'The Third Way: Exploring the Best Degree Apprenticeships'

The levy is live and the clock is ticking. Corporations are scrambling to set up apprenticeship programmes, but the real race is to locate and secure the best students before they're enticed by others or drawn down a more traditional road.

Career counsellors are trying to guide their pupils through the maze, paths leading to UCAS and Apprentice Degrees, but aren't sure they can trust the latter.

Help is at hand, on the 11th of May, at this one advisor training conference. Full stop.

Produced by The Good Schools Guide and Wellington College, last year’s conference introduced the concept of degree apprenticeships. This year, we take it to the next level.

At the end of this jam-packed day, you will completely understand the process, you'll know why this scheme will work for exactly which students, you'll know what to look for in a good degree apprenticeship, and you'll be able to reassure yourself and parents who worry that a degree apprenticeship is not equal to a university degree.

Sessions will blow up the myths around this innovative and pragmatic educational path and delve into the application process, with real information you can use from the moment you leave the building.

Who Should Attend?

• School and college advisors and career guidance counsellors
• Directors of Studies
• Year 12 Tutors
• Heads of 5th and 6th form
• Any other school representative helping a student navigate the future after school
• Parents

Maintained schools and FE colleges, for information about subsidised tickets, please email conferences@goodschoolsguide.co.uk

Copies of the Apprentices Anthology 2018 published by Queen Mary University London and The Good Schools Guide will be available to purchase £10. 

Degree Apprenticeship conference 2018 agenda

10.00 am Julian Thomas, Master of Wellington College

Introduction to the conference including, myth busters – what's rot, what's not? Time to break out the real from the bogus.

10.35 Lord Lucas 

The view from Westminster. Why apprenticeships will help the country and above all its young people.

11.00 am COFFEE

11.30 am  How to find and apply for a good degree apprenticeship

Vanessa Kenneth, Independent Careers Advisor How to make an application, where to find a degree apprenticeship/ job. What does a student need to apply, a CV and covering letters? Are degree apprenticeships suitable for all students?

Kate Temple Brown, Temple Brown consultancy, Levy Advisor

Case study: A look behind the scenes at how companies create their degree apprenticeship programmes. What are companies looking for? How can your student find an edge?

12.00 pm Jonathan Mitchell, Institute for Apprentices

The background to the levy.What do employers need to provide rigorous, valuable, academic qualifications equal to a degree? What should you as an advisor be looking for? What are the new standards, qualifications and required accreditation?

12.35pm LUNCH 

1.25 pm Chair Julian Thomas, Master of Wellington College;

Ben Rubery, Capgemini; Harry Goldingay, Aston University

Mike Thompson, Barclays; Karen Taylor, The London Institute of Banking & Finance

Stuart Harper, JCB; Peter Grover, Sheffield Hallam University

Jo Wilson, Dentons; Tricia Chatterton, BPP, Director of Legal Apprenticeship Programmes

Employer and university advocates for the programme will discuss the degree apprenticeship benefits to their businesses, and why that value translates into value for their apprentices. Overviews of the differences in content and standards of each, and their widely differing programmes. Eg. what academic certifications a student gains; training aspects hours at work vs study; who looks after the students in the workplace and extended pastoral care; and above all, the career outcomes for students.

2.20 pm Chair Lilly Deevy Apprentice Ambassador

Apprentice ambassadors from Capgemini, Accenture, Dentons and Mace discuss their experiences as apprentices. What skills they have learnt, the reality of choosing an apprentice degree over a traditional degree, where are they now.

3.05 pm Simon Reichwald, The Institute of Student Employers

Student employability as a result of a Degree Apprenticeship based upon recent data compiled by the Institute of Student Employers. So we begin and end the day with myth busting!

3.25 pm Sally Everist, The Good Schools Guide:Careers

Plenary from the floor and conclusion

3.45 END