Considering a Degree Apprenticeship? Q&amp;A with experts and current apprentices!

Original post by Harris0n

Hello,
I have a few questions for the Q & A:

Do employers discriminate against apprenticeships in comparison to a traditional degree?

To everyone where do I look for an apprenticeship opportunities ( Especially in the IT sector ) e.g is there a certain website where many were listed.

@Harris0n

With a degree apprenticeship, when you complete the programme you gain a full degree equivalent to a traditional degree which puts you in the same place as a traditional graduate in terms of qualification! At Manchester Met you also graduate with 4 years work experience after a L6 degree apprenticeship, which is really beneficial for your graduate career options.

You can search for degree apprenticeships in a few places, the government's apprenticeship website is a good starting place: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
Websites such as Indeed, 'Not Going to Uni' and 'Amazing Apprenticeships' are also good to search for your options.

In terms of the IT sector you could look at individual companies websites, and at Manchester Met we offer a Level 6 Digital and Technology Solutions degree apprenticeship. You can see current live vacancies for that programme and find out more about the programme here:
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/apprenticeships/courses/digital-technology-solutions
https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/apprenticeships/apprentices/find-an-apprenticeship#vacancies

Reply 21

Original post by Harris0n

Hello,
I have a few questions for the Q & A:

Do employers discriminate against apprenticeships in comparison to a traditional degree?

Leon, Mason and Fizah, is there anything I can do and put on my CV that increases the likelihood of me getting an apprenticeship?

To everyone where do I look for an apprenticeship opportunities ( Especially in the IT sector ) e.g is there a certain website where many were listed.

What is the process of getting an apprenticeship i.e interviews, applying ect.

For your CV, I would create it to tailor to the role you're looking for. Share your experiences based on the field you're applying within. Also, doing your research on the company and their values and then being able to speak about how you reflect those values helps you stand out in the interview.

I would recommend signing up to receive alerts from the Rate My Apprenticeship site, you can filter based on which sector you are looking in and what level of apprenticeship etc. and they then send you emails when new applications open. Also, looking on the careers site of the companies you are interested in because here they'll list opportunities within the company and when applications open etc.

The process consists of: completing an online application; online assessment; video interview; assessment centre. But this can all vary depending on the level of apprenticeship/company you are applying for.

@Harris0n

Reply 22

McrMetMason

Original post by Borogal

How competitive are apprenticeships? How many apply for a place? What % of applicants are a successful? What makes a good applicant? (Finance focus). Thank you!

Hi @Borogal degree apprenticeships are quite competitive so it is important that when you apply you stand out, so consider what most applicants will put on their application and try to make your own application more unique. I’m sorry I don’t know what % of applicants are successful but luckily there are a lot more companies now who are becoming interested in degree apprenticeships and so there are more opportunities. :smile:

Also in terms of what makes a good applicant, like I said it is important to stand out for example do you have any relevant work experience that you can link to the role you are applying for (Maybe consider trying to do a weeks work experience in a relevant company to show that you are dedicated to the field.) also the best applicants are always passionate about the job that they are applying for so consider how you can convey that passion in your CV and Cover Letter.

Reply 23

Original post by Borogal

How competitive are apprenticeships? How many apply for a place? What % of applicants are a successful? What makes a good applicant? (Finance focus). Thank you!

@Borogal

Degree apprenticeships are competitive, they're really valuable programmes to undertake and therefore do attract a lot of applications. It's hard to say how many apply and what % are successful - this depends on which company it is and how many apprentices they choose to hire that year.

A good applicant has a clear and professional CV or application form, can show a genuine interest and motivation for their chosen subject area, and usually has some examples of work experience, volunteering or extra curricular activities!

Reply 24

Original post by iamanon123

How does it work in terms of going to uni and going to work? Do you have set times to go to uni or are you at work 9-5 then going to uni?

Hi @iamanon123, this really varies depending on the level of apprenticeship you've applied for/ the company. An apprenticeship has 20% off-the-job time which means you spend 20% of your time during the scheme, to focus on attending university; training; or mentoring etc. In my case on this DTS apprenticeship, we get one day a week at university which is 9:30-5 and then the other four days we are working full-time.

Reply 25

Original post by Il1L

I don't think I can do an apprenticeship in my job I want :no:

@Il1L Hi! What kind of job are you interested in? We may be able to advise what opportunities are out there!

Reply 26

McrMetEmma

Original post by emmf2310

If I want to apply for a degree apprenticeship, do I get paid whilst working and studying? Do I have to pay student loans for the degree as well? Thanks!

Hello! @emmf2310, you would be employed so would receive a wage from your employer. Your employer will pay the fees for the course so you shouldn't have a need to take out student loans on top of this.

Reply 27

McrMetMason

Original post by iamanon123

How does it work in terms of going to uni and going to work? Do you have set times to go to uni or are you at work 9-5 then going to uni?

Hi @iamanon123 each apprenticeship does it slightly different but they all spend 80% of your time working at the company and then 20% at university or completing university work. So for me I spend 4-5 weeks at work and then spend Monday - Thursday of the following week at university from 10-5. But there are other apprentices I know that go to University every Friday so they work full time from Monday to Thursday and then Friday go to Uni and do this every week during term time. It depends on the course but you will always be given enough time to complete study along side work

Reply 28

Original post by Il1L

I don't think I can do an apprenticeship in my job I want :no:

Hi @Il1L, what field was it you wanted to work in? There are loads of fantastic apprenticeship opportunities in so many different fields, now more than ever. If you visit Rate My Apprenticeship you get a really good insight into what levels; which sectors; and what companies are offering apprenticeships so you can get a better idea of what you can apply to. Hope this helps and hope you can find what it is you're looking for :smile:

Reply 29

Original post by jenn_petal

Hiya, here are my questions: How was it trying to manage your uni life with the work aspect? Was it possible to also take part in societies at uni whilst doing a degree apprenticeship, or would this fill up the schedule too much? Were you given support when (or if) balancing this became difficult, and if so, would it have been from the uni or the employers or both? Who gets to decide which university you study at whilst completing this?Thank youuu :smile:

Hi @jenn_petal, it can be quite challenging managing the work/study balance. However, employers can be really flexible and accommodating. In my personal experience, when I need to take a couple of hours off to focus on uni work, I've been given that flexibility and support. We also have regular reviews with our skills coaches at ManMet so at any point, if you feel overwhelmed with the workload or balance you can discuss this in your one-on-one review and they can support or help with how you can manage. Aside from this, employers always encourage you to have conversations on your well-being so you always have support. I'm sure you can still join societies and work around your schedule too :smile:

Reply 30

Original post by youmimi

I’m a dual citizen (British and US) currently living somewhere in Asia. I have never lived in the UK and all my education has been done in America. Would I still be eligible to apply for a degree apprenticeship or do I need to reside in the UK for at least 3 years?
If I am eligible, would my American education give me a disadvantage? I already have some education in a university.
Thank you in advance!

@youmimi A degree apprenticeship is training programme that is mainly job focused, so it's worth remembering you would need the right kind of visa or 'right to work' status as specified by British law that allows you to work in the UK on a full time job. This is worth researching yourself on the UK government's website, to check your status.

If you already have university level education, this can't be within the same area that you would want to do a degree apprenticeship in. Usually degree apprenticeships ask for a certain number of UCAS points as entry, you can check the equivalence of American qualifications on the UCAS website :smile:

Reply 31

Original post by savya

what's the procedure for application for international students?

Hi @savya, any international applicant must be eligible to work in the UK, and have the necessary visas, etc. A degree apprenticeship is a full time job so requires a visa that would allow this as a minimum. International applicants would need to look at the details of each apprenticeship vacancy and contact the university/college and employer to check their eligibility criteria.

Reply 32

McrMetMason

Original post by jenn_petal

hey @jenn_petal, great question. I have found balancing study with work to be easier than I thought it would be before I started. you are given quite a bit of time at University to work on your assignment and ask the lecturers any questions you may have, and you are also given quite a but of time at work to work on your assignments. So if you are smart about time management and you take advantage of the time you are given at Uni you can get most of the study done and not have to spend a huge chunk of your free time studying.

In terms of societies you are able to sign up to any society however during the week you probably won't have much time to spend at the societies. But you absolutely could spend weekends attending things especially if you have friends at the university already and you could go with them. But in general you are primarily an employee first and will spend weekdays at work during the day. However there is actually a degree apprentice society in development so that one will definitely be more accessible to degree apprentices.

and finally on your point about support if you are stressed or finding anything difficult, there is so much support both from the university side and from the work side. Firstly from Uni you have all your lectures who are always just at the end of an email to answer any questions you have about the assignment, then you also have a skills coach who is a bit like a progress tutor from high school and college who is there to make sure that you are on track with your apprenticeship and you have a meeting with them every 6 months and again they are always at the end of an email. and finally from the university side there are 'study skills workshops' done by the study sills team who put on online presentations that you can attend to help you develop skills like academic reading and writing, and any other skills that can help you through completing university assignments. Then from the work side you have a line manager who you report to for work related things but they are so supportive and will help you if you have any worries or concerns. and also there are your peers and fellow apprentices who you can always ask for help and support. Also in some cases there might be another apprentice in your company who is in their second third or fourth year of their Apprenticeship and so can provide you support as they have already been through whatever it is that your struggling with :smile:

hope this helps

Reply 33

Original post by jenn_petal

Hi @jenn_petal to answer your question about societies; all of our degree apprentices at Manchester Met can be members of the Students Union and take part in societies at the university. The only possible issue is when your work commitments clash with society activities, or training sessions for university sports clubs etc. As an apprentice, your full time job comes first so you may not always be able to participate in everything, but a good number of our apprentices choose to join societies when they can!

And in terms of deciding which university - universities and employers partner together to offer degree apprenticeship programmes so it's usually set by the employer as they need to pick a degree programme that is suitable for their company. At Manchester Met we work with over 500 employers locally and nationally to offer our degree apprenticeship programmes :smile:

I'm sure one of our apprentices will pitch in about balancing their uni life with work and the support on offer! @McrMetLeon?

Reply 34

Original post by Leongecko

Hi, I work for the NHS and im really interested in a degree apprenticeship either in radiography or medical physics, I am studying an access to healthcare science diploma out of my own pocket to get the ucas points, but when i broached the subject with my boss she said I was too old. (i am 50). Apparently only having 20 odd years left in the workforce isnt seen as value for money. Can they discriminate my age and are there rules saying they are only for younger people?

Hi @Leongecko There is no upper age limit for undertaking a degree apprenticeship but it will naturally depend on what your company's objectives are as to whether they decide to put you on a degree apprenticeship programme. Apprenticeships are not just for younger people, a good number of our apprentices at Manchester Metropolitan University are returning to education later in life.

In terms of funding for a degree apprenticeship:
Employers with a payroll of more than £3 million can use their apprenticeship levy contributions to pay for places on apprenticeship programmes.
Any business with a payroll below £3 million is eligible for government funding that will cover at least 95% of the cost of an apprenticeship course.

Reply 35

Original post by Futureswola

Hi,

I’ve applied for an apprenticeship in London, im 26 and will be in first year of apprenticeship,what is the typical salary? Also,am I able to apply for benefits whilst doing the apprenticeship?

Many thanks

Your typical salary will depend what level of apprenticeship you have applied for. it's worth asking your employer what your expected salary will be.

Again, with applying for benefits this depend on a range of factors such as how many hours you work, how much you earn etc. I would suggest having a conversation with your training provider and employer :smile:

Currently, our minimum salary for degree apprentices at Manchester Metropolitan University is £14,000 a year (this could change in the future.)

@Futureswola

Reply 36

McrMetEmma