The apprenticeship journey

To start the ball rolling, you’ll need to submit an application via the university’s website, ideally no later than a month before you are due to start, to ensure that all of the background work can be completed in time for the start of your course. The training start date(s) of all of our courses are on the main degree apprenticeships page, but you can also contact us for more information via: 

• Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical and Manufacturing Engineering: WSApprenticeships@lboro.ac.uk
• Business School: sbeapprenticeships@lboro.ac.uk

 There are a number of documents that will be required as part of your application, including:

• A copy of your undergraduate degree certificate
• An academic transcript showing the modules studied and marks attained for your undergraduate degree
• A personal statement which should briefly explain your motivation for studying this programme
• A copy of your current passport
• An employer reference on letter-headed paper
• Evidence of a Level 2 English and mathematics qualifications (usually GCSE or equivalent). More information on what kind of qualifications can be accepted is on the gov.uk site. If you do not have any evidence available or cannot request them from an awarding body, you will be required to undertake functional skills assessment(s) within the first year of the apprenticeship.

Once the university has received your application to study and has had a chance to consider it, along with any relevant documentation you’ve submitted, you will be notified of the outcome of our decision as soon as possible. You will hopefully receive an email with an offer to study, which will fall into one of the below categories: 

• Conditional – you are required to provide further information or documentation to fulfil the application requirements and receive an unconditional offer
• Unconditional – you have been accepted onto the course based on what you have already provided, and no further information is required

After receiving an offer, you should respond as soon as possible by logging into your Online Application Portal Account and accessing the “Reply to Offer Details” link.

Once your offer has been accepted, the University will generate a unique Student Number on your behalf which will be sent to you via the email stated on your application. You’ll then enter the apprenticeship eligibility stage.

In addition to your university application, you will need to complete and submit a handful of forms before you start your apprenticeship which ensure it is both suitable and compliant. They include: 

1. Apprenticeship eligibility declaration

This form captures vital information about you that we need to accurately claim government funding that we may not obtain from anywhere else in the admissions process, though there may be some overlap. It will be assessed by a member of the apprenticeships team who will determine whether you are eligible

2. Initial assessment

This document asks you to self-assess your competence against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) of the apprenticeship standard, which industry experts have decided are the ‘benchmarks’ for a fully competent professional in that occupation. This will be followed-up with a discussion, where the provider will aim to contextualise the assessment responses to ensure that you have given an accurate reflection of your current competence against the standard. The employer will ideally be present to provide their views, both about the expected level required to achieve occupational competence, and for their opinion on the level you are currently working at, if you are an existing employee. If the initial assessment confirms significant prior learning, to the extent that your programme would be less than 12 months in duration, this would render the apprenticeship ineligible for funding. This does not necessarily mean you cannot proceed, but there would need to be alternative arrangements put in place to fund your training.

3. Training plan

The training provider is responsible for developing and agreeing a plan for training with the apprentice and employer that will at least set out the following: 

• Your name, job role, and normal working hours
• Details of all relevant parties
• Details of the apprenticeship you’re going to be working toward
• The volume of off-the-job training hours you’re going to complete
• Details of all training to be delivered, including approximately when you’ll receive it and who will deliver it
• Details of the outcome(s) of your initial assessment

4. Apprenticeship agreement

This is a formal agreement between the apprentice and employer, required by legislation, which must be in place at the start and for the duration of the apprenticeship. The information required is as follows: 

• Your name
• Details of the apprenticeship you’re going to be working toward, including the dates you’ll be starting and when it’s anticipated you’ll finish
• Your place of work
• The volume of off-the-job training hours you’re going to complete

The Apprenticeships Team will send you a communication outlining the details of the induction including date time and location.

You will be expected to attend the programme induction in person, held at the Loughborough University campus – attendance is compulsory and should you not be able to attend you may need to defer your Application until the next Academic Year.

We ask that you forward the details of your induction to your Workplace Mentor so that they can attend if they are able to. If they already mentor another Loughborough University apprentice, they will not be required to attend. If this is their first foray into a Loughborough University Apprenticeship Programme and/or mentoring, it would be beneficial for them to attend as there will be specific information and training relevant to their understanding of the programme.

Where possible, inductions are scheduled on a Friday or Monday to be least disruptive to the working week of you and your Workplace Mentor. There are accommodation options available on campus should you wish to stay overnight instead of travelling on the day.

Please ensure that all communications sent to you via the University are reviewed as soon as possible in the lead up to the start of your programme. You will be emailed your IT credentials which will allow you to log into the University’s Virtual Learning environment – LEARN, your student email and more.

You will also be required to complete your registration to confirm your student enrolment on the programme – this will include uploading a photograph for your ID card, which you will be able to collect in your first week of teaching if you complete the registration in enough time.

Please ensure you have your Training Plan available on the day, either on a personal device or in hardcopy.