The announcement comes as part of the second round of the £25m higher apprenticeship fund and is designed to target sectors where skills shortages are threatening to choke off growth.

Apprentices will receive degree-level education while getting paid and employers, including British Airways, Siemens and the UK Space Agency will benefit from nationally accredited technical training delivered in the workplace.

Neil Carberry, CBI director for employment and skills, said: “Future skills shortages in key sectors could hold back our economic performance, so boosting higher level apprenticeships now is the right thing to do.”

This is the final tranche of projects being supported by the fund and builds on the 21 projects announced in December last year.

Head of employment affairs at the EEF, Tim Thomas, commented that it is important that young people are fully informed of the opportunities offered by higher apprenticeships.

“We must ensure that young people are receiving the right careers advice that demonstrates apprenticeships can lead to highly successful careers in manufacturing,” he said.”