As announced back in February, the University, as part of the Sussex & Surrey Institute of Technology (IoT), is starting to offer degree apprenticeships for employers from September 2024, helping to address skills gaps in the region. We are learning from other universities who already deliver degree apprenticeships and developing our future offer, as well as finalising the plans for the courses which start in September 2024 and January 2025.

The first phase of degree apprenticeships on offer through the IoT includes:

• Level 7 - Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, starting in September 2024
• Level 7- Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, starting in September 2024
• Level 6 - Business Analytics and Digital Technology, starting in January 2025
• Level 7 - Academic Professional, Teacher, starting April 2025

The next phase of apprenticeships will respond further to local, regional and sectoral skills gaps and priorities as part of our emerging Apprenticeship Strategy. We are currently developing a bid to the Office for Students (OfS) for three potential new apprenticeship programmes for delivery in 2025, drawing on some of the University’s teaching strengths:

• Level 6 – Teacher with maths degree apprenticeship
• Level 6 – Creative Digital Design Professional
• Level 6 – Project Manager
• Level 6 and 7 – Electrical Engineer

Design and delivery

It is essential that we design programmes which addresses skills gaps and staff development for employer and apprentice and that meets performance and quality metrics from the first day, so we have designed processes to ensure regulatory compliance and quality standards are met. We are supporting academic leads with training to support their design and delivery of the courses.

Engagement

A launch campaign took place in February 2024 to coincide with the National Apprenticeship week, using targeted advertising for specific business and industry audiences, primarily on LinkedIn and Google, and printed collateral for events and engagement activity with the IoT and potential employer partners.

Since this launch, we have been targeting employers in a variety of different ways, through direct contact and via networks and forums where we have an academic presence. Key local employers have been engaged with on our three initial programmes giving them the chance to shape content, design and delivery of the programmes.

We now have a dedicated apprenticeships webpage on our website as a shop window for employers and employees. As it develops it will include case studies of our first employers and apprentices as part of a wider communications campaign to increase our visibility and reach.

We now have early employers and apprentice starts confirmed for each of our three initial programmes, with small and large organisations, from our local region and national employers. Although we are planning for small intake numbers in this first year, we are building a group of committed and engaged employers who are keen to support our programmes in future year and we are adding new employers to our contacts constantly.

Resourcing

We are working with Professional Services teams and Schools to define and establish the appropriate functions for apprenticeship delivery. With a separate quality, performance and compliance framework at every stage of the apprenticeship, including those led by DfE and Ofsted, we need to confirm that the funding we draw down can be retained and capacity and capability in Schools and in our new Apprenticeship Hub are essential.

We have recruited some experienced staff to lead our programme, with Geraldine Turton joining as Head of Apprenticeships and Caroline Merchant as Business Development Manager. Further recruitment is ongoing to support DfE regulatory and compliance functions.

We are also in the final stages of appointing a supplier for an apprenticeship management system to ensure compliance, as well as enable monitoring and tracking to make the employer and employee experience smooth.
Our application to the Office for Students for growth in degree apprenticeships will include additional funding to expand our existing capacity.

If you would like to know more about our apprenticeship programmes, please get in touch with us at: apprenticeships@sussex.ac.uk.