4 February 2025 | By: René Koglbauer, Dean of Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice | 2 min read
Many businesses today face the challenge of developing a skilled workforce that meets their evolving needs. Higher and Degree Apprenticeships offer a unique solution, combining practical on-the-job experience with academic study.
Professor René Koglbauer, Dean of Lifelong Learning and Professional Practice at Newcastle University, explores how apprenticeships can help your business close skills gaps, foster innovation, and create a motivated, future-ready workforce. Discover how partnering with Newcastle University can unlock new opportunities for both your employees and your organisation.
Contents
- What are Higher and Degree Apprenticeships?
- What do Newcastle University apprenticeships offer?
- Our programmes
- How apprenticeships are key to our Education for Life strategy
- Supporting your apprenticeship journey
- Take the next steps with us
What are Higher and Degree Apprenticeships?
Apprenticeships are an essential part of our educational landscape, providing bright futures for employers and individuals.
Higher and Degree Apprenticeships, such as the Level 5, 6 and 7 programmes that we offer at Newcastle University are structured learning programmes that blend workplace training with advanced academic study.
Apprenticeships offer employers a cost-effective and powerful way to develop a skilled and motivated workforce while addressing business-specific needs. All of our programmes are fully funded for organisations that pay the apprenticeship levy, and 95% funded for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By combining academic learning with practical on-the-job training, apprenticeships enhance productivity, drive innovation, and create a pipeline of future talent tailored to your organisation.
What do Newcastle University apprenticeships offer?
At Newcastle University, we are committed to delivering high-quality apprenticeships that align with employer demands. To ensure our apprenticeship programmes meet industry expectations we have developed a co-creation approach between employers and our apprenticeship teams. This enables a professional dialogue and a deep-dive into the programme design and curriculum content.
Therefore, our programmes blend cutting-edge research and innovation with real-world and employer-informed application, ensuring apprentices gain the expertise and competencies required to excel.
With industries rapidly evolving, we are helping to meet the growing demand for skilled professionals with our apprenticeship portfolio.
Our apprenticeships offer the chance to connect with industry-leading professionals, exchanging ideas and best practices within their cohort.
Our programmes
Our vocational apprenticeship programmes are designed to align with regional industry needs while leveraging our research, innovation and teaching expertise. This includes leadership and management, coaching, electrical engineering, and data analytics.
They provide:
- outstanding teaching delivered by leaders in their field
- a globally recognised qualification
- opportunities for apprentices to network with market-leading professionals, sharing ideas and best practice
- access to our state-of-the-art facilities and online resources
- a training pathway that meets the demands of your business
They also deliver maximum benefit for your employees and impact for your business.
How apprenticeships are key to our Education for Life strategy
Our ‘Education for Life 2030+’ strategy outlines a vision to be a global, future-facing provider of leading-edge, inclusive, and transformational higher education.
Our mission is to provide every student with an education that engages, challenges, and supports them to discover and fulfil their potential - both during their studies and beyond.
Higher and degree apprenticeships are key to our Education for Life 2030+ vision.
They promote equity by enabling learners from all backgrounds to combine study with on-the-job experience. They ensure encounters with the leading edge by integrating cutting-edge research and industry best practice. And finally, they embody our fit for the future aim by equipping apprentices with the knowledge, skills and behaviours to thrive in rapidly changing industries and workplaces.
Our vocational apprenticeship programmes leverage our research and teaching expertise. Apprentices have access to our state-of-the-art facilities and outstanding teaching.
Supporting your apprenticeship journey
When you partner with us, our dedicated Apprenticeships team will support you every step of the way.
From co-creating bespoke apprenticeship programmes and assisting with the application process, to exploring government incentives and funding options, we provide continuous support throughout the entire apprenticeship journey. We’re here to provide tailored resources and guidance to meet the unique needs of your business.
Take the next step with us
If you’re interested in learning more about how higher and degree apprenticeships can benefit your business, here are some ways to get started:
- register for our Employer’s Business Breakfast on the 21 February 2025
- explore our higher and degree apprenticeship programmes
- download our Employer’s Guide to Apprenticeships
