Exeter University celebrates a decade of degree apprenticeships

The University of Exeter will celebrate a decade of delivering degree apprenticeships when it hosts a series of workshops, information sessions and podcasts during National Apprenticeship this week.

Exeter is the largest provider of degree apprenticeships, a debt-free route into higher education that gives students the opportunity to earn a wage alongside their academic studies.  

The University currently supports 4,200 apprentices – 14 percent of the student population – across 24 programmes, spanning Healthcare, Business and Management, Finance and Accounting, Digital, Engineering and more. 

During National Apprenticeship Week (9-15 February), the University will be running introductions to individual programmes, as well as guidance sessions for employer partners and workshops on key areas such as collaborative programme development. 

An Engineering Panel Event will show engineering firms across the region how degree apprenticeships at Exeter can strengthen their workforces, and the University will also be taking part in the Exeter College Apprenticeship Expo. 

The University will also be hosting the final of the Degree Apprenticeship WorldSkills UK competition at the Business School’s Creative Quadrant on Streatham Campus from Tuesday to Thursday.

Degree apprenticeships at Exeter began in 2016 with an inaugural cohort of nine apprentices.

Fast forward a decade and the University is one of the leading providers of degree apprenticeships and well on its way to achieving its target of 5,000 students enrolled on its programmes by 2030. 

Rachael Johnstone, Director of the Centre for Degree Partnerships at the University of Exeter, said: “When we launched degree apprenticeships at Exeter in 2016 we did so knowing it was a bold step for a Russell Group university but one with great potential to drive social mobility while helping to create more diverse workforces equipped with the skills to thrive.  

“A decade on, and with thousands of apprentices across disciplines, strong employer partnerships and a clear commitment to widening access and real-world impact, we are seeing a transformation in opportunity and outcomes across the region and beyond.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has been part of this story so far and those who continue to shape what comes next.” 

Achievement rates for apprenticeships at Exeter – the proportion of apprentices who complete their training and assessment on time – are 80.9%, far outstripping the national average of 60.5%.

Johnstone says this “reflects the supportive and dynamic learning environment we provide here at Exeter, as well as how closely we work with our employer partners to break down barriers to success and progression”.

Highlights from the past decade include ‘firsts’ such as Exeter running the first degree apprenticeship in the UK for diagnostic radiography and as well as a pioneering partnership with JP Morgan to deliver financial services apprenticeships. 

Former Education Secretary Gillian Keegan launched Exeter’s Centre for Degree Partnerships in 2023 and in the same year Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal was welcomed to the Camborne School of Mines to launch Exeter’s new Mine Management Degree Apprenticeship. 

Professor Lisa Roberts, Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Exeter said: “Exeter is a proud champion of degree apprenticeships, and our experience over the past decade has shown just how effective they are at transforming lives, developing careers and contributing to economic growth and the success of our public services.They remain central to our strategic goal of creating greener, healthier and fairer societies, and as the Russell Group’s largest provider, I look forward to expanding our degree apprenticeship offer across the next decade.”