Degree Apprenticeship Site and Funding Needed in Northern Ireland

An important piece from Hazel Shearing this morning sheds light on the gap between the growing competition for apprenticeships in England, and lack of opportunities. As demand and opportunities grow, we must make sure expansion does not come at the expense of quality. Great apprenticeships depend on great teachers, trainers, assessors and workplace mentors. Creating more opportunities is not simply about increasing the number of places. The system can only deliver if we invest in the people behind it, turning occupational expertise into high-quality learning. That investment in the professional workforce matters as much as the places themselves, and it is what will lead to better outcomes for learners, employers and the economy. Education Training Foundation

Working in the Apprenticeship space, its brings mixed emotions and thoughts reading the BBC's update below on Degree Apprenticeships. The Bad: The demand for Degree Apprenticeships has tripled over the last three years but unfortunately employer vacancies for Degree Apprenticeships has halved over the same period - making them extremely competitive to secure. The Good: It's great to see evidence that the message is finally being passed down to families and young people about the credible & massively beneficial Degree Apprenticeship option, compared to the traditional academic route. Final Thoughts: I know the Government have recently launched cash incentives to employers taking on a young people as an apprenticeship, which is a great first step. Hopefully, the Government continue to look at additional financial support for local businesses with employment costs, hopefully resulting in an uplift in vacancies over the next three years. In my role as business engagement promoting upskilling via apprenticeships, I will continue to do my bit raising awareness and reinforcing the positive impact for both local business and young people. https://lnkd.in/edz3UgJd

BBC News - Competition for degree apprenticeships quadruples in three years - BBC News https://lnkd.in/ei7dkYU3 I find this report upsetting. Why is demand soaring and supply dwindling? Where's all the apprenticeship levy money going? Apprenticeships seem to be a win-win-win. Apprentices work and gain experience and also study and gain knowledge and skills. Employers benefit from young workers, keen to develop new skilks and behaviours and to contribute to organisations development and growth. Universities get to train apprentices and see how that learning is applied out there in the 'real world', supporting knowledge transfer. Is it that companies don't know about Apprenticeships, or that they are not willing to invest a little time to develop the future generations of workers?

The number of degree apprenticeship applications has tripled in nearly three years, the BBC has reported. This dramatic spike is driven by soaring university tuition costs, the appeal of earning a salary while obtaining a debt-free degree, and a cultural shift seeing apprenticeships as a premier career route. The total number of applicants through the government’s platform has nearly tripled over the last three years, currently standing at 21,800, from 8,100. Although the applicant numbers have increased, the number of available positions has nearly halved from 7,300 to 3,700. There are now 11.3 applications for every Level 6 place, up from 2.8 in 2023-24. https://lnkd.in/e54RBBJV

🎲 Employment is the key requirement for every apprenticeship! without an employer there isn't an apprenticeship! 💪 If you are working with a training provider supporting you with your career journey please remember they will not be offering you 'paid employment' they do however have fantastic local and national employer connections and will support discussions and the interview processes; connecting you with influential people looking for career seekers - but you are the only person that can secure the 'apprentice' role. 🔓 Always ensure you complete all application requirements to the best of your ability and comprehensively 🙌 (and if your an employer looking to engage with apprentices but not sure how - DM 💻) #aea #fjaa #apprentice #apprenticeship #employment #agencyemployedapprentices #nicholasassociatesgroup

The headlines focus on the surge in applications for degree apprenticeships, but there's an important message for candidates that often gets overlooked... an apprenticeship is an employment opportunity first and a learning programme second. As an apprentice employment specialist, we regularly see candidates underestimate the recruitment process. Employers aren't simply selecting students. They're hiring future colleagues. That means: 👉 Applications need time and effort. 👉 Generic answers won't stand out. 👉 Motivation matters. 👉 Team fit matters. 👉 Commitment matters. Apprentices benefit from structured learning built into their role, but they are still employees contributing to business outcomes from day one. The other striking takeaway from the BBC report is the reduction in vacancies available compared with the growth in demand. While it's encouraging that so many young people recognise the value of apprenticeships, the drop in opportunities should be a concern for all of us working in skills and workforce development. If we're going to provide genuine alternatives to traditional university routes, we need more employers willing to invest in apprenticeship talent and create opportunities at scale. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e54RBBJV

"Competition for degree apprenticeships in England has quadrupled over the past three years, the BBC has found. The popularity of degree apprenticeships - which offer a paid-for university degree along with a salary - has grown as the cost of university has come under increased scrutiny... Vicky Orsmond advises students at Hereford Sixth Form College about careers and said there was "significant concern" around the cost of going to university, which had sparked interest in degree apprenticeships." You can read more of this article featuring Hereford Sixth Form College and other institutions on the BBC website 👉 https://lnkd.in/e54RBBJV #herefordsfc #bbcnews #degreeapprenticeships

The numbers of students wanting to enrol on degree apprenticeships continues to rise, but with a drop in the number of degree apprenticeships available competition for a small number of places is even greater. https://lnkd.in/ekQiFJZh

Degree apprenticeships are one of the best routes available for young people to learn, earn and build real experience. Also to graduate without the same level of student debt as a university student, which is now £53,010 in England....... Yet applications have nearly tripled while advertised opportunities on the Government’s platform have almost halved. That is heartbreaking reading. Young people clearly want this route. Employers need support and confidence to create more of these opportunities, because demand is certainly not the problem. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eTvDr3Qs

Interesting article on the BBC this morning highlighting the growing demand for degree apprenticeships, with applicants now far outnumbering available vacancies. At the same time, many employers are reducing hiring activity due to rising employment costs and ongoing economic uncertainty, making competition even tougher for applicants. https://lnkd.in/ee3Y5FfR On the bright side, it's encouraging to see more young people recognising the value of combining higher education with real-world industry experience.