UVAC commentary Available to Purchase

For decades, higher education has not been a full partner in the development and delivery of apprenticeship in England. In the 1950s and 1960s, this was understandable – higher education was for the minority, and the demand for apprenticeship focussed on semi-skilled and skilled occupations in the engineering, manufacturing and construction sectors.

Of course, the world and UK economies of 2017 are very different to the 1950s and 1960s, as indeed is the higher education sector. To compete internationally, the UK needs a highly skilled workforce able to adapt, innovate and constantly develop new skills. Through the apprenticeship reforms introduced...