How to Offer a Degree Apprenticeship for Employers

If you’re an employer looking to build a future-ready workforce, degree apprenticeships for employers offer a powerful way to develop high-level talent while solving long-term recruitment challenges. These programmes combine paid employment with university study, giving your team the chance to gain a full bachelor’s or master’s degree – with the costs covered by apprenticeship funding or the Apprenticeship Levy.

Whether you’re in hospitality, retail, brewing, or another sector, degree apprenticeships are a strategic tool to upskill existing staff, keep turnover low, and attract ambitious new talent to your organisation.

What is a Degree Apprenticeship (For Employers)?

A degree apprenticeship is a government-backed programme where employees work towards a university degree (e.g., BSc or MSc) while continuing in a paid role. As an employer, you can offer these to existing staff or use them to attract new recruits.

Unlike traditional education pathways, university degree apprenticeships are delivered in partnership with training providers like HIT and are tailored to industry needs, combining academic rigour with on-the-job learning over 3-6 years.

Learn more about the HIT Training apprenticeship standards.

Why Offer a Degree Apprenticeship?

• Attract and retain talent: Provide a clear career progression route to motivate and retain staff.
• Use your Apprenticeship Levy: Fund degree-level training with your existing levy contributions.
• Develop future leaders: Degree apprenticeship programmes are ideal for nurturing management potential within your team.
• Strengthen your employer brand: Demonstrate your commitment to learning and development.
• Improve business performance: Staff bring fresh knowledge directly from university into the workplace.

Read more about the indirect benefits of apprenticeships.

How to Set Up a Degree Apprenticeship Programme

Hiring or enrolling an employee onto a degree apprenticeship is straightforward, and HIT will support you every step of the way.

Step-by-step process:

• Identify internal skills gaps: Consider roles where advanced qualifications could boost performance or retention.
• Choose the right programme: Select from standards such as Hospitality Management, Brewing Technology, or Retail Leadership.
• Find a training provider: HIT Training works directly with businesses to deliver tailored degree apprenticeship training pathways.
• Select candidates: Degree apprenticeships for school leavers and existing staff are both eligible.
• Access funding: Use your Apprenticeship Levy or co-investment model to cover tuition and training.
• Launch and monitor: HIT supports enrollment, delivery, and progress tracking.

Explore how to apply or what apprenticeship levels exist on our website.

Degree Apprenticeship vs Traditional Hiring or Training

Industries We Support

HIT Training offers sector-specific degree apprenticeships for employers in:

• Hospitality leadership and operations
• Retail and commercial strategy
• Brewing and beverage production
• Culinary and food innovation

Why HIT?

We’re the UK’s leading specialist provider of hospitality and food service apprenticeships, and the only provider offering:

• Degree apprenticeships for chefs
• Degree apprenticeships in brewing
• Degree apprenticeships in hospitality

Interested in how to offer a degree apprenticeship or build a long-term pipeline of qualified, loyal talent? Reach out today to find out more about how we can help.

FAQs for Employers

Can I use the Apprenticeship Levy for degree apprenticeships?
Yes. You can use levy funds to fully cover tuition and training costs.

How long is a degree apprenticeship?
Typically 3 to 6 years depending on the programme.

Are degree apprenticeships paid?
Yes. Apprentices are paid employees while completing their training.

Do I need to recruit new staff?

Not necessarily. Many businesses use degree apprenticeships to upskill current employees.

Is a degree apprenticeship worth it?

For many employers, the return on investment makes these programmes a highly effective strategy.