A 19-year-old from East London, Jack Smith, says he skips university and instead takes an apprenticeship route, while already earning £29,000 per year. The articles present his case as an example of combining work-based training with further study.
Both sources describe him as the first person in his family to pursue higher education. They also state that he is working toward a master’s degree, framing his apprenticeship as part of a longer progression rather than an alternative to learning.
The coverage focuses on his personal earnings and education timeline rather than broader policy or research. Because both outlets share the same framing and details, there is little divergence in emphasis within the provided excerpts, which do not discuss specific employers, subject areas, or apprenticeship conditions.
