Good luck. You’re sure to find something that suits you and waving goodbye to uni won’t feel so bad then. You’ll be garnering respect from those who you know and love, be earning a living whilst you work towards your qualifications and you might even be contributing at home… make sure you bring your mum and dad along to your graduation event when you get your certificates to say you’re qualified and ready to earn a living. They’ll be very proud of the young person who walked away from uni four years ago…