Upskill and find your Dream Career with HTQs and Higher Apprenticeships
If you learn best with hands-on tasks, you might be looking for a more technical, practical alternative to a traditional degree.
Get the skills you need for the job you want by studying a HTQ or higher level apprenticeship with University Centre Rotherham.
These career-focused higher education courses are ideal for students who want a direct route into their industry of choice.
They’re both designed with the help of employers to develop workplace skills and give you a head start in your career.
But the contrast in how they’re delivered will suit different learning styles. Which option you choose will depend on what you want to get out of your education and where you see your future career.
So, let’s look at the benefits of each route.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)
At a glance
- Level 4 and 5 qualifications
- One or two-year courses
- Stepping stone between T or A Levels and degrees
- For anyone over 18
- No mandatory work experience
- Approved by employers in occupational standards
- Full or part-time study options
- Subject to tuition fees
Looking to upskill but don’t fancy doing three or four years at university?
Learn faster and enter the workplace sooner by choosing a Higher Technical Qualification. HTQs are university-level qualifications that take less time to complete than traditional degrees. You could be qualified in one or two years’ time if you study full-time.
You’ll work towards a level 4 or 5 qualification (HNC, HND or Foundation Degree). But what’s special about HTQs is that they have to be approved by employers in occupational standards.
HTQs have been designed to bridge the skills gap in technical industries like computing, construction, engineering and healthcare.
Course content is more focused and specialised than a broader university degree. You’ll be doing practical tasks that hone in on the specific skills, knowledge and behaviours most in demand by employers.
You’ll leave University Centre Rotherham with the confidence that you’ve got the qualifications, skills and experience that employers in your industry want.
At University Centre Rotherham, we currently offer HTQs in areas like animal management, cyber security, data analysis, esports, engineering, health science, and site supervision (construction).
You have to be over 18 to do a HTQ but they’re a great option for adults of any age who want to take the next step in their career or retrain in a new industry.
Most people who do a HTQ go on to full-time work afterwards, but there are also options to advance to further study like a top-up degree.
As with any further or higher education course, HTQs are subject to tuition fees. But our course fees are much lower than traditional universities, saving you thousands of pounds. And you can still use tuition loans to play for HTQs.
As our campus is in Rotherham within easy reach of public transport, you can stay at home while studying, saving even more money on living costs compared to moving away to university.
Higher and degree apprenticeships
At a glance
- Levels 4 to 6 qualifications
- Employed by a company with a salary and employment benefits
- Work for a minimum of 30 hours a week (80%)
- Study for a minimum of 6 hours a week (20%)
- Course fees paid by your employer via their levy or government funding
- End point assessment to test what skills and theory you’ve learned
- Will need to do English and maths if you don’t already have GCSE C/grade 4
- Apply in the same way as any job
- Advertised throughout the year
Degrees for free? Yes, it’s possible
Higher and degree apprenticeships are a game changer in higher education. They offer the best of both worlds: earning a wage AND achieving a higher education qualification.
And one of the biggest benefits for students is that the qualifications are fully funded by an employer, so you’re not left with thousands of pounds of student debt.
Instead, you’ll get paid to go to university. Degree apprentices earn an average salary of £23,000 a year while studying. And once you complete your apprenticeship, your skillset will mean you can move on to well-paid jobs.
So there’s no wonder that demand for higher level apprenticeships is on the rise. Between 2018 and 2020, the number of apprenticeships in the UK increased by more than a quarter.
Generations ago, apprenticeships were just for trades like bricklaying or plumbing. But they’re now expanding across various industries, from nursing and teaching to marketing and sales.
Apprenticeships aren’t just for college leavers, neither are they for people who aren’t academic or didn’t do well at school. Apprenticeships are for anyone, at any age, who wants to combine learning with practical work.
They’re not an easier option for people who aren’t academic. You won’t just be making cups of tea or sweeping up. Your employer is investing in training you to be a highly skilled employer with a view of increasing the company’s productivity, efficiency and reputation.
The BA or BSc degree you earn is the same one you’d receive from a traditional undergraduate route, awarded by a recognised university. If you do a higher level apprenticeship, you’ll work to a level 4 or 5 qualification, equivalent to a HNC or foundation degree.
You’ll have to balance a 9-5 job with studying, which makes up a fifth of the working week, so you need good time management skills. You’ll usually come to campus one day a week on paid-leave.
And while you won’t get the usual summer break or other academic term holidays off, you will be entitled to statutory holiday pay of five weeks a year plus bank holidays.
But with so many benefits, pursuing a higher or degree apprenticeship with University Centre Rotherham could prove to be one of the best decisions you’ll make.
You can begin an apprenticeship at any point throughout the academic year, rather than just in September.
If you’re interested in starting an apprenticeship, you’ll usually have to apply to an employer with a CV and covering letter. You may also be invited for an interview with a prospective employer to see how much you know about your chosen industry.
Find out more
Here at University Centre Rotherham, we can help you find an employer offering higher and degree apprenticeship vacancies.
To find out more or to apply, contact our dedicated Apprenticeship Recruitment Team on 01709 513147.