£12 million boost for degree apprenticeships to increase access and choice for students

This is the result of the first round of a competitive bidding process, as part of the OfS’s £40 million degree apprenticeships fund, which will provide support for 205 Level 6 degree apprenticeship programmes at 51 higher education providers.

The successful universities and colleges will use the funding to accelerate programmes to:

• Expand course provision at those already offering Level 6 degree apprenticeships
• Increase the number of students on Level 6 degree apprenticeships
• Increase equality of opportunity within Level 6 degree apprenticeships.

Projects or programmes of work that will receive funding include:

• The University of the West of England, Bristol has received £175,624 for six degree apprenticeship courses. The funded programmes include employer engagement and role model outreach work to increase the enrolment of women onto its Level 6 engineering and construction degree apprenticeships to address underrepresentation in these industries
• York St John University has received £95,616 for five degree apprenticeship courses, which have been designed to address local employment needs in York and London, providing targeted support to improve equality of opportunity onto the courses
• Bournemouth University has received £86,522 for two degree apprenticeship courses in nursing, which will help support the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. The programme will provide a supportive route for underrepresented students, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds and those from areas with low participation in higher education.

John Blake, Director for Fair Access and Participation at the OfS, said:

‘Degree apprenticeships can provide a beneficial alternative route for students in higher education, which bridges the spaces between traditional study and the workplace. Our initial £12 million investment will support universities and colleges to accelerate their efforts to grow and develop these courses.

‘We set universities and colleges a challenge to deliver an extensive range of degree apprenticeships that students from all backgrounds could access. They responded with a wide range of innovative and ambitious bids. This is a major intervention by the OfS and I am excited to see how the successful bids from the first wave of applications expand and enhance courses on offer to students.

‘As these projects take root and grow, our funding will help universities and colleges to ensure that every student is supported to access these courses and harness the skills needed to boost local and regional economies.

‘We will invest up to £40 million over the next two academic years to increase access and provision of degree apprenticeships. This investment will encourage universities and colleges to strive to tailor and enhance their degree apprenticeship programmes to ensure graduates from all backgrounds have the skills, knowledge and experience they need to thrive in their futures.’

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, Robert Halfon said:

‘Degree apprenticeships are a crucial rung on the ladder of opportunity and an important instrument of social justice. By offering people from all backgrounds the chance to gain valuable workplace experience while studying for a degree, they open doors that might otherwise have been closed.

‘I am delighted that the institutions awarded a portion of this £40 million will not only be expanding the number of degree apprenticeships offered but have also demonstrated their commitment to boosting access and participation and prioritising equality of opportunity.

‘Whether it is providing more nurses for our NHS or helping get more women in engineering and construction, I look forward to seeing how these projects help more people climb the ladder of opportunity, address skills gaps and help grow our economy.’

The application deadline for the second competitive funding exercise was 19 December 2023. Universities and colleges will be able to apply for a third and final round of funding in spring 2024.

Notes

1. The OfS received 69 bids from universities and colleges. The OfS will provide a total of £12 million to fund projects at 51 universities and colleges. Read the full list of higher education providers that will receive wave one funding.
2. Read the guidance for higher education providers.
3. Read more about the competitive funding exercise for 2023-24 and 2024-25.