Call For More Higher / Degree Apprenticeships
New research conducted by the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) has found that 88% of universities believe that more higher / degree apprenticeships are key to boosting economic growth and closing the skills gap.
Other Findings
The research also found the following:-
- 64% of universities believe that the Government should assist with the costs of offering more higher / degree apprenticeships
- 60% of universities are of the view that the current apprenticeship levy represents a better way of delivering apprenticeships compared to the new Government proposed replacement, the growth and skills levy
- 28% of universities believe that apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds should be taxpayer funded
- 77% of universities feel that the new Government's growth and skills levy will undermine the funding of apprenticeships as it will allow employers to use up to half of their levy contributions on non-apprenticeship training
- 77% of universities believe that the amount spent under the current apprenticeship levy on degree apprenticeships is not enough
- Of those universities that support the change from the current apprenticeship levy to the growth and skills levy, 45% believe that it provides a fairer system, 36% are of the view that it will increase social mobility, and 32% believe that it will enhance funding for higher / degree apprenticeships.
Comment
Commenting upon the findings, the chief executive of UVAC, Dr. Mandy Crawford-Lee, stated: "Our members clearly feel it’s vital that Labour continues to safeguard the future of apprenticeships and makes them available to people of all ages and across all qualification and skill levels, so that a change in government doesn’t stifle their growth. Any risk to the funding of higher and degree apprenticeships seems unthinkable when you consider how critical they are to promoting social inclusion, bolstering the wider economy and addressing the skills gap across all sectors."
Crawford-Lee added: "Our survey is a real eye-opener into what the higher and degree apprenticeships landscape could look like under the newly elected government and we’d urge Labour to take on board our findings and the views of both the universities and employers responsible for their provision."
Surge In Degree Apprenticeships Since 2015
Since 2015, degree apprenticeships have offered a different route to pursuing higher education and launching a professional career. These initiatives are a collaboration between businesses and universities, enabling the apprentice to earn a salary whilst studying.
Degree apprentices spend about 80% of their time gaining hands-on experience, typically working around 35 hours a week, with the remaining 20% dedicated to academic learning. These programs usually last between three to six years. There are now over 170 programs available across different sectors, including law, business, engineering, and finance
The number of degree apprenticeships has grown considerably since 2015 when there were less than 1,000, to approximately 46,800 by 2022.
Number Of Equal Pay Claims Increases Again
The number of equal pay claims has increased for the third year in a row, according to new research conducted by money.co.uk.
In the year to September 2023, the number of equal pay claims increased to 13,600, an increase of 6% compared with the previous year, and up 30% compared with 2020.
Nevertheless, the total of 13600 is well below the 30,000 peak reached back in 2017.
Fall In Number Of Remote Roles On Offer
New research conducted by LinkedIn has found that there has been 6.2% fall in the number of remote roles on offer compared with the previous year amongst large employers, a trend that is only bucked by small firms, where there was a 2.3% increase.
Nevertheless, whilst the number of fully remote roles is in decline, LinkedIn found that employers are moving towards offering more hybrid roles. Indeed, 38% of all jobs advertised in July 2024 were hybid, compared to 10% that were fully remote.
