UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 03 OCTOBER 2017
A dozen leaders of the future have taken up places on a new Degree Apprenticeship programme including five recruited directly by Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Ltd.
The first cohort of students studying on Birmingham City University’s Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) have begun their training, including the group from Mercedes-Benz Financial Services UK Ltd.
The University was selected by the automotive finance company to provide the specialist Higher Level apprenticeship to its trainees, which gives students real-world experience as well as equipping them with a degree.
They are joined on the course by two apprentices from Digital Health company Evolyst Ltd, one from Retro Lounge (UK) Ltd and a further four apprentices from Birmingham City University.
Apprentices have been recruited directly to the course alongside being handed working day roles with the firms.
Students will now be given the chance to earn while they learn on the three-year degree, while spending the majority of their time in hands-on work with the organisation.
Professor Julian Beer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “Our role as a university is to help equip students with the skills and experience they need to have successful careers once they graduate.
“Degree Apprenticeships allow us to fulfil that role but also work with businesses to give students full-time hands-on experience alongside their studies.
As well as providing a professional career pathway for apprentices, the CMDA learning programme will enable employers to upskill their workforce and access resources from Birmingham City University’s Business School.
Modules in the three-year programme include ‘Understanding organisations and organisational behaviour’, ‘Cross-cultural management’ and ‘Contemporary global management issues’.
The recruits from Mercedes Benz Financial Services are the first five the firm has selected to take part in CMDA courses.
Professor Julian Beer added: “Increasingly Degree Apprenticeships have a role to play in helping us plug the skills gaps we have in our region and making sure we have the workforce we need to enable the West Midlands is able to punch its weight in the business and economic world.”