Graduate Apprenticeships information for employers

Benefits of a Graduate Apprenticeship to employers

• Fully funded upskilling across your business
• Develop the skill sets of your current employees
• Shape new employees to fit your systems and culture
• Attract new, motivated, high-calibre employees
• Increase staff morale, productivity and retention
• Bring new knowledge and skills into your business
• No limit on the number of fully funded places you can access (subject to availability)
• Develop a partnership with the University of Dundee
• Increase your talent pool
• Plan for your skills needs with flexible entry and exit points

Programme costs

Our Graduate Apprenticeship Programme is fully funded by the Scottish Funding Council through SAAS. 

This means that there is no additional cost to you, and no student debt for your employee.

You are still required to pay your employee’s salary for the one day per week that they attend the University.

If you are recruiting for a Graduate Apprentice, we recommend that they are paid at least the living wage, but many pay above this in line with industry demand. 

Some of our employers optionally cover some additional costs, such as books (optional), equipment (we encourage apprentices to bring a laptop), materials, and travel.

Applicants must be both a resident and working in Scotland at the start of the programme to qualify for funding (please visit the SAAS website for funding requirements).

SAAS funding for our Graduate Apprenticeship Programme will not be impacted by any previous non-Graduate Apprenticeship SAAS funding your employee may have been awarded in the past (for example studying towards an undergraduate degree). 

Who can apply

Our programme has been designed to ensure that it is accessible to as wide a range of applicants as possible. 

This not only allows as many businesses as possible to take advantage of the opportunity, but also ensures our apprentices are studying alongside people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

Our Graduate Apprenticeships are suitable for:

• Both current and new employees, who are at least 16 years of age with no maximum age.
• Studying on the programme must lead to a higher level of qualification in a new area of learning.
• Great for those who are completing or have completed a Foundation or Modern Apprenticeship and would like to develop further.
• Applicants must be both a resident and working in Scotland at the start of their programme (please visit SAAS website for funding requirements).
• They should also meet the University’s entry requirements (see our course pages).

Support required

Work-based learning

Work-based learning plays a pivotal role in the delivery of the Graduate Apprenticeship Programme, allowing the apprentice to complete an honours degree one day per week.

We focus on continuous assessment over end of year exams. This can include coursework, journals, presentations, group work, and class tests, to name a few. 

We therefore encourage apprentices to structure any assignment they are given around their role or the wider business. 

This helps the apprentice to quickly relate their academic learning to real world situations and increases their employer’s return on investment. 

They may therefore come to you seeking help to find relevant projects or areas of the business where this would be possible. 

Please do not worry if this is not possible for every assignment, as they will be given case studies to work from instead.  

Mentor

We do ask that employers help their employees to find a work-based mentor to support them through their Graduate Apprenticeship.

The mentor’s role is not overly time consuming but plays a key role in providing the apprentice with unbiased support throughout their programme, and acts as the liaison between the University and the apprentice regarding their development. 

Mentors are encouraged to attend the Graduate Apprenticeship welcome day at the start of the programme and to commit to two meetings a year with their apprentice’s lecturer. 

The frequency of meetings between apprentice and mentor is at their discretion based on the development need of the apprentice at that time.

How to apply

Current employees

If you would like to place any of your current employees on any of our Graduate Apprenticeship courses, please contact our Engagement Manager Wayne Paul, who will be delighted to help you. 

Wayne can be contacted via email at [email protected] 

Recruiting 

If you are interested in recruiting for a Graduate Apprentice to join your workforce, please contact our Engagement Manager Wayne Paul, who would be delighted to discuss the recruitment process with you and work with you to source suitable candidates for the role.

Wayne can be contacted via email at [email protected]