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Switching from an Undergraduate Degree to Degree Apprenticeship in second year

I'll keep this post as brief as possible and explain in detail to get the best advice from all.
I am currently a 2nd year undergraduate student studying Engineering and do not enjoy the route I have taken to obtain my degree. I am very keen on working in engineering (specifically Civil) but do not enjoy university due to the studying aspect and theory learning not being my personal preference. Having gained some experience from work placements in engineering, I have worked alongside many apprentices who have explained to me the style of learning and process they undertake in order to obtain their qualifications. As much as university may take a shorter amount of time, I'm more interested in working as well as gaining experience hands on than solely through study.

I still have connections with my previous work employers whom facilitate for degree apprenticeships and can provide a degree in engineering specifically civil, however I am uncertain as to whether I am able to join their programme through talks with my university and potential employers. If it is not possible for me to switch to an apprenticeship at the current point of my degree with the credits I have already obtained after completing my second year I will just continue with university and finish my degree (but do not think I'd perform as well in comparison to gaining qualifications and experience through an apprenticeship). However, if it is possible for me to switch to a degree apprenticeship with my current credits and continue from a midway point or so I would definitely take that route without hesitation. I have tried talking with a few representatives and engineering department regarding this but have not been able to get any help with this.

If there's any advice that can be given regarding this or whether it would be possible for me to get my potential employer and university to have talks about this as I will likely be doing partial studies during an apprenticeship (one day a week in uni/ study and remainder in office) and so I'd like to try and get this underway in time for my final year to switch courses (if I have to take a year out of my degree as a gap year to get this organised I'd be willing to do that also).

Hope you understand and thanks for any help/ advice!
You'd really need to speak to the providers of the apprenticeship (both company and educational partner) to understand if you can "transfer" credits like this. I suspect you couldn't in a typical manner since the educational and work programmes are I believe somewhat interlinked in a degree apprenticeship and you would have done the educational content but none of the work-based learning presumably. If anything could be arranged I suspect it would be more of an ad-hoc/individual arrangement (and you may also need to consider - do you bring enough to the table for the company to make it worth their while to figure all that out if so...?).

Note that if there isn't already an existing degree apprenticeship at that employer then they'd need to be setting it up from scratch for you - which again goes back to the question of whether they feel that effort (and cost) is worth it for you as a prospective apprentice. I'm not saying it isn't but just pointing out that's a big ask, and usually when businesses set up apprenticeships like that it's either as a new programme taking on a bunch of new apprentices in a structured way, or for an particular employee as a more bespoke setup where it's usually a long term existing employee that they want to develop more.

Still, you lose nothing by asking the question so worth sending out some feelers :smile:

Reply 2

Original post
by artful_lounger
You'd really need to speak to the providers of the apprenticeship (both company and educational partner) to understand if you can "transfer" credits like this. I suspect you couldn't in a typical manner since the educational and work programmes are I believe somewhat interlinked in a degree apprenticeship and you would have done the educational content but none of the work-based learning presumably. If anything could be arranged I suspect it would be more of an ad-hoc/individual arrangement (and you may also need to consider - do you bring enough to the table for the company to make it worth their while to figure all that out if so...?).
Note that if there isn't already an existing degree apprenticeship at that employer then they'd need to be setting it up from scratch for you - which again goes back to the question of whether they feel that effort (and cost) is worth it for you as a prospective apprentice. I'm not saying it isn't but just pointing out that's a big ask, and usually when businesses set up apprenticeships like that it's either as a new programme taking on a bunch of new apprentices in a structured way, or for an particular employee as a more bespoke setup where it's usually a long term existing employee that they want to develop more.
Still, you lose nothing by asking the question so worth sending out some feelers :smile:

Thank you very much for the response I appreciate all feedback from everyone to give me a different perspective on approaches I should take towards this matter.

In regards to the current employer and whether they'd be willing to accomodate for this, I had a very excellent work relation with the firm in which they had offered to extend my contract from 2 months to 3 during my time there due to my efforts and work I was conducting. Furthermore, they had asked whether I'd be willing to return for a year in industry following my year 2 semesters and to also continue during the summer with their upskilling programme. From these kinds of interactions and also working alongside so many degree apprentices and attending training with them I was taking an optimistic (not overly optimistic but a strong indication given by my previous work stance) that I could even ask them directly to transfer to their degree apprentice programme (I forgot to mention they do have this available).

Now, taking into consideration your point about whether their apprentice programme and educational partner course aligns with my university course is a very valid point, as I do not know the ins and outs however I do know the modules of the apprentice course and see overlap with my own (I do General Engineering hence my course is very broad and was able to use my skills from year 1 in my summer internship which they were impressed by also). Finally, in regards to the cohort I would be placed into I believe I'd continue on from the equivalent of what my university credits align with their apprentice study programme as I have seen the modules and spoken with the company having kept in touch and them saying that it is a possibility to transfer me and also allow me to complete a less number of years of study as I already have 2 years worth of a full time degree.

One additional note, I spoke with some representatives for education at my university and they said it would actually be a possibility for the engineering department and university to work an arrangement for me to study part time in my current university as well as transfer gradually onto the apprentice scheme in year 3. However, it is still very early talking stages but I wanted to raise this as early as possible with my university and my previous company saying there may be some delay but I'd be able to start in January 2026 rather than the beginning of the academic year.

Many thanks for your help and I'll keep this updated in future for anyone who also wants to do something similar.
Original post
by CuriousEngineer
Thank you very much for the response I appreciate all feedback from everyone to give me a different perspective on approaches I should take towards this matter.

In regards to the current employer and whether they'd be willing to accomodate for this, I had a very excellent work relation with the firm in which they had offered to extend my contract from 2 months to 3 during my time there due to my efforts and work I was conducting. Furthermore, they had asked whether I'd be willing to return for a year in industry following my year 2 semesters and to also continue during the summer with their upskilling programme. From these kinds of interactions and also working alongside so many degree apprentices and attending training with them I was taking an optimistic (not overly optimistic but a strong indication given by my previous work stance) that I could even ask them directly to transfer to their degree apprentice programme (I forgot to mention they do have this available).

Now, taking into consideration your point about whether their apprentice programme and educational partner course aligns with my university course is a very valid point, as I do not know the ins and outs however I do know the modules of the apprentice course and see overlap with my own (I do General Engineering hence my course is very broad and was able to use my skills from year 1 in my summer internship which they were impressed by also). Finally, in regards to the cohort I would be placed into I believe I'd continue on from the equivalent of what my university credits align with their apprentice study programme as I have seen the modules and spoken with the company having kept in touch and them saying that it is a possibility to transfer me and also allow me to complete a less number of years of study as I already have 2 years worth of a full time degree.

One additional note, I spoke with some representatives for education at my university and they said it would actually be a possibility for the engineering department and university to work an arrangement for me to study part time in my current university as well as transfer gradually onto the apprentice scheme in year 3. However, it is still very early talking stages but I wanted to raise this as early as possible with my university and my previous company saying there may be some delay but I'd be able to start in January 2026 rather than the beginning of the academic year.

Many thanks for your help and I'll keep this updated in future for anyone who also wants to do something similar.


Well it all sounds very positive and you have nothing to lose by asking so, fingers crossed! :biggrin:

That said I would note, from personal experience working in the HE sector - the gears of academia grind very slowly, so things may not move as fast as you hope :s-smilie: So just keep that in mind - the timescales may not make it as feasible for your goals as you hope for (even if it may end up being set up in future for others).

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