‘I can buy a house at 22 because I skipped university’
In 2022, Rachel Jackson started a BDO apprenticeship in Leeds which she's set to complete in 2026 - Steve McNiven
Young people are desperate to find ways to save for a deposit for a home quickly to avoid years of being trapped in the rental market.
Some have found that skipping university in favour of an apprenticeship could be the key to accelerating the home-buying process.
Not only does opting for the apprenticeship route mean you can entirely avoid hefty student debt, but joining the workforce sooner means you can end up better off financially overall.
Several young people who are bucking the trend by getting their first foot on the property ladder in their twenties share their experiences.
‘Doing an apprenticeship meant I could buy a house at a younger age’
Four years after leaving school, and aged just 22, Chloe Pearson was earning £36,000 as a fully qualified accountant.
She skipped university and instead joined accounting firm BDO’s Manchester office on a Certificate in Finance, Accounting and Business (CFAB) apprenticeship. Now, aged 26, Pearson is a senior manager in BDO’s audit department.
“I didn’t go to university because for the courses I was looking to do, the amount of lecture time that you had was minimal,” says Pearson. “Considering the cost of university and the fact that I’d probably need to get a job alongside it, it wasn’t worth it to me.”
'The experience I gained at such a young age has given me the confidence and platform to succeed' - Jay Cain
University graduates joining BDO will qualify as accountants after just three years, but they are several years older than those who opted for apprenticeships.
Just three years after completing her apprenticeship, when she was 25, Pearson bought a four-bedroom detached house in Bolton with her partner. She stumped up 5pc of the value of the property herself, entirely from money she’d saved from her job.
“I’m definitely pleased I did an apprenticeship instead of going to university,” she says. “It meant I could buy a house at a younger age – people seem to be buying houses in their thirties now.
“There’s more than just the financial benefit with an apprenticeship. You’re gaining real-life work experience at a young age. I came to BDO at 18, and I wasn’t treated differently to anybody else. I was out on site, meeting clients, asking questions and learning from the people I was working with.
“The experience I gained at such a young age has given me the confidence and platform to succeed.”
‘I dropped out of university – now I’ve saved enough for a deposit at 26’
Amy Hogarth dropped out of university after just six weeks, having broken her ankle and needing surgery. A lack of web-based tuition at the time meant she was faced with the choice of starting university again the following September or going straight into work.
“My local college had an apprenticeship evening – I spoke to them and realised I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I wasn’t sure that university was right for me long-term, and realised I’d rather go down the apprenticeship route.” She made a last-minute decision to do a digital brand apprenticeship with law firm Osborne Clarke in 2017.
For Amy Hogarth, knowing she'd be able to buy a house just a few years out of school made staying at home worth it - Jay Williams
Hogarth, 26, has remained there since her apprenticeship, where she is now a product owner working with the software engineering team.
She currently lives at home with her parents outside Bristol, where she works. This has enabled her to save enough for a deposit to buy a home by herself, solely with money she’s earned from her job at Osborne Clarke. She’s already started looking at one and two-bedroom flats in Bristol, and she’s planning to meet with mortgage advisors during the coming year.
“I definitely wouldn’t be in a position to buy a flat on my own if I’d gone to university – I would’ve been a few years behind,” she says.
“Since I was young, I’ve always been encouraged to save. Knowing I’d be able to buy somewhere in a few years meant that staying at home and saving the money seemed like the sensible choice, rather than renting and giving it away to somebody else.”
Did Amy ever feel like she was missing out after having had a taste of what university had to offer?
“When I was first applying to do an apprenticeship, I was worried that I wasn’t going to have the lifestyle and experiences that you get to enjoy at uni. But some of my other friends didn’t go to university and I was able to visit my friends who did at weekends, so I managed to somewhat enjoy the uni life while still working and earning money.”
‘I’m planning to buy at the age of 22, because renting would feel like money being thrown away’
“I wasn’t desperate to go to university,” says Rachel Jackson, who joined BDO’s tax team in their Leeds office.
“I did economics and maths at A-level, so the apprenticeship programme seemed well-suited to me. I liked the look of the company and the qualifications you get during it.”
She started the apprenticeship scheme in 2022, which she’s set to complete in 2026.
The 20-year-old is hoping to have saved enough for a deposit for a house by the end of the scheme, by which point she’ll be just 22, and says she’s on track to get there. She’s also living with her parents in Bradford for the duration of her apprenticeship to help reach her goal.
“Buying a house isn’t the be all and end all, but I feel better knowing that it’s likely to happen sooner than it might have done if I had gone to university. It helps that I’ve been earning since I was 18, rather than starting when I’m 22.
“I know not everybody has the option of living with their parents but I am fortunate that at the moment I can save more for a deposit whilst not paying rent. I’m avoiding what would feel like money being thrown away, with no real benefit to me in the future.”
Play The Telegraph’s brilliant range of Puzzles - and feel brighter every day. Train your brain and boost your mood with PlusWord, the Mini Crossword, the fearsome Killer Sudoku and even the classic Cryptic Crossword.