Marc Rothera

A little bit outside my regular #apprenticeships world but I'm always astounded at what an incredible gem of a course the MSc Children's Book #Illustration here at #AngliaRuskinUniversity is.

5 of 7 shortlisted for the #V&A #awards in Emerging Illustrator category came from this course!

https://www.aru.ac.uk/news/aru-course-delivers-10-finalists-at-v-and-a-awards

Got a new #apprenticeship programme approved last week!

L4 #DataAnalyst is available for learners to start in September this year (and is taking applications now) and covers #AI #MachineLearning#scripting and tools and mechanisms for effective #DataManagement and control in the modern workplace.

This is a fully funded (essentially free) #training (for employers in #England) it's based on our existing #DataScience #degree apprenticeship course, where 86% of participants have achieved a 1st!

I've been heard to note previously that my 'resting' 'surprised' and 'disappointed' faces have, over the years, merged in to one and it's this sort of stuff that's caused that situation.

Government depts, including those who were driving the removal of valued L7 #apprenticeship standards, were a significant part of the huge rush to 'stuff' courses before the funding cutoff deadline.

https://feweek.co.uk/civil-servants-raced-to-beat-their-own-level-7-apprenticeship-deadline/

Mastodon is clearly not the place to notice that there have been massive ructions in the #apprenticeships space this week with the confirmation that funding will be removed from 16 standards, including the hugely popular #TeamLeader #OperationsManager and #CharteredManager suite.

The 10 year programme to rebrand apprenticeships as an all purpose solution to #workforce skills is being rapidly unpicked as #levy funds are being redirected to reinflating a beleaguered #FE sector.

It's National Apprenticeship Week #NAW2026 (as if you didn't already know!)

As part of our celebrations we've put a page together with some amazing #CaseStudies from #apprentices and #employers, alongside our new 'Growing Together' #impact report (which features a picture on the cover of yours truly seemingly explaining what I'd like to do to incalcitrant colleagues ;-))

Take a look, there's some lovely affirming stuff in here: https://www.aru.ac.uk/study/degree-apprenticeships/national-apprenticeship-week

Interestingly this piece is suspiciously light on how many unfilled apprenticeship vacancies there actually are.

In my domain (of #HigherEd #apprenticeships) the issue is actually an overall lack of vacancies, not that there is any issue with filling them.

It does rather feel that the govt aren't even in the woods yet, let alone not barking up the right tree!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6qr58dl1jo

For the past 2 years I've been working, with academic colleagues, to develop a #DispensingOptician #DegreeApprenticeship.

It's been a bureaucratically complex task that required getting IfATE (now Skills England) to edit the drafted 'standard' and bring the General Optical Council (GOC) in as an EQA.

Last week we had notice from the GOC that we have passed 'stage 3' of their approval process and can start recruiting learners / employers for a September start.

#OpticiansUK get in touch!