Manchester Metropolitan University degree apprentices enjoy a high ROI

Manchester Metropolitan University recently carried out a study that explored the working lives of degree apprenticeship graduates.

The Working Life After Degree Apprenticeship (WLDA) project is a pioneering study that explores the working lives of apprentices, upon completing their degree apprenticeship. Degree apprenticeships in the UK are highly embraced by employers in various industries. Various new programmes are announced regularly to meet evolving industry needs including in areas of computing, data science, and cybersecurity.

A degree apprenticeship is different from a regular internship whereby the student has a full-time employment status and are exempt from paying for training costs or student fees and are not eligible for student loans.

During the programmes, degree apprenticeship students split their time between university study and the workplace and are employed throughout. The cost of course fees for the degree apprenticeship is shared between the government and employers, meaning that the apprentice can earn a full degree without paying any fees.

Apprenticeship based degrees were becoming increasingly popular and the list of universities in the UK offering this option grows.

There are now over 100 universities in England on the register of apprenticeships training providers, and the number of degree apprenticeship programmes has increased, from 1,614 to 7,114 in the first quarter of 2019.

Manchester Metropolitan University recently carried out a study that explored the working lives of degree apprenticeship graduates.

The Working Life After Degree Apprenticeship (WLDA) project by Manchester Metropolitan University is a pioneering study that explores the working lives of apprentices, upon completing their degree apprenticeship.The study explored the current earnings of half of the University’s first cohort of Digital and Technology Solutions apprentices who graduated in 2019.

It found that the group of Manchester Metropolitan University Degree Apprenticeship graduates earn an average annual salary of £39,000 one year after graduating.

This is 46% or £18,000 higher than the average UK computing graduate and 5% or £2,000 higher than graduates from the top five computing courses in the UK.

The results indicate that degree apprenticeships can level-up the life chances of disadvantaged young people and provide access to some of the highest-paying jobs.

In addition, 34% of current STEM apprentices are women, a substantial improvement on the national average of 22% reported by the Office for Students.

The UK government has been an active proponent for degree apprenticeships in the past and has been the backbone in driving university and business partnerships in this area and this has led to a major drive to make businesses and organisations in the UK aware of the benefits of apprenticeships for employers.

According to Skills Training UK, many different work sectors are still discovering the benefits of apprenticeships. Some of the specialties that benefit most include retail, customer service, business improvement techniques, team leading, management, and manufacturing operations.

Businesses so far report many advantages of apprenticeships especially as it can boost productivity and competitiveness.

Evidence suggests that employing and training apprentices can improve the productivity of companies, with recent research demonstrating both short and long-term gains.

Director of Apprenticeships at Manchester Metropolitan University, Liz Gorb said, “Degree apprenticeship programmes offer a valuable route for young and disadvantaged people, which will be particularly vital as the UK recovers from the Coronavirus pandemic.”

Gorb added that graduates from Manchester Metropolitan University are given access to high paying-jobs rivaling those from the top-ranked universities.

This, she says highlights the exceptional quality of the university’s employer partners, the teaching, and the apprentices on their programmes.

Businesses in the UK have much to gain from degree apprenticeships. A study conducted by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) found that businesses could gain an additional £18bn in revenue from apprenticeships.

The study also found that an apprentice brings a gain in productivity of more than £10,000 per year for their employer, with figures for some sectors being even higher.

Businesses also gain from apprenticeships through improved competitiveness. Studies on industries found that 77% of employers agree that apprentices in their organisation improved competitiveness. Studies also indicate that 80% of customers report better service from companies that hire apprentices.

Businesses have also reported that employing apprentices improve staff retention. Many businesses in the UK suffer from a lack of skilled personnel and struggle to find hires with the right skill sets and thus these degree apprenticeship programmes are highly beneficial to businesses that are on the lookout for these specific skillsets.

Businesses also tend to gain through co-developing the curriculum for these programmes, in addition to the knowledge exchange that takes place.