Develop your workforce at no extra cost to your business

With the impact of the pandemic being felt across the country, many businesses are struggling to invest in the development of their workforce.

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And as complex funding is out of reach for many small and medium-sized businesses, many don’t know where to turn for help and end up losing valuable employees.

The University of Dundee is working hard to resolve this through its easily accessible, fully-funded, employee development honours degree courses.

The University of Dundee’s Graduate Apprenticeship programme provides businesses of all sizes with the opportunity to develop the business, IT and engineering skills of their workforce (of all ages) to honours degree level, and at no additional cost to the business.

The programme, which has been providing “easily accessible funding and development opportunities to businesses of all sizes” since 2017 according to the university’s website, welcomed a record number of 80 apprentices on to the scheme last year.

Wayne Paul, spokesman for the Graduate Apprenticeship programme at the university, explained: “As our Graduate Apprenticeships are fully funded, they provide a fantastic opportunity for companies of all sizes to develop their workforce at no additional cost to themselves. The application process has also been designed to be simple and easy, allowing companies to join the programme in a smooth and seamless way.”

Besides big-name organisations including NHS Tayside, Scottish Water, Fife Council, SSE and Highland Spring, dozens of smaller business have also tapped into this unique funding opportunity – and reaped the many benefits it brings.

Below we reveal more about the programme and how you can get involved.

What exactly is a Graduate Apprenticeship (GA)?

It is a fully-funded programme in association with Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council. It gives businesses the opportunity to develop and upskill their workforce to honours degree level whilst they are working in their current role, at no additional cost to the business. Apprentices spend one-day-per-week studying at the university and the remainder of the week working in their current role.

What types of courses are on offer?

There are five different types of courses – each delivered by the university’s experienced Graduate Apprenticeship lecturers, who also have many years in business, IT, and engineering roles – that will benefit a number of different industries, from engineering to software development. There are:

• Business Management, Bachelor of Science (Hons)
• Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)
• Engineering, Design and Manufacturing, Bachelor of Engineering (Hons)
• IT Management for Business, Bachelor of Science (Hons)
• IT Software Development, Bachelor of Science (Hons)

What are the main benefits of the Graduate Apprenticeship programme?

For the BUSINESS involved:

The Graduate Apprenticeship programme, delivered by University of Dundee, allows businesses to develop the skill sets of their current employees, as well as boost staff morale and retention. Bringing new knowledge and skills into the business in this way would normally mean significant financial investment, but the GA Programme will allow businesses to increase the skills of their workforce through this unique partnership with the university at no additional cost.

The scheme offers more than funding, it includes:

• Industry experience and knowledge of business leaders
• Knowledge and skills of experienced employees
• Energy and fresh ideas of our young people
• Wealth of knowledge contained within the University of Dundee

GA scheme helps create “leaders of the future” – Bill McLeary, IT service manager, Dundee City Council

Bill McLeary has seen the benefits in his department at the council, as he explained: “The GA programme has helped us in the development of our employees.

“It has developed the individuals to meet our immediate requirements in developing and maintaining our large investment in and dependency on IT within the Council.

“We see the graduates growing both technically and as members of the team.

“The rounded nature of the programme is also laying the foundation within the individuals as potential managers and leaders of the future to provide longevity within the service as well as meeting immediate work needs.”

For the EMPLOYEE involved:

As well as giving your employees a valuable opportunity to upskill while continuing to earn a salary and work full-time, the GA Programme also includes a number of other benefits to the employee enrolled on the scheme, including:

• Opportunity to expand skills, knowledge and experience whilst being educated to degree level
• Receiving all the benefits of being a full-time student, including access to highly skilled and experienced university staff, resources and facilities
• Earning a salary
• Achieving four years of industry experience ahead of other graduates

Wayne Paul, at the GA programme, said that it is “a win-win for both parties, allowing individuals to fulfil their academic potential while utilising their new-found skills in their workplace”.

He added: “By working with local employers to provide work-based learning and high quality education, the university is also continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the local economy.”

To join the programme or find out more, visit the University of Dundee’s Graduate Apprenticeship website or email the University and begin upskilling your workforce. The university will assist with the application process.

*The Graduate Apprenticeship Programme is fully-funded, which means all the fees associated with studying at the university are paid-for. This does not include your employee’s salary. You (the company) continues to pay the salary of the member of staff on the GA programme for the duration of their four-year, one-day-a-week course.