Growing up, going to university didn’t seem like just a choice. It was the route everyone spoke about, it was what all my teachers pushed and the one that came with a complete set of instructions.

And for a while, I followed the script perfectly.

Following a strong set of results in my GCSEs and A-levels, the University offers began rolling in from various top universities and my next three years looked to be perfectly mapped out. On paper my path was pretty much decided. However, as decision time approached the certainty began to fade. One question kept lingering in my head: “Is this really the best path to take, or am I just doing what’s expected of me?”

For me, the choice wasn't just about picking a specific university or course. It was a more personal one, layered with identity and responsibility.

As a Muslim, the prospect of student loans and accumulating interest wasn't something I could simply just brush aside - it was a major financial and ethical dilemma that I seriously had to consider. On top of that, I was also on track to be the first in my family to go to university. That milestone came with a massive amount of family pride, but also a big weight of responsibility. I knew that the path I chose would shape how others around me viewed their own options and so it was clear to me that I had to make a decision with purpose, not just expectation.

I began to look elsewhere to see what other options were available to me. I refused to believe that my only two choices were to either compromise my values or abandon my career ambitions altogether. I spent days researching scholarships, looking into alternative student finance and even exploring fully funded training programmes. It was during this search for an alternative that I stumbled onto degree apprenticeships.

It felt like finding a hidden door. It was a pathway that offered everything university promised and even more. I could earn my degree while gaining invaluable corporate experience at the same time, all without compromising my values.

However, choosing it meant I had to deliberately rip up the traditional script and unsurprisingly, not everyone got it.

Stepping off the beaten path immediately raised questions, doubts and eyebrows from many around me. And if I’m being honest, there were moments where the noise did get to me, I found myself questioning whether this is a ‘risk’ I should take.

But I knew I couldn't let other people's fears dictate my future. I quickly learnt that when you deviate from a traditional path in any matter in life, everyone is going to have an opinion. With this in mind, I decided to take a step back to tune out the noise and look at things holistically.

My decision then became clear. A degree apprenticeship offered an alternative that almost sounded way too good to be true: the chance to get my degree, earn a salary and build a career with real-world experience from day one. To me, it was the perfect stepping stone into the adult world.

Looking back on it now, it's easy to see why at the time it felt like such a massive gamble.

Was it the familiar option? Not even close. Stepping away from the safety net of a Russell Group offer felt like a huge gamble.

But over the last couple of years, that ‘risk’ has paid off in ways I couldn’t have ever imagined. In my three years at Oxford Economics I’ve rotated through three different teams, going from building programming foundations in R and Python, to forecasting city-level data for Malaysia and even publishing an article on Asia's semiconductor industry - just to name a few.

Ultimately, I’ve learned that the ‘right’ decision isn’t the one that makes everyone else feel comfortable; it’s the one that makes sense for your life, your future and your own conscience.

So, if you are currently looking for your own path, don’t panic just because it looks different from everyone else’s. Rejection, uncertainty and comparison are all part of the process. Stick to what makes most sense for you and don’t be swayed by the clatter around you.

As for those that have just landed their first role my advice to you is to embrace being new: ask questions, take notes and listen carefully. You aren't expected to know everything at the start, so make the most of this time and ask all the silly questions you want.

And if you ever need a bit of guidance along the way, feel free to reach out to me personally. I'm always happy to help!

Haneef Mohamed Niyas

Economics degree apprentice @ Oxford Economics | Macro Forecasting and Analysis

You can find out more and connect with Haneef on LinkedIn.