Columnist

Shape the future with degree apprenticeships at Northumbria University

Finding and developing talented employees is key to the growth of any successful business. However, for many employers the cost of this development may limit the number of new trainees taken on and the sources from which they can be recruited.

The creation of degree apprenticeships in 2015 aimed to solve this problem by bringing together the benefits of higher and vocational education. Co-designed by employers, in partnership with education institutions, degree apprenticeships aim to develop a highly employable workforce equipped with the skills required by industry.

Degree apprentices are employed on a full-time basis, and work a minimum of 30 hours a week, combining this on-the-job training with time in the classroom. And with course fees shared between government and employers, apprentices can gain a degree without incurring any debt.

Northumbria University has been at the forefront of degree apprenticeships, becoming one of the first UK universities to offer the qualification after launching its BSc Digital and Technology Solutions undergraduate programme in 2015. Feedback from both the employers and apprentices involved has been very positive and the programme was recently awarded Tech Industry Gold status by accrediting body The Tech Partnership in recognition of its success in meeting employer-relevant standards.

Now Northumbria is set to launch two new degree apprenticeship programmes this September – Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Manager. The standards for both programmes have been written in collaboration with local and national businesses; with workshop events held to gather feedback and ensure the academic aspect of the programmes allows apprentices to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours required by employers.

One student who is already experiencing the benefit of this type of training is Jennifer Gane – one of the 18 students to enrol on the first cohort of the Digital and Technology Solutions degree apprenticeship in 2015. Jennifer works as a Junior Software Developer for Gateshead-based website and software development company STCS Ltd while carrying out her studies at Northumbria and believes the degree apprenticeship qualification provides benefits for both students and employers.

Jennifer said: “For me, degree apprenticeships offer the best of both worlds – you can gain a degree level qualification while at the same time earning money and gaining real-life experience within the industry you are studying. Degree apprenticeships are as academically challenging and rigorous as a traditional degree, perhaps even more so in some ways because you are working at the same time. But the big benefit is that when you graduate you already have a job within your chosen field.”

John Wiseman, Director of STCS Ltd and Jennifer’s employer said: “The Degree Apprenticeship scheme at Northumbria University has changed the way we think about finding and developing talent. So far, we have three degree apprentices at Northumbria and I have every intention of continuing to employ apprentices for this scheme alongside our more traditional graduate route.”

Last year Northumbria announced it would be investing £240,000 in expanding its degree apprenticeship programmes, after securing funding of 140,000 from HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England). From September this year Northumbria will deliver Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Manager degree apprenticeships, as well as the current Digital and Technology Solutions. There are also plans to offer degree apprenticeships in Architecture, Construction, Accountancy and Law (Solicitor) and other professional areas in the future, with the aim of providing almost 300 places by 2020.

Northumbria already works with national employers including H.M. Revenue & Customs and Balfour Beatty around degree apprenticeship programmes and is working closely in partnership with other regional and national organisations to expand its offer.

For further details about degree apprenticeships at Northumbria please click here.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Northumbria University .