APP0072

 

Written evidence submitted by Universities UK

 

 

Executive Summary

 

  1. Our submission describes the new degree apprenticeships that are now available as part of the wider apprenticeship programme. Universities have enthusiastically supported the development of degree apprenticeships, investing time energy and resources to work closely with employers to design and deliver degree apprenticeships that meet their skills needs. We believe that there is considerable potential for significant growth in degree apprenticeships to help employers address skills gaps, increase productivity, increase young people’s participation in employment and education and help meet the government’s 3 million target. This submission outlines what universities, government and employers need to do to realise the potential of degree apprenticeships.

 

 

About us

 

  1. Universities UK (UUK) is the representative organisation for the UK’s universities. Founded in 1918, its mission is to be the definitive voice of universities in the UK, providing high quality leadership and support to its members to promote a successful and diverse higher education sector. With 133 members and offices in London, Cardiff (Universities Wales) and Edinburgh (Universities Scotland), it promotes the strength and success of UK universities nationally and internationally.

 

 

Degree Apprenticeships

 

  1. Degree apprenticeships are an exciting new development and addition to the apprenticeships “offer” to employers. They combine the academic rigour and quality of a university degree with the strengths of the apprenticeship model, employer focused training and strong development of work-based skills. Degree apprenticeships have the potential to become both a major part of employers’ recruitment and development of talent and an opportunity to increase opportunities for young people who, for whatever reason, would not consider undertaking a “traditional” undergraduate degree. Many of the degree apprentice standards developed so far address areas where there are skills gaps such as engineering and digital skills and we see this as key strength of the degree apprenticeship model.

 

  1. Since degree apprenticeships were announced in November 2014 over 40 universities responded to the two calls for expressions of interest in developing degree apprenticeships from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA). In 2015-16 it is expected that approximately 30 universities will deliver between 1,500 and 2,000 degree apprenticeships starts. There are now 69 universities on the SFA Register of Training Organisations, representing just over half of the UUK membership and including a wide range of different types of institution and a wide geographical spread. This level of interest over such a relatively short period of time demonstrates the commitment of universities to the successful development of degree apprenticeships. It also indicates the significant interest of employers, working with universities, to develop and deliver degree apprenticeships.

 

  1. In March 2015 nine degree apprenticeships were announced:

 

 

  1. These were in addition to existing degree apprenticeships in:

 

 

  1. It is also understood that a significant proportion of the ‘trailblazer’ standards being developed are degree apprenticeships.

 

  1. The model of degree apprenticeships is a familiar one to universities. They already have strong links with employers and a commitment to developing employable graduates. The most recent UKCES 2014 Employer Perspectives Survey reported that 81% of employers in England said that university graduates were either very well or well prepared for work (compared to 71% for 17-18 year old leavers from further education, 60% for 17-18 year old school leavers and 53% for 16 year old school leavers). Employers are already involved in the development of undergraduate curricula and there are a range of company sponsored degrees delivered by universities. Many universities also support workplace learning through sandwich years, placements and internships, integrated into the degree.

 

  1. There is significant university experience of the types of learning most suited to the apprenticeship model including day release, online and virtual learning as well as tutoring and mentoring. There are also strong and extensive links between universities and professional bodies which reinforces the links with a wide range of employers. Degree apprenticeships can also provide an opportunity to include professional recognition alongside a degree and there are examples of this happening.

 

  1. This wealth of relevant experience is already integrated into the way in which quality is assured in universities. The Quality Assurance Agency Code of Practice includes Chapter 10, Managing Higher Education Provision with Others which deals specifically with university-employer collaboration but such collaboration is integrated across other sections of the quality code for example in the chapter of the code relating to programme design, development and approval. The Code guides the review of higher education provision.

 

  1. So there is considerable university and employer interest in degree apprenticeships, universities have relevant experience of working with employers and professional bodies and of the teaching and learning methods best suited to supporting apprenticeships. The future growth of degree apprenticeships needs to build on these foundations to support future success. Our most recent report on degree apprenticeships (The Future Growth of Degree Apprenticeships, UUK, 2016) provides some helpful guidance on how this might be achieved.

 

  1. Our report, produced by CFE Research, sought to consider what the indicators of success so far were for the development of degree apprenticeships, the similarities and differences between degree apprenticeships and other forms of employer-focused provision and what needs to happen next to ensure the future growth of degree apprenticeships.

 

  1. Whilst we have highlighted the strengths and experience that universities can bring to the development of degree apprenticeships there are some key differences between degree apprenticeships and other forms of higher education that universities need to recognise and embrace. The first key difference is that they are driven by the needs of the employer and the development of specific work-focused skills. Employers have a key role in the design of degree apprenticeship standards and universities are working closely with employers, through the trailblazers, to achieve this. Universities that adopt degree apprenticeship standards will need to continue this close involvement with employers to ensure delivery is, as far as possible, tailored to their needs. There are opportunities to use local organisations such as Local Enterprise Partnerships and Chambers of Commerce to both identify particular local skills needs but also to facilitate links with employers in the locality and region.

 

  1. Another key difference is the fact that the apprentice is not a just student, but also is an employee of the company. Unlike the undergraduate degree where the university is responsible to the student, with an apprentice the university is a provider to the employer. However as degree apprenticeships are longer than most apprenticeships, 3-4 years, and as many employers could be small and medium sized businesses, that could be subject to considerable uncertainty over that time period, universities will naturally take a strong interest in the welfare and experience of the apprentices. As the degree apprenticeships integrate the support and mentoring that the employer provides alongside that provided by the university, universities will take a keen interest and seek to support the role of the employer in supporting the apprentice. We see, and would want to encourage, the development of a university-employer partnership that is more than just a supplier-provider relationship.

 

 

 

University coordination and collaboration: Sheffield Hallam University

 

  1. Sheffield Hallam has delivered extensive higher and vocational programmes in collaboration with employers such as JCB, Barratt Homes, Balfour Beatty and Nestlé, for some time now, in particular in the areas of business management, facilities management, construction and engineering. Previously such provision tended to be developed by departments separately. In September 2015 a new directorate of Education and Employer Partnerships was launched to provide an institutional view of higher level skills. The new directorate aims to respond in a more coordinated way to opportunities, bringing together opportunities available across the university’s four faculties, such as degree apprenticeships. The directorate is responsible for: higher education partnerships in the UK (including with further education colleges) as well as transnational educational partnerships employer partnerships The work with employers includes exploring how opportunities for students can be enhanced (for example, through placements and graduate jobs) as well as developing bespoke commercial provision (such as degree apprenticeships). The university, via the directorate, is represented on the LEP’s Skills, Employment and Education Board. They are working with partners towards a more joined-up approach to apprenticeships, which enables people to move through the different levels of apprenticeships with the same company but different education providers. They are also working with further education colleges in the region to explore new opportunities to develop programmes that focus on delivering the skills that employers need to support the economic growth of the region.

 

 

Potential of Degree Apprenticeships of filling skills gaps: Aston University and Capgemini

 

  1. Aston University’s strategic partnership with Capgemini for their online degree apprenticeship programme in the digital sector was developed to address skills shortages in the UK IT industry, and to widen participation in Aston’s intake while ensuring the relevance of Aston’s curriculum in a fast changing industry.

 

  1. Capgemini is a major national employer with several offices in Birmingham and the West Midlands region, and experienced a graduate recruitment shortage in software engineering. They currently recruit 120 graduates annually, but require more, particularly those who are work ready. They are not alone: the big IT companies are continually facing a skills shortage as experienced staff retire.

 

  1. The degree apprenticeship model provides added value as learning and work experience are integrated in a real employment context.  This model is attractive to many students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds wishing to study while being employed in their chosen industry with a leading employer, and not paying fees. 

 

  1. The collaboration has fostered a collaborative ethos; students are engaged and Capgemini staff see it as their responsibility to support their learning. The Degree Apprenticeship allows the University to have control over delivery of the whole programme and can protect academic standards: this programme has exactly the same status as the traditional on-campus degrees.

 

 

Ensuring Future Growth of Degree Apprenticeships

 

  1. As a relatively new development, there still remains some confusion and uncertainty around the future of degree apprenticeships for both universities and employers. Part of this relates to the need to simply increase the awareness and understanding of degree apprenticeships, some of this relates to the current systems in place to support apprenticeships and some of this relates to the move towards a still developing levy-based system of funding degree apprenticeships.

 

  1. Universities are very interested in the development of degree apprenticeships but are at different stages of development with varying levels of understanding. We have worked hard with the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) to inform and encourage universities in the development of degree apprenticeships and will continue to do so. The Universities Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) supported by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has provided invaluable advice and support to universities. Colleagues at the Skills Funding Agency have provided very helpful support and advice to universities but the Agency is going through a period of considerable change and restructuring. Care must be taken to ensure that the links with and encouragement to universities continues in whatever form the future SFA takes.

 

  1. We have anecdotal evidence that employer knowledge and understanding of degree apprenticeships is limited and partial. This is partly to be expected at the start of a new initiative and the work of the Department of Business Innovation and Skills in publicising degree apprenticeships during the National Apprenticeship Week is to be welcomed but efforts need to continue to raise the profile of degree apprenticeships. If degree apprenticeships are to be a clear and established part of the apprenticeship programme then they need to be integrated into the existing systems that support apprenticeships such as the find an apprenticeship service, the apprenticeship.gov.uk website and the work of the Education and Training Foundation.

 

  1. We believe that universities could play a key role in being ambassadors for degree apprenticeships, providing advice to employers on degree apprenticeships and bringing employers together to develop collaboration and partnerships around degree apprenticeships. Our ambition would be that the agencies and mechanisms that support the apprenticeships programme should facilitate universities to undertake this role.

 

  1. There is also a clear need, which universities can play a part in addressing, to increase the understanding of degree apprenticeships amongst schools and career advisors. We support the provision of clear and comprehensive advice to school leavers and young people about the full range of options available to them including undergraduate study and apprenticeships. Several degree apprentices said it was very difficult for them to find out any information about degree apprenticeships through their school. We have also been disappointed to hear anecdotal evidence from some degree apprentices that when they have offered to go back to their schools to talk about the benefits of degree apprentices, they have been refused.

 

  1. Universities also have a role in raising awareness of the degree apprenticeships that they offer alongside ‘traditional degrees’ in the university prospectuses and at their open days. Further, we would encourage employers to advertise their degree apprentices through all of their channels for advertising vacancies as well as university jobs boards and providing information to local schools.

 

  1. For many universities the existing processes for working with the Skills Funding Agency to secure funding to support apprenticeships are unfamiliar and different to their existing systems as they are designed for further education colleges and independent training providers. This is understandable given that the SFA has only recently been given the powers to fund university provision and the majority of apprenticeships so far have not been higher level or degree apprenticeships. The SFA enabling universities to have a streamlined process to join the Register of Training Providers, just for the delivery of degree apprenticeships, recognises the fact that universities are already regulated by HEFCE and that this provides adequate assurance. The commitment to accept the Quality Assurance Agency for quality assurance purposes rather than Ofsted is also to be welcomed. However the Individual Learner Record is a new and different requirement for universities. Many further education colleges have considerable experience in working with the SFA and universities are partnering with them to tap into this expertise.

 

  1. However many universities have been left with the impression that degree apprenticeships are a “bolt on” to a system designed for further education. The quality assurance arrangements have yet to be finalised in detail. This, combined with the uncertainty around future systems and requirements in a levy-based system means that universities are investing considerable time, energy and effort in an area that is uncertain and carries a certain level of risk. Universities are to be applauded for responding so quickly and being ready to support the development of degree apprenticeships but if this is to serve as a foundation for future growth, risks need to be reduced more guidance produced and greater certainty built into the development of degree apprenticeships.

 

  1. In the future development of a levy-based system we appreciate that the system will be employer driven and providers will need to be flexible and responsive to their needs. Universities accept and understand this. In addition universities do not expect special treatment or the systems to be designed exclusively around their needs. What we would recommend is that universities and degree apprenticeships are designed into the developing systems, especially in the development of the Institute for Apprenticeships and the Digital Voucher. For us, this is essential to the future success and growth of degree apprenticeships and it is not clear to us that this is happening.

 

 

Supporting SME engagement

 

  1. We would also argue for some consideration of flexibility in both how apprenticeships are developed and what the levy could be spent on in ways that we believe could significantly help employer participation. Our suggestions would be that either a small proportion of levy funding or some development funding is devoted to developing models of collaboration which include:

 

 

 

  1. In both cases universities could play a key role in supporting employers collaborating with other employers and universities to create a critical mass of employee engagement and increase the number of employers benefitting from degree apprenticeships.

 

 

Universities and the Apprenticeship Levy

 

  1. Almost all universities will be paying the levy as large employers. Concern has been expressed amongst our members about the impact of the levy on organisations that already have a highly skilled workforce. Whilst many universities are employing apprentices concern has also been expressed about how the levy and the wider apprenticeship system will support organisations new to the development of apprenticeships. To enable universities and other employers with highly skilled workforces to take advantage of the opportunity apprenticeships provide, it is essential that it is made clear that apprentices that already have a degree or similar qualification are still able to become apprentices. It will also be important to ensure that degree apprenticeships are included at the outset of any introduction of a digital voucher scheme.

 

  1. As a body that has members across the UK, we would also stress the importance of clarifying the arrangements for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

 

 

Recommendations

 

  1. Universities UK makes the following recommendations to secure the future growth of degree apprenticeships:

 

 

Universities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Government

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 2016