I'm taking the degree apprenticeship route (19 yo). From a purely educational point of view, there wasn't much University could teach me that I wasn't prepared

I'm taking the degree apprenticeship route (19 yo). From a purely educational point of view, there wasn't much University could teach me that I wasn't prepared to learn on my own, so making money and shipping real stuff is far more valuable for me. Of course, this highly depends on the individual. There is also downsides, like the fact it is a job at the end of the day, and that comes with politics as well as technical challenges. I'd again make the decision (over University) in a heartbeat.