I did an apprenticeship instead of going to university. I love my job and feel like I've got a 4-year head start on saving for a house.

Matthew Rutherford decided to do an apprenticeship rather than attend university.

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• Matthew Rutherford won a national award in the UK for his carpentry skills and dedication.
• He chose an apprenticeship over attending university.
• "I can start saving for things such as a mortgage now. It's like I have a four-year advantage," he said.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Matthew Rutherford, an apprentice carpenter from County Down in Northern Ireland.