Working with employers is fundamental to the development, delivery and success of all degree apprenticeship programmes. Co-creation with employers should include:
The involvement of employers in the design, delivery, progression, quality monitoring and review of higher education in apprenticeships is an essential feature of high-quality higher education in apprenticeship delivery.— Higher Education in Apprenticeships Characteristics Statement, QAA
For all degree apprentices, the workplace is the primary source of learning; learning which happens in the context of the learner's day-to-day work activities is known as 'on the job learning'.
To make sure that apprentices have time to focus on learning, employers are required to provide a minimum of six hours per week (for a full-time employee) for what is known as 'off-the-job learning'. Off the job learning cannot be part of an apprentice's normal work duties. It might include:
Working with employers is essential to plan and co-ordinate the learning which occurs in the workplace and the off the job learning. Where possible, off-the-job learning should be aligned with the day-to-day work activities to maximise the apprentice’s opportunities to develop and apply the KSBs.
Bravenboer, D. (2016), "Why co-design and delivery is “a no brainer” for higher and degree apprenticeship policy", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, Vol. 6 No. 4, pp. 384-400. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-06-2016-0038 ( accessed 21/6/24)
QAA Higher Education Apprenticeships Toolkit https://www.membershipresources.qaa.ac.uk//en/teaching-learning-and-assessment/work-based-learning-and-apprenticeships/higher-education-apprenticeships-toolkit
QAA Higher Education in Apprenticeships Characteristics Statement https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/higher-education-in-apprenticeships-characteristics-statement.pdf