University News Last updated 17 October 2017
A £178,000 package of new Degree Apprenticeship courses, designed to address key skills gaps across the West Midlands is set to be launched.
Birmingham City University has secured the funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) to run a range of new Higher Level Apprenticeships, which offer students paid employment along with a degree at the end of their studies.
The funding package will be used to create new courses which directly address some of the major skills gaps and barriers to growth facing the region.
Courses will include apprenticeships in fields like Nursing, Healthcare, Engineering, Construction and Cyber Security and allow students to earn while they learn.
Professor Julian Beer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Birmingham City University, said: “To put this bid together, we spent a long time talking to businesses and researching to see exactly where the skills gaps are in our region.
“Each course we plan to create has a very clear direct link to the needs of the West Midlands economy, and we are extremely pleased that this funding will allow us to help produce the next generation of workers.
The news follows nearly £500,000 which was awarded to the West Midlands Combined Universities by HEFCE, which is made up of Birmingham City University, Coventry University and the University of Wolverhampton to provide Higher Level Apprenticeships.
The consortium will use the funding to create the Health and Care Degree Apprenticeship Accelerator Programme.
Professor Julian Beer added: “Alongside the funding secured with West Midlands Combined Universities, there is almost £800,000 which is being put directly into training the next generation of workers in some industries which are vital to us, and that can only be good for our economy.”