Everything you need to know about degree apprenticeships
With UCAS applications on the horizon, now is the time many Year 12 and 13 students are thinking about university. With so much press about student loans, many are considering degree apprenticeships. We look at what these are and whether they suit your needs.
According to UCAS, almost 40% of UK 18-year-olds headed off to university in 2022, the second highest entry level on record. 2023 looked to be even higher, despite students' and parents' increasing concerns that a degree no longer represents good value for money.
The good news is university is still a fantastic investment for many. Not only is it valuable in terms of academic learning but also for life skills. UK universities are also consistently ranked amongst the best in the world.
The latest government figures also show that graduates continue to have higher employment rates than non-graduates. The latest report from the Institute of Student Employers predicts that job vacancies for graduates will increase by more than a fifth.
What are degree apprenticeships?
Degree apprenticeships, or a graduate apprenticeship in Scotland, are a way to get your degree while you work, with a salary of around £20 - 30k.
The idea is you will work and attend university; your employer pays the tuition fees, and you end up with a full degree or degree-level qualification, a salary and work skills.
Depending on the course, this option takes 3-5 years to complete. Universities can be from the Russell Group, which works with more than 500 local and national employers to offer a mixture of advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
What are the benefits?
Your degree is fully paid for as your employer, and the government sponsor the learning initiatives.
Your degree will be the same as someone attending university, but the experience will differ.
Gain a head start over other graduates with a traditional university degree because you develop work experience, create a network and build your CV.
Earn a salary from work as it's a full-time employment programme.
Develop hard and interpersonal soft skills employers value for your position, such as industry-specific, teamwork, ability to work under pressure, problem-solving and communication skills.
What are the negatives?
You will go from A-Levels straight into full-time work and have to go to university work alongside full-time employment.
You have to work to fulfil the academic requirements and the work requirements.
You will miss out on the traditional student life.
You won't have the summers off, as you will work full-time.
If you decide it's not for you, you will have to reapply to university the following year.
You won't qualify for any student loans.
How do I apply for degree apprenticeships?
UCAS say from 2024, students can apply for degree apprenticeships from large companies through UCAS alongside their undergraduate degree application. Over 1.5m students already use the UCAS Hub to access information on different education and training routes. Now, it will also show students the different ways into a single career destination. If a student is interested in, for example, engineering, they will see the undergraduate and apprenticeship routes displayed side-by-side.
Reports from UCAS show over 50% of those who set up their account are interested in an apprenticeship. Data from IFATE, who work with employers to develop, approve, review and revise apprenticeships and technical qualifications, say 84% of those who become an apprentice feel they made the right choice.
You can also go through the government Find An Apprenticeship and the published list of degree apprenticeship vacancies.
As for the roles, degree apprenticeships are available in various industries, from marketing to engineering, science, law, and tech. There are even new doctor apprenticeships with the NHS.
The process of applying is different to applying to a university. Firstly, you can apply to as many degree apprenticeships as you want and apply to UCAS simultaneously.
You apply directly to the employer, not the university. The company decides which provider it will use, but you will know which university it is when you apply.
The process is relatively similar for all applications, as employers are looking for the same kind of skills, so the more roles you apply for, the more comfortable you will get with the process.
Bear in mind that applying for a degree apprenticeship is similar to applying for a job; you have to send a CV and go through an interview process. This means that unlike with university courses, you can apply for any number of degree apprenticeships at any time.
The interview process is competitive, as there are more applicants than places, but once you get the job, the breakdown is usually 80% working and 20% studying. This can be a day a week at university or block delivery, where you go to university for three months and then work for nine.
How do I know if a degree apprenticeship is for me?
Firstly, a degree apprenticeship can be a perfect fit if you're interested in working in a particular sector or profession. Talk to a career advisor at your school or the National Career Service about what's on offer and if it will give you what you need.
There are a wide variety of roles offered in various industries, from finance to engineering, marketing, healthcare, the civil service and more.
UCAS have a very good apprenticeship podcast that discusses the range on offer and the merits of apprenticeships with employers, students, lecturers and more that most would-be students will find informative.
Your learning style also plays a huge part here. Degree apprenticeships combine on-the-job training with academic study. If you learn best by doing and love work experience, then a degree apprenticeship could be a good option for you.
Finally, your financial situation may well guide where you apply. Degree apprenticeships have a salary, and your tuition fees are paid for, so this can be a significant advantage, especially if you're concerned about student debt.
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