Henley: Business School teams with EY to offer apprenticeships

Henley Business School has announced a strategic collaboration with global professional services firm EY, to design and deliver apprenticeship programmes for UK businesses.

The alliance is one of the first of its kind to help companies to upskill their workforce,utilise their Apprenticeship Levy contributions and support the Government’s aim to create 3 million apprenticeship places by 2020, reiterated in this week’s Budget. The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced in April 2017 to encourage companies to invest in people development and help to tackle the UK skills gap, which can be a barrier to business growth.

The collaboration between Henley - a world renowned triple accredited business school - and EY, will help UK businesses offer their employees degree apprenticeships across all levels of their organisation. It marks business and academia joining forces to help prepare UK business for the workplace of the future.

The apprenticeship courses will combine traditional academia with workshops, digital learning and on-the-job experience, enabling apprentices to study whilst working. The collaboration will also help to support the employer with the management of the apprenticeship programme, including reporting to the skills funding agency and utilising their levy contributions.

Professor John Board, dean of Henley Business School, said: "Apprenticeships can offer a valuable opportunity for employees to underpin professional experience with academic theory based in a real world environment, with tangible results which can greatly benefit both businesses and their workers. The strategic collaboration with EY underlines our shared values and on-going commitment to delivering programmes of the highest possible calibre, which not only provide a powerful development experience to employees, but also address the strategic workforce challenges faced by organisations in the UK.”

Richard Baker, EY managing partner in the Thames Valley, added: “This will be an important relationship for EY in the Thames Valley. We’re proud to be working with Henley Business School on a programme that provides access to apprenticeship opportunities for employees and employers.”