Lancaster prepares to deliver Degree Apprenticeships
17 March 2017
Lancaster University is committed to supporting the UK Government’s ambitions to address skills gaps to increase productivity and improve UK economic performance. Degree Apprenticeships are a key ingredient in reversing the widening productivity gap between the UK and leading advanced economies.
Lancaster has been included in the Register of Apprentice Training Providers (RoATP) opening up opportunities to deliver degree apprenticeship programmes to employers and to train our own apprentices.
2017 will see the launch of LUMS’ first degree apprenticeships with programmes in strategic leadership being offered in health and manufacturing. We will be building upon our existing relationships with large employers and our network of SMEs to have a significant impact on skills development across the UK.
Designed by employers, universities and professional bodies, degree apprenticeships offer an exciting opportunity for Lancaster to support the government’s skills agenda. Degree apprenticeships support the development of new and existing employees and are open to all age groups, from college leavers, through mid-career improvers up to senior executives, all of whom will benefit from the opportunity to study towards a higher qualification at Lancaster to underpin their experience. They also open the door for a new group of students who may not traditionally have considered higher education and give the opportunity to ‘earn while they learn’: to study at degree level whilst gaining vital experience and earning a salary.
The government has committed to the creation of thousands of new degree apprenticeships and this is an exciting opportunity for Lancaster. As one of the highest ranked universities on the register Lancaster will be building upon its research-informed approach to learning to offer undergraduate and postgraduate apprenticeship degrees across all four faculties. By harnessing the power of digital and work-based learning our programmes will enable employees to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are key to their role whilst maximising the time spent applying their learning in the workplace.
A steering group, comprising Associate Deans from each faculty, is driving the development of degree apprenticeships. To find out more or to get involved, contact Neil Ralph on neil.ralph@lancaster.ac.uk or 01524 594966.