4 Action Points to Increase Higher and Degree Apprenticeship Conversions
High Interest, Low Take Up
Interest in higher and degree apprenticeships has never been higher among school leavers. In May 2023, UCAS reported that 40% of students registering with their service were interested in learning more about apprenticeships – and they expect this figure to increase to 500,000 prospects by 2030.
Despite this, evidently there are major barriers that are preventing would-be apprentices from successfully applying to and pursuing these programmes: according to government data, the number of individuals under the age of 19 starting an apprenticeship sits at around 5,000.
With demand so high and conversion relatively low, it’s clear that there are improvements that can be made in the apprentice lifecycle. UCAS’s plan to provide extended information about apprenticeship opportunities alongside listings for traditional degrees is a welcome start.
But what about providers who are looking to increase conversions on apprenticeship programmes? Apprenticeships offer a markedly distinct experience to the 3-year undergraduate degree and require different skills and qualifications, as well as a totally separate application processes. As such, marketing campaigns must respond to the unique nature of these programmes – and the particular needs and aspirations of the prospects they attract.
What Motivates Would-Be Apprentices?
In July 2023, UCAS teamed up with the Sutton Trust to produce the report, ‘Where Next? What Influences the Choices of Would-Be Apprentices’.
The findings of this report point outline the apprentice journey – and the factors along the way that contribute to a prospect submitting a successful application – in 5 stages: discovery, exploration, applying, entry and experience.
This research found that the key motivating factors for successful apprenticeship applicants were:
Getting paid to learn
Getting their first step on the career ladder
Avoiding student debt
Meanwhile, among those who successfully applied and enrolled in an apprenticeship, contextual factors that helped them along the way included:
Awareness of higher and degree apprenticeships before GCSE
Receiving a similar level of information and guidance as they do about traditional university degrees
Support received prior to application
A positive application and starting experience that meets expectations
In this article, we take these findings to suggest a number of action areas for providers seeking to attract more prospects and enhance conversions in their apprenticeship programmes.
Become a Trusted Source of Information
The report strongly suggests that apprenticeship take up could be bolstered by providing better, more comprehensive, and supportive information earlier in the apprentice journey. Students reported finding it difficult to discover information about apprenticeship opportunities, with many finding the application process laborious and confusing.
If you’re seeking to grow applications to your programmes, you want to aim to be a trusted source of knowledge on all things higher and degree apprenticeships. There are plenty of ways you can do this:
Improving the SEO ranking on your higher and degree apprenticeship information webpages by optimising for keywords
Creating ‘explainer’ content for your social channels that breaks down the application process in an easy-to-understand way. Consider getting a current apprentice to explain how they successfully applied in a video, for channels such as TikTok and Instagram Reels; a vlog, for channels such as YouTube; or a blog, for your website.
Consider using AI. Developing a chatbot that can answer prospect’s questions about apprenticeships might be particularly helpful – as long as the information it provides is accurate!
Provide useful, easy-to-digest information about finance and funding. The report found that this was a major barrier for prospects – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – so making sure students are aware of what they are entitled to, and what extra support is available, is crucial.
In all your communications, make sure you focus on those 3 central motivating factors: earn while you learn, get that first step on the career ladder and avoid student debt.
Consider how you can develop a brand identity that is linked to apprenticeship delivery. This might involve optimising your web content for key search terms relating to apprenticeships, working with your employer partners to produce content or aligning your institution’s purpose with the objectives of apprenticeship delivery. For example, Middlesex University is ‘where you learn for life’ while the University of East London puts ‘careers first’.
As HEIs, it’s difficult to compete with training providers who have been offering apprenticeships for several years and across different levels. Be sure to provide specific guidance on what completing an apprenticeship with a HEI looks like, and emphasise how an apprentice experience is different or similar to the typical university student journey.
Support Along the Way
UCAS and the Sutton Trust found that a significant deterrent in the apprentice journey was the failure of providers to offer some kind of support with the application process. While HEIs do not oversee the initial application of an apprentice, they should work with their employer partners to ensure that, together, both stakeholders are developing and providers resources and materials that can support prospects through the application process.
Too many provider websites simply point to the fact that would-be apprentices are expected to find employer vacancies themselves. While it’s helpful to signpost prospects to websites such as the Government’s apprenticeship search tool, a little more support may be beneficial for instilling trust in your university’s brand and ability to deliver help and guidance.
Some institutions, such as Nottingham Trent University, list local vacancies on their website. This would require your web team to work with apprenticeship programme leads and business engagement professionals.
If this isn’t possible due to lack of resourcing, there are other ways you can provide more support to potential apprentices. Manchester Metropolitan University has produced a helpful ‘how to apply’ brochure, in addition to encouraging students to register with them for updates about events and vacancies. In addition to supporting prospects through the application process, this has the added bonus of enabling data capture – so you can better understand who makes up your audience of would-be apprentices.
It's also worth noting that some apprentices will be required to submit a CV as part of their application. Providing guidance and support with this could also be useful. This doesn’t have to be delivered as a brochure or document – it could be a TikTok video or Instagram reel, or a short blog post with a list of top tips.
To make sure would-be apprentices can access these resources, make sure to share them with your employer partners.
It's Never Too Early to Start Your Campaign
A key finding from this report was the fact that successful applications and enrolment onto programmes were much more likely among those who had learned about higher and degree apprenticeship opportunities before completing their GCSEs.
This suggests that providers could greatly benefit from attempting to drive interest from younger age groups – and even garner a bit of brand loyalty, encouraging prospects to associate your university with apprenticeship delivery and effective IAG.
When looking to deliver campaigns that target pre-16 audiences, you should consider:
How best to reach them? This could be anything from traditional place-based advertising, to outreach and careers events in school or even delivering campaigns that target parents and guardians.
What kind of content will appeal to them? This will depend strongly on the messaging you want to deliver, but generally thinking about the kind of social platforms this demographic can be found on, like YouTube or TikTok, is useful.
What kind of message do you want to deliver to them? This might be awareness of what apprenticeships are, the kind of industries or skill gaps that make up the local economy, or simply getting them to associate your brand with these kinds of programmes.
Of course, would-be apprentices are likely to engage with the employer, rather than the provider, when seeking out a programme. As such, it’s worth thinking about how you can integrate this content and approach into your employer partners’ recruitment drives. For example, can you provide content that explores the experience of apprentices in university that the employer can use to illustrate how the apprenticeship works?
It’s also worth thinking about who is best placed in your institution to deliver this, and whether cross-team collaboration could be useful. For example, you may wish to work closely with or develop a partnership with recruitment and outreach professionals, who will have a lot of experience and knowledge in this area. Aston University do this, providing an interactive workshop for Year 9-11 pupils that explores university courses and apprenticeships, their entry requirements, and potential career paths.
Authentic Content is King
Finally, the report suggests that training providers would do best to bridge the gap between expectation and reality when it comes to higher and degree apprenticeships. A great deal of this has to do with the kind of information prospects receive about an apprenticeship before enrolment – an area that admissions teams have the power to influence.
This is perhaps best done by pointing out the potential differences in experience an apprentice might have compared to a traditional university student. For example, Queen Mary, University of London have provided a helpful list of pros and cons. Here, they emphasise the aspects that motivate many potential apprentices, such as gaining work experience, avoiding debt and enhancing employability, while noting that they won’t qualify for campus accommodation, will have to balance work and study and do not have the same holiday entitlement as students.
While website information is helpful, it requires prospective students to be determined enough to seek it out. And apprentices will be more likely to engage with the employer, rather than the provider. So, think about how you can deliver content that helps to manage apprentice expectations through alternative channels, where they don’t have to search for it, possibly integrating it with your employer partners’ recruitment drives.
Potential topics or areas to explore in this content could include:
Balancing work, life and study
Maintenance costs and funding
Lifestyle – such as holiday, social life and accommodation
Choosing an industry or role
Commitments to employers
‘A day in the life’ content has become particularly popular on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels. Encouraging your apprentices to share their experience could be helpful in setting those expectations for prospects – and getting them excited about a programme – to increase both conversions and satisfaction. This could be particularly impactful when shared and disseminated by the employer partner, as it could increase your brand awareness as an apprentice provider and also act as impactful content to support the would-be apprentice through to application.
A list of case studies or apprentice success stories could also be an encouraging resource for prospects. Take a look at NTU’s examples and try to deliver diversity in these stories, so would-be apprentices have a greater chance of relating to these narratives.
The Future is Bright for Degree Apprenticeships
The report published by UCAS and the Sutton Trust contains a number of recommendations for providers, employers and policymakers. For HE marketing and admissions professionals, it suggests the future is bright – interest in higher and degree apprenticeships continues to grow and they are explicit about the kind of information they want to receive. Provided institutions are able to deliver it in the right places, we could see further growth in this area of the sector in years to come.
Other tips providers may want to consider beyond the report could be:
What can we learn from the success of non-HEI training providers, such as BPP Education and Multiverse, and how can we differentiate our offering?
Where – in the digital and real world – are prospects seeking information about apprenticeship opportunities, and how can we meet them there?
How can we market our apprenticeship training provision to employers to enhance business partnerships and opportunities with local businesses?
How can we strengthen our brand identity as a trusted apprenticeship provider and associate ourselves more closely with technical education and employability?
