Harper wins share of £4.9 million to develop degree apprenticeships

Posted 6 October 2017

Harper Adams University is set to launch a series of degree apprenticeship programmes, thanks to a share of £4.9 million announced today by the Higher Education Funding Council England.

Designed by employers, higher education providers and professional bodies, degree apprenticeships bring together higher education study with paid work. They enable the development of high-level skills, by combining a degree and a career.

Degree apprentices are employed for a minimum of 30 hours a week and earn a degree part time alongside their full time employment.

Today’s announcement covered the second round of Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund awards, which will create new apprenticeship opportunities to commence in September 2018.

The Harper Adams programmes supported by the award will allow apprentices to train in:

• Engineering competence (three pathways);

• Food and Drink Engineering (three pathways);

• Food Science and Technology

Andy Jones, Director of Learning and Teaching at Harper Adams, welcomed the announcement: “Harper Adams University is delighted to have been awarded this funding to further develop our degree apprenticeships portfolio. The funds will enable us to strengthen links with industry while providing participants with cutting edge training and technical education.”

Clare Keegan, who is overseeing the development of Degree Apprenticeship at Harper Adams, added: “We are already close to launching a Degree Apprenticeship programme for chartered surveyors, and look forward to also now being able to work with employers to develop the food science, food engineering and wider engineering programmes.

“Industry input into the structure and content of the programmes will be vital, so I would welcome discussions with business in the sectors relevant to these new degree apprenticeship streams.

Madeleine Atkins, HEFCE Chief Executive, said: “We commend the universities and colleges which successfully competed for funding in this second phase of the Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund. They will now work with employers to develop new degree apprenticeship provision across a variety of sectors. This will help more people to access higher education, and to follow their chosen career, while closing the skills gaps in the economy.”