The Office for Students (OfS) has today confirmed it will invest
£12 million to increase the number of Level 6 degree
apprenticeship courses and places available in English higher
education.
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, 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.
ENDS
Notes
1. The Office for Students is the
independent regulator for higher education in England. Our aim is
to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a
fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their
lives and careers.
2. 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. The
attached PDF contains the full list of higher education providers
that will receive wave one funding, which is under the same
embargo terms as the press release.
3. Read the guidance for higher education
providers.
4. Read more about the competitive funding exercise
for 2023-24 and 2024-25.
