Nine universities have announced that they will offer additional nursing apprenticeships next year following new Government investment.
The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has announced £4.9m of funding for employer-based training programmes, including nursing, beginning in 2018.
This is the second wave of investment from HEFCE’s Degree Apprenticeship Development Fund, designed to produce 4,500 apprentices from September 2018 onwards.
In 2016, the HEFCE gave money to four universities to offer nurse apprenticeships from this September.
It was revealed at the most recent Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) board meeting this month that none have so far have been given NMC approval to run the programmes.
The Open University and Anglia Ruskin University, neither of which were given money by HEFCE, are currently the only two providers approved to run degree-level nurse apprenticeships.
The following nursing degree apprenticeships will be offered from next September:
‘Registered nurse’ apprenticeship:
- University of Cumbria.
- Coventry University.
- Keele University.
- Leeds Trinity University.
‘Adult nursing’ apprenticeship:
- University of Suffolk.
‘Adult nursing practice’ apprenticeship:
- Southampton Solent University.
‘Nursing’ apprenticeship:
- Birmingham City University.
- Middlesex University.
- Sheffield Hallam University.
Keele University will set up a health apprenticeships hub with its £82,000 of new funding.
Dr Mark Bacon, director of research, innovation and engagement at Keele University, said: ‘As an institution we are committed to developing high quality apprenticeship delivery to meet the needs of regional and national industry and services.
‘Our apprenticeships will be as highly esteemed as our traditional degree delivery.’
Leeds Trinity University, made up of 11 higher education providers and 20 business and public sector partners, received £298,800 of funding to develop 14 new apprenticeships including ones in nursing, policing and education.
Professor Ray Lloyd, deputy vice-chancellor at Leeds Trinity University, said: ‘Degree apprenticeships offer a viable ‘other’ route not only into higher education, but into professions which require higher-level skills and attributes.
HEFCE chief executive, Madeleine Atkins, said: ‘This will help more people to access higher education, and to follow their chosen career, while closing the skills gaps in the economy,’ she said.
