Degrees of development

The challenge

The uni had a clear ambition: 50 degree apprenticeships live by academic year 2027/28. The right programmes, for the right students, including those who might not otherwise access higher education.

To get there, they needed to understand the regional skills landscape, where the gaps were, who the competitors were, and which opportunities were worth pursuing. They needed evidence, not guesswork.

Why Waterstons

UCLan brought us in because we know the higher education sector, and we know how to ask the right questions. We're good at getting under the skin of a problem before we start solving it.

What we did

We ran the project in two stages.

First, we got to grips with where UCLan stood. We reviewed their existing degree apprenticeship work, spoke to key stakeholders, and mapped out how decisions were being made, what was working, and where the friction was.

Then we got to work on the research. We looked at the regional employment picture, identified skills gaps that degree apprenticeships could address, assessed what competitors were doing, and pinpointed employers worth partnering with.

The output was a comprehensive report covering:

• Regional job growth trends and where demand is heading
• Skills gaps that degree apprenticeships are well-placed to fill
• Competitor activity and where the real opportunities lie
• Potential employer partners for new or expanded programmes
• Our recommendations for new degree apprenticeships and sector strategies

The result

UCLan now has the evidence base to make confident, strategic decisions about which degree apprenticeships to develop and when. The report gives them a clear foundation for the next academic year and beyond.

Ready to build a sharper strategy for your educational programmes? Get in touch with Moon Yates at moon.yates@waterstons.com.