‘Our fears for government’s level 7 apprenticeship funding plans in the engineering sector’

Uncertainty now surrounds the future of higher and degree apprenticeships across the engineering sector, after the government recently confirmed its future plans to restrict employer levy funding of level 7 training.

This latest announcement follows on from Labour’s longer term planned flexibility to use levy funds for non-apprenticeship training.

It seems unthinkable for apprenticeships across all ages and levels to be under threat when you consider how critical they are from an economic growth, employee retention, skills and productivity perspective.

We’re concerned it will have a hugely detrimental impact on engineering employers which currently invest in their workforce and senior management teams via level 7 apprenticeships – equivalent to a master’s degree – such as the geotechnical engineering degree apprenticeship.

It will primarily affect employers with level 7 apprentices aged over 25, who rely on the current levy funding support to meet the cost of upskilling employees to fill vital roles such as engineering geologist, geo-environmental engineer and geotechnical engineer.

Level 7 degree apprenticeships also enhance social mobility, by giving individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to follow a pathway into engineering, gain access to higher education and also achieve higher-paid, senior-level positions further in their careers.

I recently spoke with the University of Leeds and University of Birmingham, which are both UVAC members and providers of level 7 geotechnical engineering apprenticeships in the UK, working in partnership with employers of all sizes.

The University of Leeds created its apprenticeship programme two years ago to meet the direct needs of employers, plug the skills gap and address the shortage of professionals in ground engineering, both in the UK and globally.

The level 7 apprenticeship has proved hugely successful in terms of driving social mobility and increasing employee diversity within the engineering sector. Its latest cohort of apprentices illustrate this, with 42% coming from ethnically diverse backgrounds compared to the 9%* industry average. An encouraging 28% of its cohort are female, compared to the industry average of 12%*.

A 28-year-old level 7 geotechnical engineering apprentice at the university has spent six years working for a city council, undertaking numerous site visits and site investigations, addressing issues such as mining, contamination and flood risk. This apprentice exemplifies how degree apprenticeships enable engineers to advance in their careers in ways not otherwise possible and achieve chartership status.

The University of Birmingham also played a leading role in the Trailblazer group that established the level 7 geotechnical engineering apprenticeship back in 2021, to help develop the core skills, knowledge and behaviours required by employers and the sector as a whole.

It has experienced a significant year-on-year increase in level 7 apprenticeship starts, supporting major employers such as Atkins Réalis and Aecom. Its current cohort is 48% female, with 23% being from an ethnically diverse background, while SME-size engineering firms are among the main employer beneficiaries. The university also shares our view that the government’s level 7 funding plans will fundamentally stifle the development of the next generation of geotechnical engineers and future growth of the sector.

In relation to attempts to engage more young people with engineering-led apprenticeships, we completely support the government’s aims to introduce paid "foundation" apprenticeships. This however, should not be at the expense of level 7 apprenticeships and the career and skills progression of employees at every stage of their working life.

It certainly feels like we’re at a crossroads for higher and degree apprenticeships under this new government and there’s no room for complacency. Given how integral apprenticeships are to the economy from a growth and productivity perspective, we’d urge all engineering employers to be vocal in defending the vital role they play within their business as an all-age, all-skills level programme.

*Engineering UK - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2019-22

• Mandy Crawford-Lee is chief executive for the University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC), a leading voice on government skills policy and all aspects of higher and degree apprenticeships - representing over 90 university members across the UK.