University wins funding for apprenticeship degrees in construction

The University will initially focus on developing a new apprenticeship route for its existing Construction Management degree, which will be ready for the first apprentices to start in September 2018.

Professor Stephen Denyer, the university’s pro-vice-chancellor for Education and Student Experience, said: “The University’s School of Environment and Technology has a well-established curriculum offer in construction and built environment, and we are delighted to be developing degree apprenticeship routes in response to employer demand from our Industry Advisory Board.”

The bid was supported by two major construction sector groups – Developers East Sussex and the Skills East Sussex construction forum – and quoted figures from the Construction Industry Training Board which indicated that the construction sector will need to employ 230,000 new workers by 2020 to meet the current skills gap caused by an ageing workforce. At the same time, the construction industry faces a battle to attract young people and to diversify its gender mix.

The new funding is part of a total of £4.8 million being awarded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England to universities and colleges across England this autumn to develop new degree apprenticeships for students starting in September 2018.

Designed by employers, higher education providers, and professional bodies, degree apprenticeships provide an alternative route to a degree and a career, with the opportunity to earn while learning. Degree apprentices spend part of their time in study and part with their employer.

Further Education college partners Sussex Coast College Hastings, Sussex Downs College and Greater Brighton Metropolitan College will be working with the University to develop a pathway for learners from advanced and higher apprenticeships onto the construction degree apprenticeships.

For more information email Viki Faulkner, head of apprenticeships, at [email protected]