Degree Apprenticeships at Salford – What you need to know

The University is known for industry collaboration and has fantastic links with partners across the region teaming up to offer unrivalled apprenticeships. The portfolio is growing at an impressive rate with apprenticeship programmes available in a range of subject areas from construction, engineering, health to business.

Where to start when finding the right apprenticeship programme can be a minefield.  In celebration of National Apprentice Week 2022, we sat down with Adele Lochman, Assistant Head of Apprenticeships, at The University of Salford to find out the essentials.

Who can apply for an apprenticeship?

We offer apprenticeship courses in a variety of subjects at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate level.  Apprenticeships are open to anyone over the age of 16, you need to be in paid employment with an employer who supports the scheme, you need to be in a role that offers the correct level and scope for you to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours for the apprenticeship and you need to meet the entry requirements for the course you are interested in.

Why apply for an apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships are a great alternative to traditional university study with the benefit of applying theory from the university to practice in the workplace.  Apprenticeships are available at many different levels and lead to the achievement of academic qualifications including Foundation Degrees, Bachelors and master’s qualifications as well as other professional body certifications where appropriate.

Our programmes and the qualifications you gain are developed in collaboration with employers with the goal of ensuring you gain real-life experience of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours essential for your chosen career.

Why come to Salford?

I am proud to say that we have gained a reputation with industry partners for the excellent apprenticeship programmes that we offer and are excited that the portfolio is constantly growing.

For 125 years we have pioneered exceptional industry partnerships, it is what we are known for and what we pride ourselves on.  We are the fastest growing university in the North West and the 5th fastest in the UK.

We are a key provider of apprenticeships in the region. In the academic year 2020/2021 we were the largest apprenticeship recruiter amongst universities in the North West for Construction, Planning and the Built Environment. In addition, Salford was in the top 10 universities nationally for recruitment to Business, Administration and Law higher apprenticeships in 2020/21.

We offer great support to our students and every point of their journey with us, this can be from balancing student life to disability support, health and wellbeing, subject support, developing IT skills, to practical support for booking a PC or a study room, the list goes on and on.

What subjects offer Apprenticeship Programmes?

We currently cover a wide range of disciplines which we will continue to expand as the government approve new apprenticeship standards.

Look at the list of programmes we offer. 

When and how do I apply?

The process for applying to an apprenticeship is slightly different to traditional programmes. The main difference being that you need to have an employer supporting you. You can find apprenticeship vacancies on the link below. You can set criteria and sign up for alerts when employers post new roles too! Once you have secured the position with the employer, they will guide you through the application process for the programme.

Find an apprenticeship - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

What to expect when on a Degree Apprenticeship?

Apprenticeships can take anything between 1 to 5 years to complete depending on their level. We offer different pathways with our apprenticeship programmes offered full-time and part-time. Study modes are understandably different to traditional programmes as you will study around your work. Some programmes work on a day-release basis, some on block delivery and some are a blended model of online and face-to-face learning.