Overview

The demand for degree apprenticeship courses being offered continues to rise, with the number of programmes started in 2022/23 standing at 8.2% higher than the previous year. At the same time, challenges remain in improving student interest, engaging diverse employers and boosting completion rates. Now, it is more imperative than ever for providers to address these challenges in order to ensure programmes meet their goals of championing social mobility, closing skill gaps, and rewarding employers. To achieve this, employers and providers must come together to collaborate on designing high-quality, marketable and well-supported programmes that are attractive to a wide range of potential students.

  • 46,800 new starts in degree apprenticeships occurred in 2022/23, according to the Apprenticeships and Traineeships November 2023 statistics release
  • 9% of all apprenticeship starts were degree apprenticeships in 2022/23, compared to 12.4% in 2021/22 according to the same release
  • According to a 2022 study by Prospects, only 12% of school and college students are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship of any kind, as opposed to 60% hoping to attend University

Join us at The Degree Apprenticeships Conference 2024 to hear the latest updates from key national bodies and experts on improving the design and delivery of degree apprenticeships. Engage with a series of best practice case studies covering effective and reflexive course design, improving partnership working and collaboration with employers as well as monitoring and supporting apprentices to bolster completion rates. There will also be the opportunity to network with senior colleagues from across the sector to discuss widening access to degree apprenticeships and engaging schools, colleges and employers to improve your outreach.

Why Attend:
Hear high-level keynotes on the latest national initiatives and overall landscapes within the degree apprenticeships sector
Learn from case studies covering a variety of topics including staff training, co-designing courses with employers as well as effective marketing of existing apprenticeship programmes
Network with senior colleagues from across the sector to discuss strategies to widen access to degree apprenticeships and engage underrepresented demographics
 CPD (gain 8 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota)

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

Agenda
  • Online Registration 

  • Chair’s Opening Remarks 

    Daniel Lally, Group Director: Business, Enterprise, Skills and Employability, Sheffield Hallam University (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study: Strategies for Widening Access and Supporting Under-Represented Students into Degree Apprenticeships

    • Recommendations for tailoring outreach and marketing to access disadvantaged students
    • Ensuring the application process is accessible and potential apprentices are supported throughout to improve uptake of target demographics
    • Guidance on developing a mature student outreach and support programme
    • Designing digital resources to improve awareness of degree apprenticeships in FE institutions and among employers

    Professor Graeme Atherton, Head of the Centre for Inequality and Levelling Up, UWL, Director, National Education Opportunities Network (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers 

  • Comfort Break

  • Case Study: Levelling the Playing Field: Improving Access and Outreach for Degree Apprenticeships

    • Developing a robust outreach policy with local schools and colleges
    • Strategies for accessing hard to reach groups and communities to improve apprenticeship uptake
    • How supportive outreach helps meets local employers needs and LSIP
    • Delivering tailored support for applicants to assist them across the application process

    Janet Rowson, Head of Degree Apprenticeships, University of West London (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study: Monitoring the Progress of Apprentices and Providing Support to Improve Completion Rates

    • Developing appropriate monitoring tools to chart and support the progress of apprentices
    • Establishing and communicating key performance targets to communicate mutual expectations
    • Creating pastoral and mental health resources to improve apprentice wellbeing
    • Personalising support plans to prevent apprentice drop-outs and identify barriers to completion

    Patrick Leonard, Head of Apprenticeships, Academic Development and Quality, Teesside University (CONFIRMED)

     

  • Case Study: Managing and Monitoring Degree Apprenticeships With Digital Tools

    • Guidance on employing monitoring tools like Aptem to evidence course progression and completion rates
    • Real time reporting: basing course management decisions on readily accessible apprenticeship data
    • Improving learner engagement through accessible and intuitive administrative software

    Sammy Shummo, Group Director of Apprenticeships, London South Bank University and Sean Baker, Head of New Business, Aptem (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers 

  • Lunch Break

  • Keynote: Ensuring Apprenticeship Accountability Compliance and Preparing for Ofsted Inspections

    • The Education Inspection Framework: ensuring all staff are aware of Ofsted procedures, vocabulary and methodology
    • Experience of becoming inspection ready and the importance of a robust Self-Assessment process and Quality Improvement Plan.
    • Recommendations for ensuring safeguarding policies, the prevent agenda and ensuring British Values are embedded through modules
    • Compliance Data, ensuring PDSAT and the Apprenticeship Accountability Framework is central to reporting

    Thomas Burton, Head of Apprenticeship Delivery, York St John University (CONFIRMED)

  • Keynote: Striking a Balance Between Labour Market Demands and Early Career Development – CMDA, Gen Z and Career Development

    • Understanding Gen Z and their challenges within the workplace
    • Aligning early career development with values using career anchors
    • Exploring and connecting some insights from recent research among CMDA Gen Z participants
    • Re-thinking Higher Degree Apprenticeship design and support for early careers

    Dr Trevor Gerhardt, Reader and Director of Studies (Higher Degree Apprenticeships), Kent Business School (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers

  • Breakout Networking: Improving Access and Bolstering Relationships Between Apprenticeship Providers and Employers

    This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in widening access to degree apprenticeships, particularly amongst underrepresented groups, as well as strategies to improve engagement with schools, colleges and employers to this end.

  • Comfort Break

  • Case Study: Developing Strong Relationships with Employees to Deliver Inclusive and Bespoke Level 6 and 7 Programmes

    • Guidance on co-creating degree apprenticeships with employers based around local skills and workforce requirements
    • Reviewing entry requirements to ensure a diverse range of applicants can apply
    • Delivering feedback and handling conversations with employers to continually improve course design and delivery

    Rachael Johnstone, Director of the Centre for Degree Apprenticeships, University of Exeter (CONFIRMED)

  • Case Study: Training and Supporting University Staff to Deliver High-Quality Teaching

    • Strategies for recruiting and retaining staff to maintain adequate staff capacity for effective course delivery
    • Delivering workshops and online resources to upskill staff and improve understanding of university teaching’s role alongside workplace learning
    • Creating a best practice handbook and learning resources to support staff making the transition from traditional degree teaching
    • Guidance on increasing the managerial department and supporting apprenticeship managers to prevent excessive workloads

    Emma Ward, Apprenticeships Manager, University of Buckingham (CONFIRMED)

  • Questions and Answers 

  • Chair’s Closing Remarks

    *programme subject to change without notice

Who Should Attend

Delegates who will have an interest in this event will be staff within Higher Education looking to improve and create degree apprenticeships. 

*This Conference is open to Public, Private and Third Sectors

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

Sponsorship

Raise your Profile, Showcase Your Solutions, Generate New Business

If your products, services, and solutions can support our audiences in their roles, and you want to make connections and generate new business with key stakeholders, decision makers, and influencers, then please contact Chris and Ali today at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here and we will contact you.

Benefits of partnering with us include:

  • Brand awareness: Be seen by a highly targeted and engaged audience before, during, and after the conference.
  • Lead generation: Meet the decision-makers and influencers responsible for making purchasing decisions on cyber security and data protection.
  • Thought leadership: Position your organisation and experts as thought leaders and the ‘go to’ experts.
  • Networking: Make valuable connections with potential new customers and partners across government and the wider public sector
  • Grow your business: Reach decision makers in a single event on just one day and in one location (with no travel/accommodation required), saving you time and money.
  • Gain valuable insights: Hear the latest from key stakeholders in government, and across the public and voluntary sectors.

IMPORTANT: There are only a small number of sponsorship opportunities available to ensure maximum exposure and ROI – contact us today to secure your place.

All packages include:

  • Extensive branding – before, during, after the conference
  • 15-20 min morning speaking session with Q&A
  • Virtual stand to showcase your organisation, products, services, and solutions
  • Opportunities to network during the day
  • Half to full page ad in the E-Guide
  • Banner ad on the virtual events platform
  • Announcement post on LinkedIn
  • Announcement within delegate communication
  • 1-3 delegate places (worth upto £1,947)
  • Access to the delegate details after the event
  • Ongoing exposure through OnDemand (coming soon)

For more information and discuss your specific objectives, please contact Chris and Ali at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here

Virtual vs F2F

Whilst F2F provide better options for networking, there are many distinct advantages of sponsoring our online conferences including:

  • Wider geographical reach of delegates and a different audience who prefer online to f2f
  • Lower sponsorship package costs
  • No travel/accommodation
  • Less time out of the office
  • No stand materials required (lower costs)
  • 1 of only 2 sponsors involved – less competition on the day
  • Prime speaking slot in the morning of the conference including Q&A – less distractions and easier for delegates to hear/absorb information
  • Receive all delegate data after the conference to follow-up directly with those who attend and don’t attend (small % but still key stakeholders)
  • Ongoing exposure via OnDemand access (coming soon)

To find out more and discuss your specific objectives, please contact Chris and Ali at sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form here

Pricing
  • Private Sector Rate: £499.00+VAT
  • Public Sector Rate: £360.00+VAT
  • Voluntary Sector Rate: £330.00+VAT

Your delegate place at this leading conference gives you access to all of the following including 12-months FREE access to GE Insights, our cross-sector learning resource, and the easiest way for you to prepare for the conference and then stay engaged all year with the ongoing discussions and best practice:

✓ High Level Keynotes

✓ Case Studies Showcasing Best Practice

✓ Panel Discussions

✓ Live Chat and Networking Opportunities

✓ Q&A

✓ 8 Hours of CPD

✓ Speaker Presentations and Videos OnDemand

✓ 12-Months FREE access to GE Insights (RRP £199)

 – 100s of exclusive case study focused videos and articles

 –  CPD Dashboard

 –  Personalised Homepage

 – 30+ new uploads each month