The England degree apprenticeship: a lens to consider the national and international context of social work education

Higgs, Alison

doi:10.1080/02615479.2021.1873935

Cited by 18 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…Widening parƟcipaƟon support (Daley et al, 2016;McKnight et al, 2019;Higgs, 2022;Smith et al, 2021;Sevens et al, 2021) Social mobility (Bradley et al, 2019, Smith et al, 2021 University's mission promotes WIL for working students applying theory with pracƟce.…”

Section: Appendix Knowledge-based Checklistmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degree apprenticeships in the UK higher education institutions – are they viable?: Integrative literature review

Quew-Jones

2023

HESWBL

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PurposeApprenticeships for higher education institutes (HEIs) at degree and postgraduate levels in the UK have been challenging to provide, requiring increasingly complex collaboration and investment. This questions longer-term viability, creating a new perspective investigating evidence of value and impact for UK HEIs. This integrative literature review examines existing apprenticeship literature and showcases new knowledge for HEIs to update and inform future decision-making. Knowledge created offers a new framework, an “apprenticeship knowledge-based checklist model” and a perspective to explore further.Design/methodology/approachThis integrative literature review examines apprenticeship provision viability for UK HEIs across several disciplines since commencement.FindingsAnalysis of selected studies across three research themes critiques potential apprenticeship practice for HEIs: stakeholder collaboration, widening participation and work-integrated learning. Results provided a new integrated perspective via governance levels: strategic, academic department, and teaching team.Research limitations/implicationsThe research draws from multiple disciplines representing current literature in the HEI Apprenticeships field. However, the context in which programmes are delivered by HEIs and employers differs significantly, so factors continue to emerge.Practical implicationsPractical implications drawn from these findings aim to cultivate dialogue before embarking/withdrawing from HEI Apprenticeship programmes. It offers employers guidance expectations when partnering with university providers. For global apprenticeship provisions, it offers a checklist for re-valuating practice.Originality/valueThe research identified new knowledge implications from existing literature in a field experiencing rapid growth. It offers valuable contributions: a knowledge-based checklist model constructed for HEIs to evaluate existing and future viability provisions at each governance level. It is a catalyst for new practice approaches and an agenda for further research.

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Section: Appendix Knowledge-based Checklistmentioning

confidence: 99%

Degree apprenticeships in the UK higher education institutions – are they viable?: Integrative literature review

Quew-Jones

2023

HESWBL

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“…Emerging themes expose WBMM concerns including losing staff for a day (Minton and Lowe, 2019); investing in staff who subsequently leave (Hughes and Saieva, 2019); unrealistic supervision time allocation (Mulkeen et al. , 2017); mentoring burden juxtaposed with cost cutting measures (Higgs, 2021) and public sector resource constraints (Lillis and Bravenboer, 2020).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, whilst "learning organisations" believe that strategic fit of apprenticeships may be supported by progressive leaders who are likely to value and invest in the wider infrastructure, potential for negative experiences at the "coal face" appear to be wide-ranging. Emerging themes expose WBMM concerns including losing staff for a day (Minton and Lowe, 2019); investing in staff who subsequently leave (Hughes and Saieva, 2019); unrealistic supervision time allocation (Mulkeen et al, 2017); mentoring burden juxtaposed with cost cutting measures (Higgs, 2021) and public sector resource constraints (Lillis and Bravenboer, 2020).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing the degree apprenticeship curriculum through work-based manager and mentor intervention

Quew-Jones

Rowe

2022

JWAM

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PurposeEducational policy instruments such as apprenticeship levy and forthcoming lifetime skills guarantee are creating unprecedented opportunities for rapid growth in a range of work-based learning (WBL) programmes, requiring increasingly complex levels of collaboration between providers and employers. Apprenticeships require providers to assume responsibility in ensuring apprentices’ work-based managers and mentors (WBMMs) are equipped to provide effective support to individuals as they learn ‘on the job’. After six years of higher education institution (HEI) apprenticeship curriculum delivery, there is opportunity to examine existing WBMM practice to inform the design, content and delivery of a shared knowledge base via a practical interactive toolkit. By developing clearer understanding of WBMMs’ experiences, expectations and challenges, the study aims to reduce potential gaps in knowledge and skills and encourage more effective collaboration between employers and providers to better support apprentices as they progress through WBL programmes.Design/methodology/approachThis paper discusses evolution of higher level and degree apprenticeships, explores guidance for WBMMs and investigates the influence of expectations and motivations of WBMMS. Theoretical and conceptual foundations relating to WBL programme delivery and WBMM role are analysed and discussed. Qualitative data drawn from semi-structured surveys are analysed thematically to investigate common patterns, clarify understanding and identify development areas to inform future university provider and employer practice.FindingsThe findings suggest a number of themes to improve apprentice management; further clarity of WBMMs role, greater involvement of WBMM’s for negotiated learning, unplanned experiences do add value and scope for richer mentoring dialogues. WBL value for WBMMs is broader than expected, incorporating apprentice performance and output improvements, and solving complex problems.Research limitations/implicationsThe research is drawn from an established university with five years of experience. However, the context in which programmes are delivered significantly varies according to providers and employers. This means factors other than those highlighted in this paper may continue to emerge as the research in this field develops.Practical implicationsThe practical implications from findings can be used to cultivate stronger collaboration, providing a foundation of knowledge intended to provoke further dialogue regarding content for an interactive toolkit. The findings signal the need for further resources, a review of the restrictions associated with levy funding for co-creation of a more effective national apprenticeship framework.Originality/valueThis paper builds on a limited body of research examining employers’ perspectives of apprenticeship management. Degree apprenticeships have attracted limited scholarly attention over six years since their inception (Bowman, 2022) resulting in a significant paucity of research that focuses upon employer role. This study addresses this void by exploring WBMMs experiences, requirements and expectations, revealing new insights for providers of WBL, employers and individuals employed as WBMMs.

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“…The number and frequency of recent changes to skills policy in the United Kingdom make it the single fastest‐changing policy environment in the developed world (see Higgs, 2021 for a recent review of policy related to DAs; Keep, 2015). An enduring orthodoxy, however, underlies much of the reforms over the past 20 years—namely, persistent government concerns related to economic competitiveness, lagging productivity, employment, social mobility and more prosaic matters like improving the United Kingdom's standing in international league tables measuring skills levels (Keep, 2017; Leonard et al, 2018).…”

Section: Research Context: Degree Apprenticeships In Englandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Getting in, getting on, going further: Exploring the role of employers in the degree apprentice to graduate transition

Jones

Christie

Brophy

2022

British Educational Res J

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Transitions from education into work, or as part of career change and development, are increasingly central to policy debate and academic inquiry. However, the role that employers play in shaping transition is often overlooked. In this paper, we examine this issue through the experiences of a graduating cohort of 'degree apprentices'. We present original analysis of new empirical data from what we believe to be the first substantive qualitative longitudinal research conducted with those experiencing this new vocational pathway in the English Apprenticeships system. Through analysis of repeat semi-structured interviews with 22 degree apprenticeship graduates (44 interviews in total), we provide early empirical insights into experiences of this new pathway and add to existing theoretical conceptualisations of transition within the educational literature and the employer's role within it. We show that the degree apprentice to graduate transition can be broken down into three key stages: 'getting in', 'getting on' and 'going further', and that employers-at both strategic and relational levels-shape experiences at each stage.

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The England degree apprenticeship: a lens to consider the national and international context of social work education

Cited by 18 publications

References 51 publications

Degree apprenticeships in the UK higher education institutions – are they viable?: Integrative literature review

Degree apprenticeships in the UK higher education institutions – are they viable?: Integrative literature review

Enhancing the degree apprenticeship curriculum through work-based manager and mentor intervention

Getting in, getting on, going further: Exploring the role of employers in the degree apprentice to graduate transition

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