Benefits of Degree Apprenticeships

What are the benefits of Degree Apprenticeships for the University?

Degree apprenticeships should be used strategically to do one or more of the following:

  1. Support recruitment in any programmes which are experiencing difficulty attracting sufficient high-quality candidates;
  2. Protect student recruitment that could be at risk if we do not deliver a degree apprenticeship;
  3. Help cement existing strategic relationships with employers that could be at risk if we did not offer a degree apprenticeship programme with that employer;
  4. Enable engagement with specific employers that might help foster a long –term strategic relationship where one does not currently exist.

At this point in time the University can only support employers who are Apprenticeship Levy payers. We are not bidding for funds to support SMEs (i.e. those with a pay bill of less than £3m) at this stage, although this is likely to change in 2019 when different funding arrangements for SMEs will be introduced.

What are the benefits for employers?

Degree Apprenticeships benefit employers in a variety of ways by allowing them to:

  • Upskill existing employees to fill high-level skills gaps
  • Recruit high-calibre future leaders who are likely to want to remain with the organisation after graduating
  • Spread new academic, vocational and technical knowledge throughout the workforce
  • Develop exisitng staff by encouraging them to mentor the Apprentice
  • Expand workforce diverstiy by providing new opportunities and routes into education and employment for talented people

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