Millions invested in degree apprenticeships
Thousands of new degree apprenticeships to be created through new multi-million pound development fund.
New degree apprenticeships are set to open the door to careers in everything from nursing to construction and food manufacturing, thanks to a multi-million pound fund.
Universities and colleges across England have been awarded a total of £4.5 million to develop new degree apprenticeships for students starting in September 2017.
Working in partnership with leading employers, the universities and colleges will offer 5,200 new opportunities for apprentices and their employers in preparation for the introduction of the apprenticeship levy in April 2017.
Designed by employers, universities and professional bodies, degree apprenticeships deliver high-tech and high-level skills and offer an alternative to a traditional degree course. Bringing together university study with paid work, degree apprentices spend part of their time at university and part with their employer.
The 18 successful projects, including the University of Cumbria, Sheffield Hallam University, London South Bank University and Nottingham Trent University, have been awarded funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in the first round of a 2-year programme.
Skills and Apprenticeships Minister Robert Halfon said:
Apprenticeships work, that’s why we’ve launched degree apprenticeships that give people a real chance to earn while you learn putting you on the fast track to a top career.
This multi-million pound fund will allow universities and colleges to work with top employers to design high-quality degree apprenticeships that give people a ladder of opportunity, more choice and help shape Britain to become an apprentice nation.
Almost 70 bids were submitted for the fund, showing the ambition and appetite from the higher education sector to get behind degree apprenticeships.
Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE Chief Executive, said:
The development of degree apprenticeships will provide more people with the chance to study in higher education and work at the same time, and in doing so to fulfil their educational and career ambitions. Employers will be able to use their apprenticeship levy funds to access degree apprenticeships from a range of higher education providers, and the fund will support institutions in preparing for the increased demand that will follow the levy’s introduction from April 2017.
The government funding has been awarded by HEFCE to projects focused on boosting the number of degree apprenticeships available. It forms a key part of the drive to strengthen the reputation of on-the-job training by raising standards and creating more high-quality opportunities for young people and adults from all backgrounds.
Provisional figures released on 6 October show an increase in the numbers of people starting higher and degree apprenticeships. The provisional figures show that there were more than 27,000 higher and degree apprenticeships started so far in the 2015 to 2016 academic year.
Notes to editors
- The Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund was established by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills, and continued by the Department for Education. More information is available on the HEFCE website
- In addition to these projects, HEFCE provided £178,000 to enable cross-cutting work by the University Vocational Awards Council, Universities UK and the Association of Graduate Recruiters, which will support take-up sector-wide.
- Read the latest provisional figures showing the number of apprenticeship starts and participation in apprenticeships.
- The successful higher education institutions are:
| Funded institutions | Degree apprenticeships |
|---|---|
| Birmingham City University | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: surveying and construction, engineering, chartered management, digital and technology, accounting and business, insurance and risk, financial fraud investigation, radiography/radiotherapy, marketing, and human resource management |
| Buckinghamshire New University, with Aylesbury College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: early years, learning and teaching, digital and technology, business, legal, accountancy and finance, banking and financial services, project management, and product design and development. |
| University of Cumbria, with University of Chester, Liverpool John Moores University, University of Wolverhampton, Buckinghamshire New University, University of Central Lancashire, Open University, Staffordshire University, Plymouth University, and London Metropolitan University | Police constables |
| University of Derby | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: site management, digital and technology, cybersecurity, aerospace engineering, chartered management, and nursing |
| University of Gloucestershire | A range of degree apprenticeships, including cybersecurity, product design and development, internet of things and cyber engineering, and nursing |
| University of Greenwich, with MidKent College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: construction, engineering, digital and technology, biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, paramedic science, community sport, logistics, and chartered surveying |
| Leeds Trinity University, with University of Leeds | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: supply chain management, and chartered management with specialisms in healthcare, education, and SMEs |
| University of Lincoln, with Sheffield Hallam University | A range of degree apprenticeships in food manufacturing, including technical professional, operations management, and food engineering |
| Liverpool John Moores University | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: building services engineering, construction management, building surveying, real estate management, quantity surveying, engineering, automation and control, engineering, policing, digital and technology, and outside broadcasting |
| London South Bank University, with College of North East London, Lambeth College, Lewisham and Southwark Colleges, Barnet and Southgate College, and Barking and Dagenham College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: engineering, building services, site management, and chartered management |
| Northumbria University | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: site management, construction quantity surveyor, building services, and chartered management. A range of digital and technology degree apprenticeships including: business analyst, data analyst, software engineering, and cybersecurity |
| Nottingham Trent University | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: chartered management, and electronic systems design and development |
| University of Salford | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: construction, leadership and management, and control/technical support engineering |
| University of Sheffield, with Sheffield Hallam University | A range of degree apprenticeships, including maintenance engineering and construction manufacturing |
| Sheffield Hallam University, with Barnsley College, Sheffield College, Chesterfield College, Rotherham and North Notts Colleges, Dearne Valley College, Doncaster College, and Northern College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: chartered management, digital and technology, construction, quantity surveying, health science practitioner, facilities management, cybersecurity, software engineering, railway engineering, advanced manufacturing, ultrasound, paramedic practice, occupational therapy, and physiotherapy |
| University of Sunderland | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: health care science, nursing, paramedic, cybersecurity, computing, and chartered management |
| University of the West of England, with Weston College, City of Bristol College, Gloucestershire College, and Bridgwater College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: embedded and wireless systems, quantity surveying, construction, building services engineering, real estate, leadership and management, digital and technology, aerospace, and aerospace and computer engineering |
| University of Wolverhampton, with Walsall College, City of Wolverhampton College, and Birmingham Metropolitan College | A range of degree apprenticeships, including: solicitor, legal executive, aerospace, automotive design, development and manufacturing, digital and technology, chartered management, broadcast production, and nursing associate |
DfE media enquiries
Central newsdesk - for journalists 020 7783 8300