Students and apprentices need AI-informed educators to get ahead in the 4th industrial revolution

The speed at which AI is being introduced to all sectors of society has presented new challenges, certainly, but also opportunities – and none more so than in the field of training.

AI – and its capabilities – is something that needs to be understood by everyone, but especially trainers and educators. Its influence and growth is already with us. 

Concerns about emerging technology are nothing new and the education world is not immune.

That is why, while some students and apprentices may worry about how their jobs may be affected, it is incumbent on educators to give them a curriculum and the careers guidance to make sure their decisions are informed.

After decades in the construction and aviation industries, we are both of the view that AI should be explained thoroughly and honestly, but grounded in industry insights so it can meaningfully factor into an apprentice’s career choices.

Informed apprentices should embark on their careers with their eyes wide open about the different ways AI will impact their future roles.

Put simply, there is no point in an apprentice coming out of training with the mistaken belief that the way things are done now will be the way they’re done in ten, five or even two years. Everyday practices like recording results, ordering products and taking measurements will be increasingly digitised and automated.

Those jobs could even be performed by artificial intelligence at some point but – and this is crucial – there will still need to be a person feeding in data and pointing AI in the right direction. Training apprentices to control AI will be fundamental for educators.

What employers want

AI is already changing the way that core jobs and tasks in both aviation and construction are carried out and both industries are already innovating at a rapid rate.

Passengers will increasingly see AI taking an active role in their travels. It is being used to visually scan airport baggage and connect it with a passenger, superseding labelling systems, and there’s even ongoing research into how AI might clear pilots for take-off. 

In construction, AI is improving building design at such a pace that it is proving a turning point in the sector and increasing efficiency. It is also being used to forecast different scenarios in construction projects and calculate different outcomes. 

That means training providers should be equipping students with at least a basic concept of AI and how it works in their chosen sector.

Employers we’re working with are on the lookout for people with these skills, or at least the capability to learn them, so give your students a head start by preparing them for that reality. 

AI-informed modules

Teaching construction-related AI should be about guiding students towards taking a critical view of the different technologies and then allowing them to structure projects that demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the subject. Perhaps technology experts could be brought in to share their experiences.

Part of a module might teach how a cloud-based digital twin technology platform connects the physical and digital worlds to offer real-time operational insight into the performance of building facilities, for example.

On the more physical side, teaching apprentices about bricklaying might involve AI data analysis from motion-capture suits that track a worker’s posture to offer guidance on how to carry bricks with less strain on the joints.

So how, with a class of students in front of you, do you teach them about their future interaction with AI?

While a vast part of any course will still be about teaching core skills such as working in a team or managing projects, individual modules could allow students to specialise in digital approaches appropriate for their career path.

AI is of course changing the nature of jobs but there are tens of thousands of vacancies and the future for apprentices is exciting.

Evolution, not revolution, in training

Will there need to be tweaks to the curriculum and additional qualifications? Yes, that is almost certain – but it should be evolution, not revolution. Educators have for decades been doing a great job preparing apprentices for work and will certainly be up to this important task. 

Overall, AI will impact on us all and must be understood by those who teach, but it should always be remembered that most technology still requires a degree of human intervention.  

There has been a lot written about AI and the jobs market but it’s the ‘how, where and when’ around AI that is key and very much in the hands of business leaders. 

Keeping pace, predicting and working with our academic partners will be crucial in supporting the next generation of recruits. The really intelligent way of working is to maintain older, more traditional skills and integrate them with new skills and ways of working.

We are entering the fourth industrial revolution and it’s happening at a pace in front of our eyes. The best thing to do is embrace it. We are proud to support the latest AI-based early career opportunities at Talentview Construction and Talentview Aviation.

Major training group launches legal action against ESFA over ‘unlawful’ AEB tender

A major group of training providers is suing the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) for damages and demanding a re-run of the national adult education budget procurement following its unsuccessful bids.

Learning Curve Group and its seven offshoots have filed a claim in the High Court of Justice against the ESFA, alleging that the government agency “acted unlawfully” in evaluating the providers’ bids for an AEB contract.

Court documents, seen by FE Week, claim that the providers’ low tender scores awarded by the ESFA were supported by “brief” and “vague” reasons and did not enable the claimants to “understand the reasons for the decisions”.

Learning Curve Group claims it was “deprived of a real chance of winning a contract” and the agency has “unlawfully failed to create or retain lawful, sufficient contemporaneous records of the reasons for the scores awarded”.

The eight claimants are demanding the ESFA carries out the following: acknowledge that the agency acted unlawfully, re-run the AEB procurement and/or Learning Curve’s evaluation again, pay out damages and costs, and award the companies a contract.

Learning Curve Group was one of the big names that lost out on a contract from the £75 million tender, announced earlier in July. For the 2021/22 academic year, the group was collectively awarded nearly £5 million in AEB contracts from the ESFA.

National AEB tender winners 2023 revealed

Brenda McLeish, chief executive of Learning Curve Group, told FE Week that the provider is in “constructive communications” with the ESFA about the dispute.

During the procurement process, bidders were required to complete a number of technical questions and a volumes and value spreadsheet for consideration.

Responses to technical questions Q1B1 in the procurement required minimum score of 75 (good) to be considered.

Learning Curve and its subsidiaries were awarded a score of 50 for Q1B1 and so were excluded. The provider claims that the ESFA gave “brief, vague” reasons for not awarding them the minimum required score to be awarded a contract. One reason was that the providers had not listed the number of learners for each course in the required mobilisation plan template.

In the particulars of claim, representatives of Learning Curve Group state that the ESFA has a legal obligation to follow the Public Contract Regulations 2015, and to treat each claimant “equally, transparently and in a proportionate way”.

They say the ESFA had breached its duty in the evaluation and scoring of Q1B1 responses, and breached transparency duties to: (i) provide lawful reasons, and (ii) ensure lawful, transparent records of reasons.

The ESFA was approached for comment.

Results 2023: 7 VTQ and T Level key trends

Results for students taking vocational and technical qualifications (VTQ) as well as T Levels are out today – here’s FE Week’s round up of the key trends.

1. ‘No surprises’ as 378k VTQ results handed out

Last year’s results day was mired by the delay of tens of thousands of BTEC and other VTQ grades, which prompted exams regulator Ofqual to launch an action plan which imposed a series of new strict deadlines on schools, colleges and awarding bodies to ensure the problem was not repeated.

Those efforts appear to have worked as Ofqual data shows over 378,000 results across 575 VTQs have been issued and chief regulator Jo Saxton has stated that there are no unexpected late results.

Under 180 results have been “routinely withheld” pending the outcome of internal processing due to, for example, malpractice or late special consideration requests, which “happens in any year”, according to Ofqual.

And in line with students’ plans changing or because they need more time to complete their qualification, there are nearly 30,000 results where awarding organisations and schools or colleges have agreed to defer the result or have it withdrawn.

Saxton said Ofqual is committed to taking a similar approach next year, continuing with a “term-time checkpoint and a clear deadline for awarding organisations to issue results”.

2. Top grades for 9% of VTQs in performance tables

Of the 378,000 total VTQ results, 255,000 are for applied generals, like BTECs, or tech levels included in the government’s performance league tables.

Today’s data shows 9 per cent – 23,500 – of those achieved top grades of either A* or distinction* depending on the grading scale their qualification uses.

The three performance table subjects with the most certificates issued against them are business, administration and law – 61,200, health, public services and care – 36,900, and social sciences – 36,500.

Source: Ofqual

3. 90.5% pass rate for T Levels – but a third drop out

A total of 3,448 students received T Level results today, a third lower than the 5,210 the government reported had started the two-year course in 2021.

Of those picking up results, 22.2 per cent of students achieved the top distinction and distinction* grades. Nearly half, 47.1 per cent, achieved a merit and 21.2 per cent scored a pass.

A Department for Education spokesperson said the government will “work with providers and other partners to understand more about the reasons for students dropping out and what can be done to improve retention” (click here for full story).

4. Digital hardest T Level to pass

There were 10 T Levels available for those starting in 2021 across four routes.

DfE data shows that health had the highest percentage of students achieving pass or above (96 per cent) whilst those on digital business services had the lowest (70 per cent).

The T Level pathway in which the highest percentage of students achieved a distinction or above was education and early years (34.5 per cent), whilst digital business services again had the lowest (2.5 per cent).

Source: DfE

5. Females outperform males

Of the 3,448 students picking up T Level results today, 1,775 are female and 1,650 are male.

The overall pass rate was higher for females (94.9 per cent) than males (85.8 per cent).

More females also achieved distinction or above than males (29.9 per cent compared with 14.1 per cent).

Source: DfE

6. Few females choose construction and engineering

A big gender divide has developed for some T Levels, namely construction and engineering, digital and education and childcare.

The data shows there was just one female student on the onsite construction pathway compared to 74 males, and only three females were on the building services engineering pathway compared to 204 males.

Similarly, just eight females were on the digital support services pathway compared to 174 males, and only 65 females took the digital production, design and development T Level compared to 612 males.

Meanwhile education and early years had just 47 males compared to 938 females. There were also 614 females on the health pathway compared to 58 males.

7. 175 students didn’t complete their industry placement

Students are required to complete a placement lasting at least 315 hours (approximately 45 days) to achieve a T Level.

Today’s data shows that 3,219 (93.4 per cent) T Level students completed their placement in full, 54 (1.6 per cent) completed it with a “special consideration”, and 175 (5.1 per cent) failed to complete a placement.

A special consideration is available where a student has experienced adverse circumstances and has not been able to complete the minimum placement hours but has demonstrated “sufficient progress” towards their learning goals and worked directly to an external employer.

There were small differences in the proportions completing the industry placement between T Level pathways. The highest proportion of students completing, including those completing with special consideration, was in onsite construction (98.7 per cent) and the lowest was in building services engineering (89.9 per cent).

Digital placements were among the pathways with consistently high non-completion rates.

Source: DfE

A-level results 2023: London and south east pupils pull further ahead

Students in London and the south east recorded the largest rise in top A-level results compared to 2019 as grade standards settled back to the new post-pandemic normal, with those in the north east hardest-hit.

Results this year have mostly returned to pre-pandemic standards after three years of grade inflation following the cancelation of exams.

However the regional picture varies.

The north east now has the lowest proportion of A* or A grades (22 per cent).

It has been surpassed by both the east and West Midlands, whose top grades rose to 22.3 per cent and 22.9 per cent respectively.

Both the north east and Yorkshire and the Humber have a lower proportion of top grades this year than in 2019.

Comparing top grades this year to 2019, London and the south east have recorded the biggest rises.

It means the gap between the two top-performing regions and the rest of the country has widened this year.

After a similar trend last year, regional spokespeople said the disparities are down to the “disproportionate impact of the pandemic facing regions like the north east”.

We don’t have attendance data for year 13 pupils. However, the changes do seem to mirror attendance rates for year 11 pupils in a study by Education Datalab.

London year 11s had the best attendance rates, while those in the north east had among the worst. However, the south east also had relatively high absence rates, according to the analysis.

A-level results 2023: 7 key trends in England’s data

A-level results are out this morning – here’s your usual handy FE Week round up of the key trends.

All the findings are for students in England, unless stated. Here’s what we know…

1. Overall performance in England

The proportion of A* and A grades has dropped from 35.9 per cent last year to 26.5 per cent as grading standards return to pre-pandemic standards, a fall of just over 26 per cent.

However, this is still slightly above the 25.2 per cent in 2019. 

This year, 75.4 per cent of grades were C and above, down on 82.1 per cent last year and slightly below 75.5 per cent in 2019. 

A-level results since 2019

The number of students achieving 3 A* grades has dropped by more than half this year – from 8,570 to 3,820. 

It’s still above pre-pandemic 2019 – when 2,785 pupils achieved it – but way down on the 12,975 pupils achieving 3 A*s in 2021, when teacher grades were awarded. 

2. A-level grade distribution: 2019 to 2023

What did we learn from data on the second year of post-Covid summer exams?

3. Regional attainment gap widens

While grading has mostly returned to pre-pandemic standards at a national level, the regional picture has changed, possibly signalling the impact of covid on children regionally. 

In 2019, 23 per cent of grades in the north east were A and above, but this is now 22 per cent – meaning the region is now the lowest attaining in the country.

Whereas in London, 30 per cent were top grades this year compared to 26.9 per cent in 2019. 

This means the gap between the regions has widened from 3.9 percentage points to 8 percentage points. 

The north east and Yorkshire and Humber were the only regions to record below-2019 rates in top grades achieved.

4. Big fall in top grades for secondary moderns and FE colleges

According to data published by Ofqual today, further education establishments and secondary moderns saw the biggest fall in top grades between 2022 and 2023.

The proportion of A and A*s issued to pupils of secondary moderns, which are non-selective schools in areas with grammar schools, fell from 27.6 per cent to 19.1 per cent, (a decrease of 30.8 per cent).

Top grades in FE establishments fell by 34.9 per cent from 21.8 to 14.2 per cent, which is actually below pre-pandemic levels (16.5 per cent). The proportion of top grades issued to sixth form college students fell by 29.2 per cent, from 31.9 to 22.6 per cent.

The smallest falls were for private schools (18.3 per cent), free schools (20.9 per cent) and grammar schools (23.5 per cent).

5. Economics rise, but Auf Wiedersehen German

Across the UK, there has been no change to the top five most popular subjects. However, economics has taken geography’s spot in the top 10 most popular subjects after a 7.3 per cent rise in entries.

Computing entries grew the most of any subject – 16.7 per cent – from 15,693 in 2022, to 18,306 this year.

At the other end, German saw the largest drop in entries from 2,803 last year to 2,358 this year (15.9 per cent fall).

French and Spanish entries also both fell by just under 11 per cent.

6. Which subjects have the biggest gap between entries?

Computing continues to have far more entries from boys, who make up more than one in eight entrants.

Physics, further maths, economics, design and technology and ICT also all continue to be far more popular among boys than girls.

At the other end of the scale performing arts, English literature, sociology and art and design subjects continue to be far more popular with girls than boys.

7. England falls behind in UK grade gap

While England’s grades returned to pre-pandemic standards this year, Wales and Northern Ireland are waiting until 2024. This means their grading is more generous this year.

The proportion of top grades awarded in England is this year 7.5 percentage points behind Wales (34 per cent) and 11 percentage points behind Northern Ireland (37.5 per cent).

In 2019, we were 1.3 percentage points behind Wales and 4.2 percentage points behind Northern Ireland.

Top grades in Wales and NI are 7.5 and 8.1 percentage points respectively higher than 2019 compared to just 1.3 percentage points in England.

T Level results 2023: 1 in 3 students dropped out

A third of wave two T Level students quit their course during their studies, results data suggests.

T Level results were released to 3,448 students today, a third lower than the 5,210 T Level students the government reported started the two-year course in 2021.

The figures follow a damning review of T Levels by Ofsted, published last month, which warned that “many” students left before the end of their programme.

A Department for Education spokesperson said it was “quite normal” for students to switch courses but officials “will work with providers and other partners to understand more about the reasons for students dropping out and what can be done to improve retention”.

The 33 per cent drop-out rate compares badly with other level 3 qualifications. For A-levels, the retention rate stands at 95 per cent, so 5 per cent drop out. And for other vocational and technical qualifications, like tech levels and applied general qualifications, the drop-out rate is 9 per cent and 8 per cent respectively.

Early 2023 data reveals 90.5 per cent, 3119 students, of those picking up their results achieved at least a pass in their T Level and 69.2 per cent achieved a merit or above. 

This means those students successfully achieved each individual element that makes up a T Level. To pass, a student needs to score at least a grade E in the core component, a pass or above in their occupational specialism and met the industry placement requirements.

Students that attempted but don’t achieve all three component requirements count as a partial achievement. This year, 316 students, 9.2 per cent, only partially achieved their T Level. 

This is the second year that T Level results have been awarded, but the first where students’ results are based entirely on formal assessments. The first cohort of T Level students, awarded their grades this time last year, were based partially on teacher-assessed grades.

Overall this year, 22.2 per cent of students achieved the top distinction and distinction* grades. Nearly half, 47.1 per cent, achieved a merit and 21.2 per cent scored a pass. 

Source: Department for Education

Breakdowns of results by subject and component were not part of the initial data release but will be released by the Department for Education separately.  

According to UCAS, 1,220 T Level students got a higher education place this year.

Added to last year’s achievers, there are now 4,071 young people with T Levels on their CVs.

Today’s results are the first for seven new T Levels that were introduced in 2021. Among them are T Levels in health, healthcare science and science. Those students found themselves at the centre of a “serious” incident last year when exams regulator Ofqual deemed their first-year assessment results invalid.

Other T Levels being awarded for the first time today include digital support services, onsite construction and building services engineering for construction.

A-level results 2023: 26% fall in top grades as inflation almost wiped

The proportion of top A-level grades achieved by England’s students dropped by more than 26 per cent this year, as results fell to near the same level as pre-pandemic 2019.

Overall, more than 67,000 fewer A* and A grades were awarded this summer, despite an increase in entries of more than 20,000.

This year, 26.5 per cent of grades issued were at A or above, down from 35.9 per cent last year and far below the peak of 44.3 per cent in 2021.

But this is still slightly higher than the 25.2 per cent in 2019.

The proportion of A* grades fell from 14.5 per cent in 2022 to 8.6 per cent this year, still up on the 7.7 per cent in 2019.

The government had asked Ofqual and the exam boards to return to pre-pandemic grading standards this year.

The Joint Council for Qualifications has published the results from the second summer A-level exams since the pandemic.

Students were awarded centre-assessed grades in 2020 and teacher-assessed grades in 2021 because of Covid disruption. This year’s A-level students were in year 10 when the pandemic hit, and like last year’s cohort did not sit GCSEs.

The proportion of grades at C and above fell to 74.4 per cent from 82.1 per cent last year, and is actually lower than the 75.5 per cent seen in 2019.

The number of students receiving three A* grades fell to 3,820 pupils, down from 8,570 in 2021. In 2019, 2,785 students achieved that benchmark.

Top grades almost back to pre-pandemic levels

The drop in top grades brings the situation within 1.3 percentage points of 2019. Exams watchdog Ofqual instructed exam boards to bring grades down again, after aiming for a “midpoint” between 2019 and 2021 grades last year.

Dr Jo Saxton
Dr Jo Saxton

However, the regulator also aimed to ensure that a student who would have secured a particular grade in 2019 would be just as likely to achieve that grade this year.

Dr Jo Saxton, Ofqual’s chief regulator, said students “should be proud of their achievements”, adding they had “shown resilience and determination despite the disruption caused by the pandemic during the crucial years of their education.”

“Two years ago we set out a clear plan to return to pre-pandemic grading – a system that schools, colleges, universities and employers are all familiar with. As we said then, we expected overall A-level results would be similar to 2019, and lower than in 2022.”

She said Ofqual had been “clear about this approach with universities and other higher education providers , and I want to thank them for showing understanding and awareness of the national picture when confirming places with students.”

But the north-south gap widens

London and the south east continue to outperform other areas, but the gap is now wider than in 2019.

The proportion of A and A* grades awarded this year was 30.3 per cent in the south east and 30 per cent in London, up from 28.3 per cent and 26.9 per cent respectively in 2019.

However, the proportion of top grades remains lower this year in the north east and Yorkshire and the Humber than pre-pandemic.

According to data published by Ofqual today, further education establishments and secondary moderns saw the biggest fall in top grades between 2022 and 2023.

The proportion of A and A*s issued fell by 34.9 per cent for FE establishments, 30.8 per cent for secondary moderns and 29.2 per cent for sixth form colleges.

The smallest falls were for private schools (18.3 per cent), free schools (20.9 per cent) and grammar schools (23.5 per cent).

‘A bruising experience for students and schools’

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said all students “should be proud of what they have achieved”, saying falling grades is “not as a result of underperformance, but because the grading system has been adjusted.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers, added that universities, employers and other providers “should take this into account when making decisions on places and offers.”

Barton added “whatever the rationale…it will feel like a bruising experience for many students, as well as schools and colleges which will have seen a sharp dip in top grades compared to the past three years”.

There were fears over falling grades resulting in more students missing offers for university or college.

But UCAS data shows 79 per cent of 18-year-olds in the UK secured their first choice plan, compared to 81 per cent last year and 74 per cent in 2019.

Nine per cent did not get their first or insurance choice, meaning they are now in clearing, which compares to 12 per cent in 2019, and 7 per cent in 2022.

‘Widening participation challenges persist’

However for every disadvantaged student that got a place, 2.3 advantaged students progressed – compared to 2.29 last year.

UCAS boss Clare Marchant said “challenges in widening participation to the most disadvantaged students still persist.

“This demonstrates that we all need to continue the efforts to ensure the most disadvantaged individuals in society are able to benefit from life-changing opportunities in higher education and training, particularly as the 18-year-old population grows.”

Management apprenticeship provider loses momentum with Ofsted ‘inadequate’

A leadership and management apprenticeship provider has been judged ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted after it was found apprentices enrolled just to accredit their existing knowledge and skills.

We Are Momentum, established in late 2020 and based in Knutsford, Cheshire, was slammed by the watchdog in its first full inspection, undertaken in late June and published today. 

The provider trains almost 100 apprentices across levels 3, 4 and 5 in team leading, associate project management and operations management.

Ofsted reported that too few apprentices complete their apprenticeship on time, too many leave early, and too many took breaks-in-learning or fell behind.

Inspectors also found that too many apprentices – especially its level 4 and 5 learners who already have significant leadership and management experience – do not gain “substantial new knowledge, skills and behaviours” and are instead simply enrolling to get accreditation for knowledge and skills they already have.

A spokesperson from We Are Momentum told FE Week that the report was “disappointing and concerning” and the provider is in the process of conducting a “comprehensive” internal review and liaising with external experts over its curriculum.

“We believe in the principle of continuous learning,” the spokesperson said. “Some apprentices come to us with a certain foundation; our goal is to help them build upon that. We are revisiting our curriculum and liaising with external experts to ensure that our programmes are both challenging and rewarding, enriching the skillset of every apprentice who joins us.”

Inspectors also found that the provider’s leaders do not assess the English and mathematics capabilities at the beginning of the apprenticeship, and development coaches do not monitor those skills, causing learners to fall behind.

“In too many instances, apprentices who require English and mathematics qualifications are not informed of this until late in their apprenticeship. This causes apprentices distress and hinders their progress,” the report said.

Regarding development coaches, who are said to be subject matter experts in the report, the watchdog said that they do not have teaching qualifications nor benefit from training activities to keep their sector knowledge up to date.

“As a result, too many apprentices cannot remember and recall what they have learned,” the report said.

Ofsted did however report that most apprentices who stay on programme “enjoy their apprenticeships and display a good attitude to learning”.

Development coaches also ensure that apprentices benefit from a “culture where everyone values and appreciates each other, fostering an inclusive and supportive atmosphere”.

Private providers that receive an ‘inadequate’ from Ofsted typically have their apprenticeship contract with the Education and Skills Funding Agency terminated.

We Are Momentum’s spokesperson said it was “premature” to speculate on any decision from the ESFA.

“We respect the insights provided by the Ofsted report and take them very seriously. While the report is a setback, it’s also an opportunity for us to introspect, evolve, and elevate our training programs,” the spokesperson said.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of all our stakeholders as we work through these challenges. Our commitment to providing exceptional apprenticeship experiences remains unwavering, and we are confident in our ability to bounce back stronger from this.”

Degree apprentices less satisfied than full-time uni students with their course

Degree apprentices are less impressed with the quality of their courses than full-time university students, according to data from the Office for Students.

FE Week analysis of National Student Survey results found that degree apprentices at colleges and universities were more critical of their courses in 2022/23 – particularly when it comes to organisation and management.

It is the first time the survey included degree apprenticeships since the survey was launched in 2005. Around 9,600 of the 339,000 respondents to this year’s survey were doing a degree apprenticeship.

Biggest gap in satisfaction is for course organisation

The survey revealed a gap between the overall satisfaction of degree apprentices and full-time students, which Simon Ashworth, director of policy at the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), attributed to degree apprenticeships being “significantly more intensive” than a standard undergraduate degree, as they are primarily a job with a substantial programme of structured learning attached.

Each of the 27 questions in the survey had four options, ranging from the most positive to the most negative and covered seven themes: teaching, learning opportunities, assessment and feedback, academic support, organisation and management, learning resources, and student voice. 

FE Week’s analysis found that a higher proportion of full-time students answered positively on 18 of the questions compared to apprentices.

The biggest gap was for organisation of the course, with 57 per cent of degree apprentices saying their course was well organised compared to 72.4 per cent of full-time students – a 15.4 percentage point difference.

Degree apprentices were also much more critical on how course changes were communicated, with 65.2 per cent saying they were well communicated in comparison to 74.5 per cent of full-time university students.

A smaller proportion of degree apprentices said their course was regularly intellectually stimulating – 78.2 per cent compared to 84 per cent of full-time students.

Degree apprentices were also less convinced they had the chance to explore ideas and concepts in depth. While 77.4 per cent of degree apprentices said they did, 82.6 per cent of full-time students felt they were able to do that.

And a smaller proportion of degree apprentices felt their own course feedback was acted on – which came in at 56.8 per cent in comparison to 61.8 per cent of full-time students.

Apprentices full of praise for assessment

But apprentices were more complimentary than full-time students when it came to receiving assessment feedback on time, with a 5-percentage point gap between their rating of 84.6 per cent and the 79.6 per cent registered by full-time students.

Degree apprentices were also more satisfied than their full-time counterparts with marking and assessment; 83.5 per cent of degree apprentices said marking and assessment of their course was “fair” compared to 79.8 per cent of full-time students.

FE Week’s analysis found degree apprentices studying at Leeds Trinity University were the most critical in England around teaching quality and learning opportunities, as 50.4 per cent and 55 per cent of the university’s learners reported positive experiences in those themes respectively.  

The university also runs degree apprenticeships for CP Training Services, a ‘good’ rated training provider based in Upminster, which got the lowest results in organisation and management.

A spokesperson for the university said it was “working hard to provide an excellent student experience” for degree apprentices.

“The results in a small number of our apprenticeship subjects are disappointing, so we will be applying this feedback and reviewing good practice in better-performing areas as we continue to strive to enhance our offer,” the spokesperson added.

Degree apprentices at Ravensbourne University London, meanwhile, were the most critical when it came to assessment and feedback, academic support and learning resources – with 44.5 per cent, 45.5 per cent, 43.3 per cent of the university’s degree apprentices reporting a positive experience respectively.

Andy Rees, the dean of Ravensbourne University London said he was “pleased” to receive an overall improvement of more than 7 per cent in the NSS, but that “improvement is still needed on the degree apprenticeship course and we are now applying the same rigour and learnings to them as we have our under graduate degrees”.

Degree apprentices were much more complimentary at Truro and Penwith College, which scored the highest proportion of positive experiences in learning opportunities and student voice. Apprentices at University Centre Quayside in Newcastle rated it best for teaching, assessment and feedback, and academic support.

Ashworth said degree apprenticeships represent “a high standard of qualification while also being an important route into many careers”, and referenced stats from earlier this year which found level 6 solicitor apprenticeships scored on average 8 per cent higher in exams than those on the traditional academic route. 

“This highlights the overall benefits of apprenticeships, especially the on-the-job aspect that doesn’t always get enough recognition,” he added.

A spokesperson for Universities UK said the data shows “the vast majority” of degree apprentices leave with “positive experiences”. 

“Despite universities’ best efforts, it is inevitable that there will be some instances when students may be dissatisfied with their experience.

“If there are pockets where things could be improved, this should involve collaboration between both university and employer, as degree apprenticeships are based on a partnership between the two.”