Apprenticeships: A Debt-free Route to a Degree

With an average student debt of £50,000*, it’s no wonder that people are looking for a debt-free route to a degree. As a higher apprentice, you’ll be paid by your employer while studying, there are no tuition fees and you won’t need to take out a student loan.

Higher apprenticeships range from Level 4, equivalent to a Higher National Certificate (HNC), to Level 6, which is equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree. They combine on-the-job training with studying towards a degree-level qualification. Whilst higher apprenticeships are fairly-new, they’re highly regarded by employers that are looking to create a talent pipeline with those who have combined theory and experience.

Just like more well-known apprenticeships, higher apprentices can typically expect to work four days a week, with one day a week at college. Depending on the course level, our higher apprenticeships can take two to five years to complete.

The number of industries that offer higher apprenticeships are growing and we offer higher apprenticeships in accounting, HR, management, computing, electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. In fact, we have five new cyber higher apprenticeships starting this year. This includes a Cyber Security Degree Apprenticeship in partnership with UWE. You can study a UWE degree, with UWE lecturers, at our Cheltenham Campus, which is undergoing a £3 million cyber security facility investment ready for September 2020.

Find out more about apprenticeships at our Apprenticeship Open Evening: Wednesday 18 March, 5.00pm-8.00pm.

*Source: BBC