February 6 -12 was National Apprenticeship Week – a celebration of apprentices, employers and providers around the country who are helping to upskill the nation’s workforce and build a better future.
Apprenticeships have been a point of debate in the media, from concerns around the levy and the scheme being a pursuit of the middle classes, to the fantastic opportunities available as part of wider lifelong learning. At Kent we are capitalising on the scheme, working with employers to train their staff to a degree level as well as offering employees the chance to upskill and realise their ambition while working at the University.
Kent currently delivers 12 apprenticeships standards. These are a partnership between the University and a range of employers, whose staff get the opportunity to learn relevant skills while on the job.
The value of these schemes to both employers and employees, as well as the wider community are clear said Trevor Gerhardt, Director of Apprenticeships for the Kent Business School. He explained: ‘Higher Degree Apprenticeships offer students who are in work the opportunity to increase their knowledge, develop their skills and form their professional values, all within the context of work, integrating learning into their day-to-day experiences. Employers have the opportunity to shape their talent pipelines and form employees in alignment with their mission and values. A unique win-win opportunity.’
Kent has welcomed a number of apprenticeships who have used the skills learnt on the course to benefit themselves and their employer. Max Van Den Berg is taking a Level 6 General Management Apprenticeship with Kent Business School, working for TFL Santander Cycle Hire as Operations Manager. He said: ‘With an apprenticeship, you get the best of both worlds. Your degree is paid for by your employer and you learn as you earn. Really, it will set you up for life.’
Matthew Nash is a Professional Economist apprentice working for the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities and has been putting everything he learns in his degree into his day to day job, and vice versa. He said that the apprenticeship has made an immeasurable difference to his career: ‘My career has been accelerated significantly. I’m hoping to seek promotions shortly after I finish my apprenticeship. Having applied economic knowledge is invaluable.’
As part of the week, Kent held the first in person University of Kent Apprenticeship Awards ceremony. On Wednesday 8 February the outstanding achievements by apprentices, employers and educators involved in apprenticeship training with the University were recognised and celebrated. As well as the awards, apprentices and key stakeholders joined us from across the country to take part in our round table discussion and networking lunch. You can find out more about the event and all the winners here.
Employers looking to work with Kent can also find out more about the apprenticeships we offer and hear from current and recent graduates on our Apprenticeship pages.
While there is a range of criteria that a business has to meet in order to access the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy, Kent is starting to work with smaller providers who do no have access to funding, Kent can give access the University’s funding as a benefit from the scheme.
Loretta Finch, Employee Apprenticeships Manager at Kent, explained: ‘We are starting to work with local businesses who are unable to access funding, but could stand to gain the most from upskilling their staff. While this is a new venture, and we are keen to speak to more businesses about this exciting partnership, we are already in talks with the Kent Ambulance service. We look forward to helping the local community achieve its ambition through wither funding or apprenticeships delivered by our knowledgeable staff.’
Loretta also manages Kent staff who are keen to learn new skills through an apprenticeship. Read about how staff member Ella Minter is taking a Level 3 HR Support apprenticeship after to help realise her aspirations in Human Resources.