Develop existing staff via degree apprenticeship programmes | Apprenticeships blog

"Degree apprenticeships have opened up a new route for training existing staff for career progression, as well as new roles" inform Apprenticeships blog.

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By enabling staff to upskill and reskill on the job, employers are able to address critical skills gaps and prepare their workforce for the jobs of the future. Even if an employee has a degree in a different discipline, they could still be eligible to gain new skills through a degree apprenticeship.

Identifying the potential in staff and investing in their development can make them feel valued, which increases motivation, improves job satisfaction and nurtures a greater sense of loyalty. In fact, over two thirds of professionals would take a lower salary in return for sponsorship of a recognised qualification from their employer, according to a survey from CV Library.^[1]

So, how do you develop current employees using degree apprenticeship programmes? We’ve outlined three scenarios that could help you identify existing staff for development:...

Advice from David Willett, Head of Propositions, The Open University. 

Photo: David Willett

Many employers ask about salaries and costs for existing members of staff undertaking an apprenticeship. Let’s remember that funding for training and salaries are two completely different things. As an employer, you’ve already decided on the salary your employee is receiving based on their current role. It’s true there is a minimum apprenticeship salary that legally you are required to pay an apprentice, but there isn’t a maximum.

So, looking at Scenario 1, if you have an existing member of staff in a management role, earning (for example) £35k per annum, and you think the apprenticeship programme will help them develop new skills, knowledge and behaviours, then there is no reason why you cannot keep them on a salary of £35k.

The training costs of the course are funded, either fully or partially by the government depending on whether you’re paying into the levy or not. If you are paying the levy, your funds will accumulate in your digital employer account until you are ready to draw down the funds for the apprenticeship programme. If you’re a smaller, non-levy paying employer, 90 per cent of the apprenticeship training is funded by the government, so you’d be required to make a contribution for the remaining 10 per cent.
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Source: Apprenticeships blog