
A school and college guide to degree apprenticeships
What are degree apprenticeships?
Most universities in England are now registered to provide degree apprenticeships. This may be a comprehensive range of subjects, or sometimes just a few specialist subject areas. This is partly due to funding and local employer demand.
At the University of Winchester for example, we have a range of health apprenticeships on the way in collaboration with the local labour market demands, but it can take years in the planning to see large recruitment numbers. Conversely, students who perhaps enjoy humanities and creative subjects will often struggle to find opportunities with less employers investing in degree apprenticeship opportunities for these sectors.
What will students interested in degree apprenticeships want to know?
Once degree apprenticeships are explained, the
interest and enthusiasm from both students and
parents tends to grow – no tuition fees, a degree
and earning a wage.
But when it comes to applying there may
be concerns when picking a specific sector,
employers choosing the studied content and a
student missing out on the support and wider
opportunities that going to university full time
would involve.
We find students often want more information
and advice on whether a degree apprenticeship
would be right for them. I would suggest they look
for meet the employer events and use company
websites to find case studies of current degree
apprentices to find out more. They should still visit
university open days as academic staff will often
teach on both the full-time degree and degree
apprenticeship routes as well.
The degree apprenticeship application process and some useful tips
Although the study component is offered by the
university, it is often the employer who makes the
final decisions about who to recruit.
Each employer will have their own application
process, typically involving an online application
perhaps with a covering letter and CV, an invitation
to attend an assessment centre and then an
online interview session or group interview day.
Employers will be looking for a range of skills and
knowledge of the company/sector so students
need to do their homework to make a successful
application, which can take time on top of their
academic studies.
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