Apprenticeships for existing staff
Apprenticeships offer fantastic development opportunities for existing University staff. An apprenticeship will lead to you mastering new skills or higher-level skills that are required for your job. Staff of any age or grade can gain additional professional qualifications that support the role they are performing.
- There are apprenticeships available for staff at all levels – from those who left school at 16 right up to foundation degree level.
- There are no age limits
- You keep your current salary
- A wide range of occupations are covered
- Learning new skills is supported by combining off-the-job development with practical experience
- The cost of the training is met from the University’s central, apprenticeship levy fund.
Is an apprenticeship right for me?
Your current role and responsibilities at the University will need to support the training and development required by the apprenticeship. This means that your existing role must provide sufficient opportunities for you to use and develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours covered by the chosen apprenticeship standard in your day-to-day work. For example, if you want to undertake a management apprenticeship, you will need to have some level of management responsibility in your current duties and the course will support you as you develop a higher level of management skills. Your line manager will need to agree that the requirements of chosen apprenticeship standard can be met within your current role and responsibilities. Apprenticeship courses cannot be funded unless this requirement for on-the-job training is met.
An apprenticeship requires commitment from both the individual doing the apprenticeship and their manager. You will need to commit to completing all elements of the agreed training programme which may include any of the following:
- Day release for professional training at the training provider’s location
- Completion of elearning and study
- Regular assessment and observation visits in the workplace
- Quarterly review meetings with your manager and apprenticeship tutor
- Completion of assignments
- Maintaining a written portfolio of evidence
Your line manager will need to commit to release you for 20% of your contracted hours for the duration of the programme (usually between 12 to 24 months, depending on the course). This will not all be time out of the office but will include time to complete assignments and other training activities. Your manager will also be involved in supporting you with accessing work development opportunities related to your apprenticeship and participating in regular review meetings with you and your apprenticeship tutor.
Next steps
You should initially discuss with your line manager whether an apprenticeship is the best way to support your development needs or if an alternative form of development would be more appropriate. As part of this discussion, please consider which apprenticeship standard would be most appropriate to support your development within your existing role. Remember that your current role and responsibilities must provide opportunities to practise and develop the knowledge and skills associated with the apprenticeship 'on the job'
You can search for a suitable apprenticeship here:
If you are interested in completing an apprenticeship, please discuss this with your line manager first. Your manager will then need to contact People Development to request an application form that you will both need to complete to apply for funding. People Development will then review the application and, subject to approval for funding, provide support with finding a suitable training provider and setting up the apprenticeship. Degree or higher levels apprenticeships (Level 6 and Level 7) need to be supported by your Head of Function.