Manufacturing Engineering Degree Apprenticeship from University of Gloucestershire: “It will allow me to take my career to the next level”

Since January 2020, the University of Gloucestershire has been running degree apprenticeships in Manufacturing Engineering.  With a focus on Industry 4.0 and 5.0, the programme is producing engineers with the knowledge and skills to be effective in the smart factories of the future.

David Hoskins is a Manufacturing Engineer for ABB based in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire - ABB is a world-leading authority in power and automation technologies.

For David, the qualification was a great way of adding to his existing industry experience:  “I was looking for a degree course to provide a formal qualification for the 12 years of industry experience that I have built up and our HR manager mentioned that the university had recently launched ‘advanced’ apprenticeships, which provided a degree qualification at the end of the course. “One of the major benefits of going down this route is being able to work four days a week and be released for one day per week to study. “It set me up on a route to work in addition to complimenting my previous learning and it will allow me to take my career to the next level.  “With the flexibility of the apprenticeship to work and learn at the same time and the quality of the apprenticeships on offer currently, I think that this route should be held in the same esteem as a degree program.”

Prof Kamal Bechkoum, Head of the University’s School of Business and Technology, explains that the apprenticeships are part of the University’s objective of establishing a leading engineering technologies community.   “Our aim is to foster new talent and innovation, and support our learners in becoming engineers for the future. These new apprenticeships are part of an innovative and exciting new engineering department, which also offers BEng/MEng and MSc programmes, supported by internationally recognised research in the related areas. “As a university, we are committed to developing learners with advanced skills across the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) as this will be key to driving economic growth. As such, we have invested in new engineering labs based at our Park campus which include some of the very latest industry machinery, tools and software.”

The Manufacturing Engineering Degree Apprenticeship takes approximately 5 years, with learners achieving a BEng from the University of Gloucestershire upon successful completion. Entry requirements are agreed with employers but learners should have level 2 qualifications in maths and English (GCSE at grade C / 4 or above, or equivalent). Apprentices must also be in full-time employment (e.g. employed for at least 30 hours per week) in a relevant job role.

To find out more about these apprenticeship programmes, visit glos.ac.uk/apprenticeships

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