The Higher Education Commission’s seventh inquiry is examining how Degree Apprenticeships (DAs) are being implemented. In 2015, the Government committed itself to overseeing the creation of three million new apprenticeships by 2020, and the development of DAs is seen as an important element of this policy. The reforms surrounding DAs, which combine workplace experiences with HE study, offer the opportunity for an apprentice to gain a full degree by the end of the apprenticeship.
The Commission’s inquiry is examining the challenges involved in implementing DAs. The specific questions of concern to the inquiry are:
• How do DAs fit into the overall structure of tertiary (post-level 3) education and training, and are their formal relationship with other awards and pathways clear?
• What have been the major challenges establishing DAs for providers/employers?
• How far are DAs, on the basis of developments to date, providing an effective contribution to meeting the economy’s skills needs, and doing so in a way that offers value-for money?
