Making decisions about what to do after leaving school is an exciting time, but with the weight of those decisions it can sometimes be difficult to know which option is right for you. Many people know that there are two main choices of doing an apprenticeship or studying for a degree. But, what if we told you that you could pursue a degree apprenticeship? Not sure what the difference is between that and a traditional degree? We’ll walk you through it.
You don’t have to pay any course fees for the degree apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships are funded by the apprenticeship levy (a pot of money paid to the Government by large organisations which they can tap into to cover course costs if they put their staff onto an apprenticeship course). Non-ley pays can also access this funding. In addition, you’ll continue to receive your salary from your employer while studying the course.
Studying via an apprenticeship route has some great advantages. While training at BCU you can still expect access to the same learning opportunities (and in some cases fantastic placement experiences) as all our students, with the added financial security that an apprenticeship offers.
For a degree apprenticeship you must already be in employment. This is because apprenticeship degrees are ‘employer led’.
It is our employer partners who work with the University to decide who from their workforce is suitable to join an apprenticeship course. Therefore, there is no direct entry or entry through UCAS to get onto our degree apprenticeship. However, similar to a traditional degree an apprenticeship degree will also gain you a level six or seven qualification.
Some employers will sometimes advertise new apprenticeship posts, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out to see if any organisations are doing this. There is a lot of competition for some degree apprenticeships, so it’s a good idea to start your research early so you can be as prepared as possible to apply. Some of the key employers we have worked with include; local NHS trusts, Birmingham Community Healthcare Trust, the BBC and Severn Trent.
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The degree apprenticeship course is between three to five years at BCU.
This is because for some of the course you remain in employment in your existing post, so you can apply what you are learning on the course to your usual workplace. You will split your time between university study and the workplace you are employed at throughout.
For an apprenticeship degree you must already be in employment. This is because apprenticeship degrees are ‘employer led’.
It is our employer partners who work with the University to decide who from their workforce is suitable to join an apprenticeship course. Therefore, there is no direct entry or entry through UCAS to get onto our degree apprenticeship. However, similar to a traditional degree an apprenticeship degree will also gain you a level 6 qualification.
Some employers will sometimes advertise new apprenticeship posts, so it’s always worth keeping an eye out to see if any organisations are doing this. There is a lot of competition for some degree apprenticeships, so it’s a good idea to start your research early so you can be as prepared as possible to apply.
The best of both worlds.
Degree apprenticeships aim to combine the best factors of higher and vocational education, and are offered in key industry areas, including; health, construction, engineering and management. This allows you to combine the academic study of a traditional degree with widely sought after practical experience needed for employment. At BCU we've invested over £400 million in industry-standard, state-of-the-art facilities. You'll have access to this, ensuring you have the best possible environment for practice-based learning.
Apprenticeships are valued for their practical nature and the real-life work experience that they offer. The nature of the degree apprenticeships means you are able to start your career straight after leaving school and really immerse yourself in that specialism.