Degree Apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships are a relatively new thing in the U.K., but they're a fantastic combination of on-the-job experience and getting a degree at the same time.

These are apprenticeships where you come out with a degree at the end. You have the job, you're earning the money, you're getting the experience, and at the same time you are working towards your degree. The majority of apprenticeships are going to include some study, but the level of study will vary, as will how much time is actually devoted to that study. Like all apprenticeships, this is going to be a joint venture between the place where you're actually working and the university where you're doing your studying. The university is going to be delivering courses that are very relevant to what you are doing in your day-to-day job. For example, Thames Valley Police and the University of Wales have developed a degree apprenticeship in Protective Services. This is a straight path to becoming a Police Constable, so they're not going to teach you things at the university that you don't need to know in your day-to-day job. Your employer is going to say to your university, "We need our people to know this, this, this, and this," and the university is going to develop a way to teach it to you. All the modules, lectures, and tests will feed back to your employer so they can assess how you’re doing in university. It’s a two-way relationship, and everything is built upon the needs from the other side.

There are loads of jobs that offer degree apprenticeships, like podiatry, civil engineering, aerospace engineering, tailoring, conveyancing, or actuaries. This is a very specific combination of a vocational degree and on-the-job experience. One of the massive advantages about degree apprenticeships is that your tuition fees are going to be paid by either the government or the employer, so you're not going to come out of university with massive debts. And because you're being paid for your apprenticeship, you also don't need to take out a loan for your living fees as well. So if you're not in a financial position to go to university—or if you have a caring responsibility, or if you have dependents, or if you don't have parental support—then this could be a real viable chance for you to get a degree, earn money at the same time, and increase your chances that your employer will keep you on after you've completed your apprenticeship.

The way that your study and your work time will be divided up is going to vary between your employer, your university, and the type of course that you're doing. You may find that you have one or two off from your job where you will be expected to study at university. It may be blocked, so this month you're at work, next month you're studying. Your employers may even give you time off to study for your exams. There are a wide range of firms across a broad spectrum of different industries that have signed up for degree apprenticeships. For example, Rolls-Royce and loads of other car firms; HSBC and loads of other banking firms; GSK and loads of other science firms; EDF and things like the RAF also offer something similar. These programs are a very viable, very sensible alternative to vocational degrees and apprenticeships, since they offer a combination of both.

The following sectors have degree apprenticeships in place, or are currently developing them: