Raft of new degree apprenticeships announced

The government has unveiled nine new industry-designed degree apprenticeships, including in chartered surveying, nuclear and power engineering.

The new chartered surveying degree apprenticeship is backed by employers including Gardiner & Theobald and EC Harris, while the nuclear and power engineering courses are being championed by the likes of Sellafield and Jacobs, and Amey and National Grid respectively.

The other six new degree apprenticeships are in electronic systems engineering, aerospace engineering, aerospace software development, defence systems engineering, laboratory science and public relations.

Prime minister David Cameron said: “Degree Apprenticeships will give people a great head start, combining a full degree with the real practical skills gained in work and the financial security of a regular pay packet.

“I want to see many more businesses and universities begin to offer them.”

Degree apprentices will split their time between university study and the workplace and will be employed throughout - gaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a university while earning a wage and getting on-the-job experience.

The nine new courses add to the five previously announced, including a degree apprenticeship in construction that is already backed by over 60 employers, including Bam, Balfour Beatty, Galliford Try, Interserve, Morgan Sindall and Skanska.

Meanwhile, Crossrail, Network Rail, Balfour Beatty, Vinci Construction, HS2, Thameslink and N:gaged launched a separate London-wide apprenticeship programme, called the London Major Programmes Apprenticeship (LMPA).

The programme is focussed on project management and will train an initial cohort of 17 apprentices on a two-year programme.