WMG, at the University of Warwick, have been awarded £10m to build a new Degree Apprenticeship Centre that will focus on courses essential to the effective development of advanced engineering and manufacturing companies.
The Degree Apprenticeship Centre, which is due to open in 2019, has received the funding from the government’s Local Growth Fund through the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP).
The Centre will reportedly provide training programmes up to Level 7 (Masters’ Degree level) with an initial capacity for 1,000 students on roll at any one time.
The apprentices, who will be employed by companies, will undertake their academic studies at the WMG Degree Apprenticeship Centre, which will be on the University of Warwick campus.
Work is set to shortly commence on building the Centre which will provide flexible teaching and lab space, and an environment for technology-enhanced learning as well as advice and support for apprentices and organisations.
The WMG Degree Apprenticeship Centre is planned to be the first part of a future Degree Apprenticeship complex on the University of Warwick campus training students in a range of Degree Apprenticeships.
Chairman of WMG, Professor Lord Bhattacharyya commented: “Building on nearly four decades’ track record of developing, and delivering, pioneering education programmes, our new Degree Apprenticeship Centre will provide a variety of routes to achieve degree level apprenticeships.
“Young people are our future and we need to provide them with as many opportunities to support our manufacturing base. The Centre will give the opportunity for school leavers and apprentices, looking to progress from Level 4 and 5 qualifications to degree level.”
Jonathan Browning, chair of the CWLEP, noted: “The WMG Degree Apprenticeship Centre represents a significant investment in the delivery of higher-level skills to businesses and will focus on the High Value Manufacturing sector in Coventry and Warwickshire, as well as meeting the needs of industry and the government’s skills and industrial strategies.
