To expand the distribution of high-quality degree apprenticeships needed across the county to meet the skill needs of employers today and in the future, the University of Gloucestershire has been chosen to be part of a new £12 million funding initiative by the Office for Students (OfS).
UOG has been selected to reinforce the national drive to increase the availability of Level 6 degree apprenticeships and address the shortage of skilled candidates, with support of the OfS, to achieve a growth in three programmes facing particular shortages of sought professionals, including: healthcare science practitioner, senior and head of facilities management, and cyber security technical professional.
The OfS is set to invest £40 million over the next two years to increase access and delivery of degree apprenticeships, allocating £12 million across designated higher education providers to grow and build capacity and increase equality of prospects — which is one of the Department of Education’s key priority areas.
Head of client relations in the university’s business engagement team, Leonie Burton said: 'We’re really proud to have been selected by the Office for Students to help expand and build capacity and increase equality of opportunity in degree apprenticeships provision.
'Degree apprenticeships contribute to the diversity of provision in the education sector, enable students to have choice, and contribute to local and regional prosperity and skills development.
'We look forward to building on our existing partnerships, and developing new connections, to achieve a rapid growth in our degree apprenticeship programmes that have been specifically targeted under the OfS initiative.'
The university will be engaging with its communities through a range of activities — including roadshows and maildrops — to ensure it provides opportunities for the recruitment of high-quality candidates from underrepresented groups to all three apprenticeships.
