Businesses in Scotland are currently facing significant skills & labour shortages. Demand for talent is increasing, but supply is in decline. It is therefore essential for employers to be responsive to rapid change and proactive in recruitment and talent development to ensure future success. By offering fully funded university degrees to new and existing employees Edinburgh Napier University’s leading Graduate Apprenticeship programmes directly respond to these shortages and support sustainable skills growth in industry.
Building for success
Designed and developed in partnership with industry, Graduate Apprenticeships at Edinburgh Napier University offer opportunities for new and existing employees of any working age in Scotland to gain a fully funded university degree while in a paid job. Participants spend around 20% of their work time in university study, offering an integrated experience where academic skills and knowledge are embedded into working practices. All Graduate Apprenticeship courses are 100% funded by Scottish Funding Council, meaning there are no additional training costs for employers and apprentices.
Study areas available include business & project management, engineering, manufacturing, construction, data science, software development, and cyber security.
Our IBM graduate apprentices spend one day a week at university, like a regular student, but the rest of the time, they are four days a week working in the real job at IBM – doing roles like software testers, DevOps engineers, software developers on real client-facing projects with client contact.
Charlotte Fisher Morecroft, Early Careers Lead, IBM
Develop the next generation of talent
The labour market in Scotland is highly competitive, with businesses frequently recruiting in a small pool for top industry talent. This up salary demands, staff turnover and shortages in areas of high skills needs. Graduate Apprenticeships enable businesses to develop an emerging talent pipeline, where applicants are in higher supply. Applicants can include school and college leavers, as well as people looking to change career. This can help significantly reduce recruitment and salary costs as well as support succession planning.
Upskill existing workforce
Many business have existing workforce with high potential who are looking to enhance their skillsets and progress their career. Napier’s Graduate Apprenticeships are proven to help employees upskill and harness career progression opportunities at no additional cost to them or their employer. The work-integrated nature of the course also means they can do this without sacrificing work, family and financial commitments. In addition to enhancing their knowledge, apprentices improve aptitude and become more productive in the workplace.
The Napier Difference
Edinburgh Napier University is one of the largest providers of Graduate Apprenticeships and a market leader in work-based learning in Scotland. Our success is built on strong industry partnerships. We consult regularly with our apprentices and employers through advisory groups and regular reviews to help us shape our programmes to directly meet business needs. When you partner with us, we will support your organisation throughout, and use our experience and resources to put you at the centre of what we do. We offer employers who partner with us a free recruitment service by skilled professionals. Additional support during the programme includes a dedicated point of contact, pastoral support, line manager training and drop-in sessions, and progress and performance reporting of your apprentice employees.
We would absolutely recommend Napier’s Graduate Apprenticeship courses to other businesses. Napier have been fantastic, they have made everything so straightforward and simple. From helping us enrol our graduates, advising us on funding, and supporting our apprentices on their learning journey.
Alex Walker, Business Operations Director, Forrit
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