Apprenticeship courses struggle to attract students

Two new industry Higher Apprenticeships in construction have reported lower-than-expected student numbers due to confusion over government funding and a lack of employer support, writes Stephen Cousins.

Higher Apprenticeship courses were launched last year as a practical “earn and learn” option for 18-year-olds seeking an alternative to a degree and the debts that go with it. The route enables students to complete a foundation degree through a combination of on and off-the-job training over three years.

The two courses received funding from the government, which is distributing £18.7m to create 19,000 Higher Apprenticeship places. Construction employers taking on Higher Apprentices can apply for National Apprenticeship Service and CITB-ConstructionSkills grant funding.

Leeds College of Building was aiming to fill 180 student places on its Higher Apprenticeship in Sustainable Built Environment (HASBE) for the 2012-2013 academic year, which will be delivered through a number of partner colleges. But just 51 students were enrolled.

“Higher Apprenticeships have been slow to get off the ground because the government’s Skills Funding Agency didn’t hand out funding information until the end of August 2012,” said Sarah Carter, project manager for Higher Apprenticeships at Leeds College of Building. “To try to sell a course starting in September when we didn’t know how much funding we would get was almost impossible,” she said.

Middlesex University had places for 320 students on its 2012-2013 Higher Apprenticeship in Construction Operations Management, developed with CITB-ConstructionSkills, but just 26 students were enrolled at the two colleges delivering it: New College Nottingham and Worcester College of Technology.

“Promoting the initiative has been challenging,” said Dr Darryll Bravenboer, head of employer-led curriculum development at Middlesex’s Institute for Work Based Learning. “Having several Higher Apprenticeship development projects funded in the same sector has led to some confusion for employers over which initiative to support. Most other sectors only have one Higher Apprenticeship funded project.

However, things are looking better for courses starting in September 2013. Leeds College of Building is targeting 380 places on the HASBE course and has expanded its partnerships to meet this, with 17 colleges to offer the course and 40 contractors signed up to deliver the site-based element, including NG Bailey, David Wilson Homes and JN Bentley.

“The course has had a year to establish itself in the market place with employers so we have been able to advertise and get it into prospectuses,” said Carter.