What is it like to be a degree apprentice?

Could you manage your time as an employee whilst studying modules at the same time? Rebecca Hinton, a BEng Food and Drink Advanced Engineer, told us what it is like to be an apprentice.

Currently in the second year of her apprenticeship, Rebecca has worked for Avara Foods Ltd since 2018. Her role has evolved in this time and she has taken on more responsibility as she progressed through her apprenticeship. She has learnt to weld and service machinery and has now moved into trend analysis and undertaking risk assessments.

Rebecca enjoys the variety of the work she does, commenting: “All my roles show me a different aspect of the factory and it really shows everything that has to go to keep things running at their best.”

Rebecca spoke about why she chose the apprenticeship route: “I chose an apprenticeship because it gave me financial freedom whilst allowing me to continue with my education. I also applied to other universities through UCAS as a backup option but turned them down when I was given my place at Avara Foods Ltd.”

A degree apprenticeship involves working at least 30 hours a week with a company, alongside attending university for part time studies for up to five years. Apprentices will also be given time away from their job by employers to study, complete assignments and undertake project work. Harper Adams University offer six specialist degree apprenticeships, supporting professional development in the food industry, utilities and rural surveying.

Ensuring that apprentices can apply their academic knowledge and skills to the workplace is of paramount importance, as Rebecca explained: “Harper Adams is completely different from the universities I was looking at applying to. It has a very direct approach to the working environment and the lecturers are always asking us to go into the factory to find examples of what we are learning about. This is really beneficial as it gives a better context to lessons and shows the value of each thing we are learning.”

If you are interested in a degree apprenticeship at Harper Adams University, you can find out more here.

Written by Melanie Harwood