High/Degree Apprenticeships: An

Opportunity or Threat for HE?

IES/CHES AGM Middlesex University, 3rd April 2017

Prof Paul Hooper, Faculty of Science & Engineering

• Apprenticeships: paid jobs that incorporate on and off the

job training incorporating a nationally recognised

qualification

• Levels:– Intermediate

– Advanced

– Higher/Degree level (2-5 years)

• H/D Apprenticeships recommended in response to 2003

Lambert Report

• Address employability skills gap

• Receiving increasing political support

Background

• Government target of 3 million apprentices by 2020

• Radical change in development of apprenticeships - employers in the driving

seat

• Apprenticeship Levy from April 2017 and new SME funding from May 2017

Small number of Universities at the forefront of developing

and delivering Degree Apprenticeships

Visit by Rt Hon Sajid Javid, Secretary of State to Manchester Met in April 2016

National Context of Degree Apprenticeships

• New route by which to address key skills gaps

• Government incentives

• Opportunity to influence curriculum design

• Up-skill current staff as well as recruit new

• WBL – provides an opportunity to combine theoretical,

practical and contextualised learning, company focused

projects, etc.

• Brand and corporate reputation enhancement through links

to youth employment

The benefits - Business

• New access route to HE

• Avoids student debt

• More secure route to long-

term employment

• Contextualised learning

provides motivation to study

• Employability skills enhanced

through practical work

experience

The benefits - Students

• Grow student numbers

• New income stream

• Employer engagement

• Brand reputation– ‘Has put us at the top table

with Law firms in Manchester’

• Enhances student

employment KPIs

• Follow-on study

• Local economic impact

The benefits - HEIs

• Must be industry driven – demonstrably addressing

employer needs

• Align with apprenticeship ‘Framework’ or ‘Standard’

specification

• Flexible – to complement work-based experience

• Part-time – mode influences cohort catchment area

• Competitive – competing with non-HE providers in some

areas

• Skills competence as well as knowledge-base focus

• Access to market (employers)

• Complex funding arrangements – although Apprenticeship

Levy may simplify things!

Challenge of delivery for HE

The new Apprenticeship Levy funding system comes into effect on 1 May 2017

• Employers with an annual pay bill in excess of £3m will pay 0.5% towards the

levy through a new digital apprenticeship account.

• Employers will have a £15,000 annual allowance to offset against their levy

payment.

• The levy will be collected by HMRC through the PAYE system on a monthly

basis.

• Employers who pay the levy and are committed to apprenticeship training will

be able to get more out than they pay in.

• Employers will receive monthly digital vouchers to spend on apprenticeship

training.

New Funding for Apprenticeships

• Employers who do not pay the levy will pay 10% towards the cost

of the apprenticeship and the government will co-invest 90%

(this co-investment support also applies to employers who exhaust

their levy pot)

• Employers will not be able to use levy funds or access government

co-investment support to train any individual to undertake an

apprenticeship at an equivalent or lower level than a qualification

they already hold.

• The government will pay for 100% of the apprenticeship training

costs for employers with fewer than 50 staff who take on an

apprentice aged 16-18

• ALL employers (regardless of size) will receive a £1,000

government incentive for taking on an apprentice aged 16-18

New Funding for Apprenticeships

Apprenticeship Funding: Levy and Non Levy Payers

Response to the Levy

• Gradual realisation that this is a game changer

• CBI etc. asking for delay

• Makes apprentice training and development more central to business

• Opportunities: – New talent pipeline

– Train and develop own employees within business

– Convert current training and development

• Concerns that government is focusing on apprenticeship numbers rather than outcomes (i.e. runs risk of not addressing skills needs

• Prepared in conjunction with Tech Partnership, major

employers and small number of universities

• Developed within one year (challenge for validation!)

• Cross-Faculty provision:– Centre for Enterprise/Business Gateway

– CMDT

– Digital Business

– Information Technology

• Fully-integrated degree, testing both academic learning

and on-the-job practical training

• Designed to increase the flow of skills into the tech

industry and meet the skills gap in IT

Digital & Technology Degree

Apprenticeship

• Need to balance HE and

employer expectations

• Combined open evenings

• Assessment centres for SMEs

• Big employers have established

processes

• SMEs can be a lot of work for ad

hoc recruitment

• Need to maintain client

relationships throughout

Recruitment & selection

• 4 years

– Full time employment

– Up to 36 days a year at

University

• Fully-accredited degree

– BSc (Hons) Digital &

Technology Solutions

• Format

– 8 units are be core

– 2 project-based units

– 1 elective from a pre-defined list

– 1 Portfolio

Course Structure

IT Consultancy Route

Year 1* Programming Introduction* Introduction to Business System* Web Development

Year 2* Computing FundamentalsCustomer Relationship Management Systems* Technology Business Management

Year 3* Web Design & DevelopmentBusiness Research ProjectBusiness Intelligence and Strategy

Year 4* Synoptic Project PortfolioElective

Electives

Developing A Digital Business

Digital & Social Media Marketing

Principles of Business Analytics

Entrepreneurial Practice

UXD

Software Engineer

Year 1* Programming Introduction* Introduction to Business Systems* Web Development

Year 2* Computing FundamentalsAdvanced Programming* Technology Business Management

Year 3Computer Network and Operating SystemDevelopment ProjectEnterprise Programming

Year 4* Synoptic Project PortfolioElective

Electives

Data Engineering

Mobile App Development

Advanced Web Development

Web Content Management Systems

Digital & Social Media Marketing

UXD

Entrepreneurial Practice

• Compliant with the e-Skills Tech Industry Gold Degree

Apprenticeship Standard

• Integrates knowledge and skills competency requirements

through use of reflective portfolios and synoptic project

• Day and block release provide flexibility for employers to

complement in-company experience

• Two routes reflect employer demand of technical and

managerial emphasis

• Genuinely collaborative provision – Programme Advisory Board

• Proactive, comprehensive support provided for students

throughout their time on the programme

Core features of the provision

• Extend the learning beyond the classroom, by giving apprentices a varied work programme

• Provide a salary and usual terms of employment

• Design a flexible work schedule which allows study and university attendance time

• Provide a mentor who will oversee the work and coordinate projects and learning with the university tutor

Messages to Prospective Students

Testimonials

"A fabulous opportunity for young people to earn whilst they learn and for us to be able to bridge the gap between earning and learning providing a broad and deep experience across IT“

Helen FordPractice Manager (New Entrants Programmes)Group Business ServicesNetwork Rail

"Degree Apprenticeships are an excellent initiative. From a small employer's viewpoint they provide access to bright, keen talent at an earlier age. From a student's viewpoint they will gain a degree, learn skills directly relevant to employment, and avoid significant debt, as they will be earning a wage. It's a win-win scenario. We are delighted to working with MMU and the Tech Partnership on this initiative.”Howard SimmsDirector and Co-FounderApadmi| W: www.apadmi.com | T: @apadmi

• New route into HE – student numbers appear to be genuinely

additive

• Employer engagement has proved hugely beneficial:– Reputation

– Access point for other R&KE services

• Widening participation – especially where existing employees

register

• Surplus generating activity

• Catchment can be extended by e-learning and block delivery

• Excellent employment statistics bear testament to the breadth,

depth and relevance of employability skills enhancement

• Satisfied businesses involved in programme development =

repeat business

Positive experiences to date

• Complex and changing funding regimes creates risks:– Admin requirement for enhanced student tracking

– Financial systems have to accommodate multiple funders

– Political support looks consistent but……

• Employer engagement demands skills not possessed by all staff

• Recruitment – University and employer requirements not always

aligned (novel selection steps)

• Day release vs block/e-learning. Former easiest to incorporate

into conventional timetables, but employers prefer flexibility

• Integrating knowledge base and skills competency

• On-going client relationship management – resource intensive

• At what point will apprenticeship provision begin to compete

with conventional student entry? Implications for mainstream

fees?

Continuing/emerging challenges

• Majority of DAs to date in the

engineering/technology/Digital/Management disciplines. What

are the L6 & 7 opportunities for apprenticeships in the

environmental science/management areas?

• Any evidence of employer demand for L6&7 environment-

related DAs

• Integrating DA and FT students – implications for the student

experience and development of ‘employment ready’ students?

• What are the opportunities for HEIs as employers to harness the

Levy to recruit/training staff

• Could provision pose a threat to traditional degree programmes

in this academic area?

Discussion Points

Web-resources• Government announces new degree-level apprenticeships

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-rolls-out-

flagship-degree-apprenticeships

• Full list of new ‘Trailblazer’ Apprenticeship standards

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/apprenticeship-

standards

• List of ‘Trailblazers’ - standards in development

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-

standards-in-development

• For detail of Sub-Committee report on Apprenticeship – critical

of Levy application published 31st March 2017

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-

z/commons-select/education-skills-and-economy/news-

parliament-2015/apprenticeships-report-published-16-

17/?mc_cid=74be5f564d&mc_eid=9c2798ad65

Questions