WORK-BASED LEARNING WITH LIVERPOOL JOHN MOORES UNIVERSITY

Degree apprenticeships at Liverpool

John Moores University (LJMU) provide a route into work-based learning that benefits both students and employers.

The programmes enable apprentices to achieve a full degree while developing practical skills in the workplace. Employers benefit from sponsoring an apprentice by gaining a highly-skilled employee with both the academic qualifications and the relevant knowledge shaped by their on-thejob experience.

LJMU has been delivering degree apprenticeships since 2016 and currently has more than 1,200 students working across a range of sectors, including policing, healthcare, civil engineering, chartered surveying and business management.

The university is now expanding its provision following the award of significant new funding from the Office for Students.

The successful bid will enable LJMU to work with new and existing partners and stakeholders to develop new standards to meet the local skills need.

What our apprentices say

Rachel Newman studies Scale-Up Business Leadership at LJMU and works for Liverpool firm, Open Awards. She said: “My time here at LJMU has been absolutely outstanding. The tutors are so supportive, they provide one-on-one support and the learning days are so exciting.

“The best thing about it is they make the programme so practical and worthwhile for you to know your role and your job. You take the elements of your academic learning and put them into practice in the workplace.”

Tracy Banks, a community assessor with Sefton Council, is studying a degree apprenticeship in BA (Hons) Social Work: “I never considered going back to education as a mature student but my manager encouraged me to apply for it. Doing this degree apprenticeship and becoming a social worker opens a lot of doors and presents me with a lot more opportunities.

“I’m a much better practitioner now because of coming to university. I’ve got theory and law and a much broader understanding of the subject. I’m just better all round as a person and as a practitioner.”

‘A perfect blend of academic knowledge and practical experience’

Brandon Heald (pictured) is an assistant surveyor at Markhams and studies at LJMU on the BSc (Hons) Quantity Surveying programme: “My typical work week is incredibly varied and it keeps me on my toes. I feel like this hands-on experience is invaluable because it allows me to see the practical side of construction and the flexibility of my role means that no two weeks are the same.

“You get that trade off of gaining real world experience and earning while you learn which is really invaluable. The degree apprenticeship programme at LJMU has been a really, really rewarding experience for me. It provides the perfect blend of academic knowledge and practical experience. I can’t recommend it enough. It is fantastic.”

Ofsted praise

LJMU’s degree apprenticeship programmes earned glowing praise from Ofsted following its first inspection in 2023.

In a highly positive report, Ofsted found the provision to be good overall and outstanding for the behaviours and attitudes demonstrated by our apprentices.

Sam Badu studies on the MSc (Hons) Advanced Clinical Practice course and said:

“The course has been really good for me, with the opportunity to work full time and also study alongside it.

“For my role as an advanced clinical practitioner it is always good to be in practice and also to be able to study and to embody all of the pillars of advanced practice - education, leadership and research. Being an apprentice is great because it combines theory and practice and so I get the opportunity to develop practical skills and be able to back them up with academic knowledge.”

Get the best people for your business

Working with LJMU and sponsoring a degree apprentice makes sense for your organisation.

You’ll gain a highly-skilled employee with both the academic qualifications and the relevant practical skills that will enhance your workforce. By working for your organisation, a degree apprentice will develop an in-depth understanding of the sector and, by studying part-time at LJMU, they’ll bring a fresh perspective and up-todate knowledge to their job.

Find out more about how your business could benefit by visiting www.ljmu.ac.uk/ study/degree-apprenticeships

“The degree apprenticeship programme at LJMU has been a really, really rewarding experience for me. It provides the perfect blend of academic knowledge and practical experience.”

Brandon Heald