The Future of Degree Apprenticeships report was launched by Universities UK, the “voice of UK universities”, at the House of Commons.
Viki Faulkner, the University of Brighton’s Head of Apprenticeships, was invited to contribute to the report as Head of Apprenticeships for the University of Brighton, one of the South East’s established providers of degree apprenticeships.
After attending the Westminster launch, she said: “The University of Brighton has seen an increase in numbers of apprenticeship degree students and while the potential for further expansion is massive we do not think the Government is doing enough to make people aware of the benefits nor to enable small and medium businesses to access the funding they need to support apprenticeship training.”
The report echoed her view: “Degree apprenticeships are a success story. The number of people starting degree apprenticeships is rapidly increasing, the range of apprenticeships on offer is broadening and the first degree apprentices have recently graduated. But progress is being held back by poor levels of awareness.”
Numbers of degree apprenticeship students at the University of Brighton have increased from 33 at their launch in 2016 to more than 200 in 2018-19. The university now offers apprenticeship programmes across a range of sectors including teaching, social work, computing, and construction and the built environment.
Teacher apprentice Sabena Bond said: “I have been surprised at how flexible the apprenticeship is, depending on individual circumstances. All of us have different levels of experience and confidence in the classroom, and we are all given the space to progress at an appropriate rate.”