You can tell this is an ancient meme because it prices college at 4 years at $9,000 per year instead of 5 years at $30,000 per year ๐
Few things here. Apprenticeships are hard to come by. You have to know someone or be in the right family already.
Second, university is a universal education. You can do almost anything afterwards. Gradschool is where you have to pick something. But some folks do multiple post grads. If you pick apprenticeship, that's it. That's the thing you're doing. Forever.
Personaly, I'm very happy to have a well rounded education. I became a software engineer 10 years after graduting university. I could do it, and could get hired for it, because of that education. All the skills you hone at university helped me alonng the way, writing, speaking, critical thinking, I even leaned to sail and fence.
Apprenticeships give you a single trade, university teaches you how to think, and makes you a better person.