Degree apprenticeship expansion secures £330,000 further funding

As part of its mission to drive higher-level skills across the North West and beyond, University of Cumbria is receiving a further investment to power its expansion of degree apprenticeships. 

The university has been awarded over £330k by the Office for Students (OfS) to support the growth of its Level 6 degree apprenticeship provision, doubling the total awarded to University of Cumbria by OfS so far in 2024. 

This latest successful round of OfS funding will enable University of Cumbria to further its engagement with employers and expand its existing provision in its Chartered Manager, Professional Forester, and Diagnostic Radiographer apprenticeship programmes.  

The OfS funding is also supporting the creation of new programmes – Youth Worker, Digital User Experience (UX) Professional and Creative Digital Design Profession – to help address the skills needs of these sectors. 

The University of Cumbria has a growing body of students studying degree level apprenticeships, that combine work and salary with higher-level learning leading to a university degree award. This includes upskilling and working across a range of sectors including nursing, diagnostic radiography, paramedic, policing, project management and forestry. 

The university’s pioneering approaches to apprenticeships are meeting both region and national skills need and currently draw learners from across England.  

The share awarded to University of Cumbria is part of a £14m, second round of funding from OfS announced since January 2024. The university was awarded £292,000 in the first wave that was announced in January 2024.  The OfS has a £40m degree apprenticeships fund, with results of a third round of funding yet to be confirmed. 

University of Cumbria Vice Chancellor Professor Julie Mennell DL said:

“Since 2017, we have very purposefully focused on the delivery of higher-level and industry relevant skills and are now one of the largest university providers of degree apprenticeships in the UK.

“We’re very pleased to have secured this additional funding to expand our provision further. This enables us to continue to collaborate with employers, education partners and sector bodies in the raft of apprenticeship initiatives we work on together. 

“I serve as Co-Chair of Cumbria’s People, Employer and Skills Strategy Group, I know how important apprenticeship provision and apprentices are for our current and future workforce and the lifechanging opportunities these programmes offer learners, many of whom have not considered a university-level education before.”