Degree and higher apprenticeships

High-calibre apprenticeships

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Boost your business with Higher and Degree Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training and academic study. 

Designed by employers for employers by Trailblazer Groups, our apprenticeships are industry-focused and driven.

Apprenticeships offer employers a highly affordable way to invest in new talent, reskill or upskill existing workforce (CPD).

Apprenticeships represent an ideal combination of on-the-job training and academic study, providing higher-level qualifications, including degrees, boosting your business with a skilled and qualified workforce.

Whether you're an employer who needs to develop skilled and qualified employees or a prospective apprentice who wants a head-start in the workplace, we'll guide you through your options.

We currently offer apprenticeships in the following areas:

Discover the benefits of apprenticeships:

Eligibility:

Anyone you nominate must satisfy the requirements of the Education and Skills Funding Agency Apprenticeship funding rules.

This means that anyone you wish to nominate must:

  • be aged 16 or older at the start of the apprenticeship;
  • not be enrolled on another funded apprenticeship or another funded further education or higher education programme at the time you start your new apprenticeship;
  • be employed in a full-time job (minimum of 30 hours per week) or have a signed contract to start a full time job role, which is relevant to the apprenticeship you’re applying for;
  • meet the qualification entry requirements of the apprenticeship standard and be able to provide original qualification certificates at enrolment;
  • only apply for an apprenticeship unrelated to any qualifications you hold at the same or higher level than the apprenticeship you wish to apply for; the apprenticeship being applied for must be unrelated in subject and content from any qualification already held;
  • not expect funding for a repeated qualification; the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will not fund apprentices who are repeating the same qualification;
  • not be asked to contribute financially to the direct cost of your apprenticeship fees or use a student loan to finance any apprenticeship;
  • over the duration of your apprenticeship, you must spend at least 50% of your working time in England;
  • Meet the eligibility criteria listed in the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Apprenticeship funding rules for August 2023 to July 2024

Health and Social Care

We ensure our courses are professionally relevant by working closely with a range of health, social care and third party sector agencies, in particular Health Education East of England. We also have several fellows and honorary lecturers who are based in practice environments.

Our courses degrees meet the requirements of the Specification for Apprenticeship Standards England and the Core Competence and Knowledge Framework for the Assistant Practitioner Higher Apprenticeship Framework.

Nominations from Employers are now open for the following apprenticeships:

  • Assistant Practitioner (Nursing, SLT and OT Pathways) - nomination deadline 5 July 2024
  • Nursing Associate - nomination deadline 12 July 2024
  • Registered Nurse - nomination deadline 14 June 2024
  • Occupational Therapy - nomination deadline 24 May 2024
  • Speech and Language Therapy - nomination deadline 17 May 2024
  • Senior Leader (HSC Focussed) - nomination deadline 12 July 2024

Please watch our Health and Social Care Webinars for further information:

 

Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Webinar - recorded March 2022

Nursing Associate Webinar - recorded December 2023

Occupational Therapy Webinar - recorded March 2022 - we now have full Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) approval for course delivery 

Speech and Language Therapy Webinar - recorded March 2024 - we now have full Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) approval for course delivery 

Registered Nurse Webinar - recorded March 2022

Advanced Clinical Practitioner Webinar - recorded December 2022

Senior Leader (Health and Social Care) - recorded May 2023

 

Senior Leader (Health and Social Care)

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on the Post Graduate Diploma in Health and Social Care.

The programme has been developed alongside a standard route MSc programme and combines the leadership expertise Essex Business School with the professional Healthcare experience within our School of Health and Social Care in order to support learners to develop the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the Senior Leader (Level 7) Apprenticeship Standard.

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure and entry requirements.

Costs

£14,000 (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment)

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 12 July 2024

Assistant Practitioner Higher Apprenticeship 

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on a FdSc Health Science degree as part of the Assistant Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard which has been designed to stretch and challenge your employees to develop both their academic and clinical skills. The length of the whole apprenticeship is 24 months.

There is the opportunity upon successful completion to progress onto our BSc Healthcare Practice or Registered Nursing Degree Apprenticeship (BSc Nursing).

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£14,000 (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment)

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 5 July 2024

Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Your Apprentice will be able to enrol on either the BSc Nursing (Adult) or BSc Nursing (Mental Health) pathway as part of the Registered Nurse Apprenticeship Standard.

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£13,500 in total (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 14 June 2024

Advanced Clinical Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship 

About the course and qualification

Your employees will be able to study our Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) Degree Apprenticeship at either our Colchester or Southend campus. We’ve carefully planned this apprenticeship to work flexibly around their professional needs and commitments to maximise the benefits to you both.

This programme is accredited by Health Education England's Centre for Advancing Practice.

This apprenticeship is suitable for health care professionals from a range of backgrounds, including nursing and midwifery, as well as allied health professions such as pharmacy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy. Your staff may already be working in an advanced role but require professional qualifications, or you may be looking to develop their skills set to enable progression to an ACP role.

Time away from their normal clinical role to study will need to be given as part of the apprenticeship to fulfil the 20% off the job training hours.

Although ‘Advanced Clinical Practitioner’ is not currently a regulated title, it is expected to be in the near future using the national Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice as the criteria to be able to register on a data base of ACPs.

The apprenticeship is underpinned by the national framework for advanced clinical practice which means that as well as gaining the MSc Advanced Clinical Practitioner qualification, on completion, your employee/s will also be eligible to apply for ACP roles. Depending on the modules chosen they will gain skills in leadership, critical thinking and clinical decision-making, as well as enhanced knowledge of specific areas of specialist clinical practice.

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£12,000 in total (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

The Centre for Advancing Practice logo

Psychological Wellbeing Practice Degree Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on a Graduate Certificate in Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner as part of the Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship Standard.

The course will be delivered in lectures, small group tutorials and seminars and your apprentice will benefit from clinical simulations in our skills labs where we are able to rehearse telephone based support. Apprentices will be expected to complete guided reading and independent study alongside their role and on-campus study.

The length of the course is 12 months and is delivered from our Colchester Campus.

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£7,000 (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk


Occupational Therapy

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on this 24 month course at our Colchester campus. This apprenticeship is suitable for people with relevant health and/or care backgrounds, with the ambition of becoming a qualified Occupational Therapist. Note: Evidence of accredited prior learning and occupational therapy practice experience with current employment in an appropriate health and/or care setting with support from a work-based occupational therapist is required.

Time away from their normal role to study will need to be given as part of the apprenticeship requirements in order to ensure apprentices can achieve the required apprenticeship standards. This is a requirement not only to satisfy the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules but also to satisfy the criteria of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).

The apprentices will require support from a registered Occupational Therapist as a work-based mentor within their workplace to support the development of Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the apprenticeship.

This course has been approved for delivery by the HCPC/RCOT in line with the occupational standards, as outlined by the Institute for Apprenticeship and Technical Education (IfATE). Failure to provide sufficient support / release of apprentice/s to achieve standard will jeopardise the ability for them to complete the apprenticeship and subsequent registration with the HCPC/RCOT.

For further information about the Occupational Therapist (Integrated Degree) Apprenticeship standards, see the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website.

The course will be delivered in lectures, workshops, small group work/tutorials and seminars and your apprentice will benefit from simulation/skills based learning in our mock wards and community living clinical learning spaces. Full-time block practice placements ‘away’ from the apprentice’s usual place of work are also integrated within the programme and are a professional requirement for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and school facilities.

Costs

£15,000 in total (80% divided monthly during the practical training and 20% paid on completion of the integrated End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 24 May 2024.

Nursing Associate Higher Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on a Foundation degree Nursing Associate programme as part of the Nursing Associate Apprenticeship Standard which has been designed to stretch and challenge your employees to develop both their academic and clinical skills. The length of the whole apprenticeship is 24 months. Upon successful completion, the apprentice will be registered with the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery council).

The apprentices will require support from a Practice Assessor within their workplace to support the development of Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the apprenticeship. This course has been approved for delivery by the NMC in line with the standards.

The course will be delivered in lectures, workshops, small group work/tutorials and seminars and your apprentice will benefit from simulation/skills-based learning in our mock wards and community living clinical learning spaces plus specific in workplace hours linked to the apprenticeship - a separate breakdown of structured hours based on contracted hours will be shared.

Subject to interest, the course can be delivered at both our Colchester and Southend Campuses.. Full-time block practice placements ‘away’ from the apprentice’s usual place of work are also integrated within the programme.

Subject to interest this apprenticeship can be delivered at both our Colchester and Southend campuses.

There is the opportunity upon successful completion to progress onto our BSc Registered Nursing Degree Apprenticeship (BSc Nursing).

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£15,000 (80% divided monthly during the practical training period and 20% paid on completion of the End Point Assessment)

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 12 July 2024.

Speech and Language Therapy Apprenticeship

About the course and qualification

Your apprentice will enrol on this 24-month course based at our Colchester campus to gain an undergraduate degree and gain eligibility to apply to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) to practise as a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.

This course is designed to follow on from the Healthcare Assistant Practitioner Higher Apprenticeship and direct entry to this course will require an applicant to demonstrate all of the skills and knowledge otherwise gained in this prior programme.

This apprenticeship is suitable for people with relevant backgrounds in health, social care, or education settings who have the ambition of becoming a qualified Speech and Language Therapist.

The role of the employer

Time away from their normal role to study will need to be given as part of the apprenticeship requirements. This is in order to ensure apprentices can achieve the required apprenticeship standards. This is a requirement not only to satisfy the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) funding rules, but also to satisfy the criteria of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).

The apprentices will require support and supervision from a registered Speech and Language Therapist as a work-based mentor within their workplace to support the development of Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours of the apprenticeship.

The role of the apprentice

Apprentices will be employed in a setting relevant to Speech and Language Therapy and undertaking work meaningfully related to Speech and Language Therapy.

The course will offer an exciting but demanding route to professional qualification. Apprentices must be prepared to undertake practice placements in settings clinically and geographically diverse from their usual place of work.

The role of the University

The course will be delivered in lectures, workshops, small group work/tutorials and seminars and your apprentice will benefit from simulation/skills based learning in our mock wards and community living clinical learning spaces. Full-time block practice placements ‘away’ from the apprentice’s usual place of work are also integrated within the programme and are a professional requirement for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council. See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and school facilities.

This course has been approved for delivery by the HCPC/RCSLT in line with the occupational standards, as outlined by the Institute for Apprenticeship and Technical Education (IfATE). Failure to provide sufficient support or release of apprentice/s to achieve standards will jeopardise the ability for them to complete the apprenticeship and apply for subsequent registration with the HCPC/RCSLT.

For further information about the Speech and Language Therapist (Integrated Degree) Apprenticeship standards, see the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website.

Costs

£15,000 in total (80% divided monthly during the practical training and 20% paid on completion of the integrated End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 17 May 2024.

Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences Apprenticeships

Physiotherapy Degree Apprenticeship 

About the course and content

Our mission is to empower physiotherapy students to transform lives. We do this by facilitating experiences which allow learners to thrive by recognising, developing and leading through an enhanced understanding of themselves and others.

Our Physiotherapy Degree Apprenticeship supports apprentices to make the most of their unique opportunities and develop enquiring minds through the combination of practice and research lead learning. 

Our apprenticeship programme is suitable for existing staff such as therapy assistants and support workers and people new to the health and social care sector. 

It usually takes 44 months to complete the programme which has been designed to be progressively demanding, professionally and academically, so that by the end apprentices can demonstrate mastery of the knowledge and skills specified in the level 6 national apprenticeship standard and those required to apply for Health and Care Professions Council registration and full membership of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

See our apprenticeship pages for more information on the course modules, course structure, entry requirements and School facilities.

Costs

£24,000 in total (80% divided monthly during the practical training and 20% paid on completion of the integrated End Point Assessment).

To find out more and to register your interest please contact: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk

Employer nomination deadline: 22 April 2024.

Please watch our Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences Webinar for further information:

 Physiotherapy Degree Apprenticeship Webinar - recorded December 2022

 

The Apprenticeship Levy

What you need to know

  • If your annual pay bill exceeds £3 million, you'll pay 0.5% of your pay bill less a £15,000 annual allowance.
  • That money, plus a 10% top-up provided by the government, will go into a dedicated account for your company to use to pay for apprentice training - your Digital Apprenticeship Service account.
  • Money in your account will expire after 24 months if it hasn't been used.

You can get more detail on the Apprenticeship Levy from the Education and Skills Funding Agency. We can help you plan your apprenticeship strategy and how to make the best use of your levy contribution. Contact us to find out more. We can also advise on other grants that may be available.

Non-Levy Paying Employers

From January 2020 all employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy (those who have a pay bill under £3 million) are now able to create accounts on the apprenticeship service and are also able to:   

  • Choose from a range of apprenticeship standards;
  • Choose a provider from the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) to deliver apprenticeship training;
  • Find an End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO);
  • Reserve access to funding for apprenticeship training and assessment;
  • Agree contracts with providers; and
  • Benefit from collaborative relationships by delegating permissions to providers to service their accounts.   
  •  Employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy are required to reserve funds through the apprenticeship service before an apprenticeship can commence.
  • As a non-levy-employer you will be required to fund 5% of the training fee with the Government funding the remaining 95% of the fee.  

Apprenticeship Levy Transfers

Essex County Council Levy Transfer

Essex County Council are striving to increase apprenticeships within the county. The Council's new Essex Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Service will allow levy payers to utilise levy to support the apprenticeship training costs for other organisations. This is an online service that allows companies interested in donating apprenticeship levy funds (maximum of 25%), to view details of opportunities created by other organisations looking for funding. Organisations can specify their objectives and based on these are matched with other appropriate organisations. The online system makes the process easy and there is also a dedicated team to support during this process. 

The service also helps SMEs to source a levy transfer for their apprentice(s).  By registering for free on their site, you can create an opportunity which will be shown to levy donors who are also registered.  Although there is no guarantee that a levy transfer match will take place, registering will mean that your requirements are given maximum exposure to potential donors.

Find out more about the Essex Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Service or contact the team directly. 

Co-op Levy Transfer

How will this help my organisation to donate Levy?

Co-op Levy Share will allow large employers to utilise their levy to support smaller businesses, whether that be developing your supply chain, forming strategic partnerships or demonstrating corporate social responsibility. Large employers will have exposure to numerous opportunities that they wouldn't have known existed without the site

How will Co-op Levy Share help me if I am looking for a transfer?

By connecting with levy paying organisations you could benefit from fully funded apprenticeship training without needing to pay co-investment costs (funding criteria apply). You will be able to showcase your opportunity to a large national audience, in a straightforward forward simple way by registering on this site and creating your opportunity.

Find out more about the Co-op Apprenticeship Levy Transfer scheme 

Advertise your apprenticeship vacancies

National Apprenticeship Service

All apprenticeship vacancies should be advertised on the Find an Apprenticeship website as those still in education are being encouraged to register and receive updates on newly listed vacancies in the area they are interested in. The service is free and is the official job site for apprenticeships in England managed by the National Apprenticeship Service enabling your vacancy to be viewed and applied for nationally by candidates who register onto the website making it an easy and convenient way to attract and recruit apprentices. You can, of course, continue to advertise your vacancy on your own website.

We can upload your vacancy details for you, should you wish: you just need to provide a Job Description and Personal Specification (we can even assist you with templates should you need them) and, although the decision making process is employer led, we can manage the application process by checking applicants entry criteria and eligibility before you shortlist against your own requirements and invite applicants to interview.

University of Essex CareerHub vacancy board

Careers Services manage the University of Essex CareerHub vacancy board, which is a free service for organisations to advertise opportunities to both our current students and recent graduates. Once details are uploaded vacancies are usually published within 24 working hours.

Please contact the Apprenticeship Team if you have a vacancy you wish to advertise at: apprenticeships@essex.ac.uk and we can discuss options and next steps.

nursing students
'Good' Ofsted rating for degree and higher apprenticeships

The delivery of apprenticeship programmes at the University of Essex have been rated as ‘good’ by Ofsted inspectors. The Ofsted report said University of Essex apprentices “highly value their courses” and “appreciate the support they receive from their lecturers and personal tutors”.

Employer Complaints Procedure


Download the procedure (.pdf)
 

Upcoming information events

We haven't currently got any events scheduled. Please check back here for information about our future events.

Group of delegates on a training course
Subcontracting

The University of Essex only subcontracts the delivery of Functional Skills in English and Maths at level 2 to an external organisation. All other provision is delivered solely by the University. Functional Skills are delivered to apprentices by Adult Community Learning, Essex County Council. Only apprentices who do not have evidence of a GCSE English and/or Maths grade A-C or 4-9 or an equivalent qualification will be required to complete the Functional Skills programme.

Download the subcontracting rationale (.pdf)
student sitting reading book on sofa
Are you a prospective apprentice looking for a head-start in the workplace?

Kick-start your career with a degree or higher apprenticeship. Earn while you learn and pay no tuition fees.

Get in touch
Daniel King Business Engagement Manager
01206 872137
Samantha Williams and Jordan Flint Apprenticeships Officer
01206 872137

The University makes every effort to ensure that this information is accurate and up-to-date. Occasionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements, industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep prospective students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications.

The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.