University of Suffolk secures grant for apprenticeships

The Office for Students on Tuesday announced that the university had won an apprenticeship funding competition, with a prize grant of £422,000.

This gives the institute the opportunity to accelerate the introduction of new Level 6 apprenticeships, which will start in 2025. 

Those apprenticeship standards include supply chain leadership programme, project manager, environmental practitioner, environmental health practitioner, construction site management, design and construction management, architectural assistant and data scientist.

The new apprenticeships will start in 2025. (Image: Newsquest)

However, the funding cannot be used for Master Level apprenticeships. 

The national body's competition looked at universities that have growing numbers of learners, offered degree apprenticeships, and increased equality of opportunity.

For the University of Suffolk, based on Ipswich Waterfront, the priorities include expanding the offering to meet the skills needs and requirements of employers in the region.

This was done through the university supporting projects such as Freeport East, Sizewell C and the Safe Suffolk Renters initiative, and providing students with the skills that the NHS demands.

Professor Jenny Higham said that this was a great achievement for the university. (Image: Lucy Taylor)

The university's newly-appointed vice-chancellor Professor Jenny Higham said: “This is great news for the university and evidence of successful partnership working.

"I am delighted to strengthen our commitment to offering degree apprenticeships.

“We will continue to expand our offer to meet the requirements of employers in our region.”

The University of Suffolk was ranked as the fifth-highest university provider nationally for its overall apprenticeship achievement rate among small-medium-sized providers for 2022/23.

Yvonne Malpas, director of apprenticeships at the University of Suffolk, who led the successful bid for funding, said: “This will allow us to accelerate our growth plan and offer a more inclusive and diverse range of apprenticeship standards to meet the regional skills gaps.”