University of Essex

The University of Essex is a higher education provider that delivers higher and degree apprenticeships designed to combine on‑the‑job training with academic study. Its Apprenticeships Hub is the central team responsible for higher and degree apprenticeships, supporting academic departments in developing and delivering programmes, managing employer engagement, liaising with End Point Assessment organisations and ensuring compliance with Education and Skills Funding Agency requirements. The University focuses its apprenticeship offer in Health and Social Care, providing industry‑focused programmes that have been developed with employers and aligned to national apprenticeship standards. These apprenticeships are positioned as a way for employers to recruit new talent or upskill existing staff through an affordable route, using mechanisms such as the Apprenticeship Levy, while apprentices gain higher‑level qualifications without tuition fees or student loans, subject to funding rules. Essex works closely with health and social care agencies and professional bodies to ensure programmes meet sector and regulatory requirements, and offers guidance to employers on eligibility, funding, and how to integrate apprenticeships into workforce development strategies. In addition to apprenticeships, the Essex Apprenticeships and Summer Schools Team oversees a wider flexible product portfolio, including summer schools and short courses, providing alternative routes into higher education and opportunities for skills development and employability enhancement for both individuals and organisations.