The apprenticeship programme is designed to enable learners in developing knowledge, skills and behaviours required to meet engineering industry standards and enhance attributes to achieve career aspirations or entry to higher level qualifications. The curriculum intent will develop learners to be skilled in specialist areas in meeting employer requirements to investigate and solve day-to-day engineering problems through the collaboration of learners and academic, industry professional experts.  The programme further develops occupational behaviours to ensure learners demonstrate problem solving orientation, a safety mindset, adaptability, emotional resilience and a logical approach to deepen engineering skills within their specialist areas.  

This programme is designed to develop apprentices in core engineering and competencies that are transferable to empower learners to become highly skilled industry experts with flexibility to specialise in their chosen pathways to provide breadth of experience.

The programme is learner focused, providing the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours to underpin specialisms in manufacturing and product design, it is externally supported, through the input from Industry and our industrial partners to provide the elements that will support fundamental mathematical and scientific principles. The programme aims to produce technically competent and highly motivated learners who will have the understanding, awareness and the resilience to work efficiently and effectively in a variety of relevant engineering roles including contemporary and emerging technologies within their workplace.

Why choose BNU?

At Buckinghamshire New University, we are dedicated to equipping our graduates with the skills employers demand. We will work with you using our practice-based learning expertise to support your training needs.

Higher and degree apprenticeships are a partnership between industry and higher education institutions set up to help meet the needs of employers. They also provide a flexible way for employees to take advantage of the life-changing opportunities that higher education can offer them.

Programme details

The programme matches the University’s philosophy and strategy including outward facing, externality and industrial involvement thus providing students with the necessary qualifications to underpin their knowledge and progress in their chosen careers.

Degree apprenticeships combine study and work-based learning to enable apprentices to gain a full degree. They have been co-designed by employers thus ensuring that apprentices are equipped with the skills employers need and look for in their employees.

An apprentice is a paid employee and does not pay any training costs or student fees.

Programme delivery

Buckinghamshire New University’s blended learning model is designed to be flexible around the needs of apprentices and work load. This includes online, face-to-face and self directed learning which learners have fed back providers greatest flexibility around work, caregiving and other life commitments. This also helps reduce the impact of carbon created through commuting.

Manufacturing Engineer apprentices are delivered face to face seminars at BNU’s Aylesbury campus once per week. Alternative weeks apprentices are provided online seminars or allocated self-directed learning time.

Programme modules

Buckinghamshire New University's Mechanical Engineer and Production Engineer pathways share the same core modules for Level 4 and Level 6. Level 5 modules are specialised to the chosen pathway

Entry requirements

Apprenticeship Eligibility

To be eligible for an apprenticeship, the apprentice must satisfy the following requirements and ESFA funding rules:

• An apprentice can be a new or existing member of staff and must not already hold a degree in that area or be receiving funding for other training.
• The employer must employ the apprentice in a genuine role with a genuine salary.
• The apprentice must have the right to live and work in the UK.
• BNU will check to make sure you're eligible before you start your degree apprenticeship, and may ask for proof of your right to work in the UK.
• An apprentice must be employed in a full time job (minimum of 30 hours per week) or have a signed contract to start a full time job role, which is relevant to the apprenticeship.
• The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) will not fund apprentices who are repeating the same qualification.
• An apprentice can be a citizen of a country within the European Economic Area (EEA) or have the right to abode in the UK and have been resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years on the first day of your apprenticeship.
• An apprentice can be a non-EEA citizen with permission from the UK government to live in the UK, (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of learning.

Programme Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the Manufacturing Engineer Degree Apprenticeship apprentices must meet the following requirements:

• Government approved Level 2 Maths and English Qualification (e.g. GCSE or Functional Skills).
• Candidates without level 2 English and Maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment.
• Typically 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above, including Mathematics, English and a Science, Technology or Engineering related subject.
• A Levels at grade C or above in both a Mathematical based subject and a Science, Technology, Engineering or additional Mathematics related subject, or 90+ credits in an Engineering BTEC at level 3.
• Entrants from the direct entrant route who are not on the apprenticeship programme must have completed to level 3 of their studies and will not be required to do the NVQ L4.

How to apply

Register your interest

1. Contact BNU’s Apprenticeship via email: apprenticeships@bnu.ac.uk or call: 01296 744202
2. Interested employers will be invited to an information session lead by a representative of BNU’s Apprenticeship Hub and the programme lead. Once completed the Apprenticeship Hub will provide a capture form to begin your application process.

Application Process

1. Email your nominated Apprenticeship team representative with a document detailing names and contact details of your selected candidates.
2. Candidates will be sent a link to an online application which takes approximately 45 minutes to complete.
3. Candidates will be required to upload supporting documents such as prior certification (including Level 2 English and maths) and evidence of Right to Work in the United Kingdom.
4. After submitting the application, the Admissions team will complete all necessary eligibility checks.
5. Successful candidates will be invited to an interview with a member of the academic team and will be asked to fill in an Individual Needs Assessment (INA) document identifying their existing experiences, skills and knowledge which will be discussed in the interview.

Funding

In many instances apprenticeships are fully funded through the government’s Apprenticeship Levy Fund and for those ineligible up to 95% is funded through the government’s Co-Investment Fund.

Manufacturing Engineer Degree Apprenticeship Cost: £27,000

• The apprenticeship levy will be paid by employers in any sector with a pay bill of more than £3 million per year. Those employers will be able to use their apprenticeship levy funds to fund this programme.
• Non-levy paying employers will receive up to 95% funding towards the costs of this apprenticeship through the government’s Co-Investment Fund.
• For more information on funding and the Apprenticeship Levy visit our Apprenticeship Funding page in the find out more section below.