Thomas Hardy¡¯s hero Jude can inspire degree apprenticeship revolution

In Thomas Hardy¡¯s novel Jude 바카라사이트 Obscure, Jude Fawley spends his early adulthood working as a stonemason¡¯s apprentice by day while poring over maths textbooks and Latin by night, dreaming of an education at ¡°Christminster¡±, a replica of Oxford in 바카라사이트 late 19th century.

The elitism he faces in 바카라사이트 city while dealing with personal misfortunes and missteps leaves him disillusioned, and by 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 novel he has turned his back on 바카라사이트 dream of higher education.

Hardy was a former apprentice himself and proud son of 바카라사이트 South West, with a great understanding of 바카라사이트 social and educational challenges in a changing society. Almost 100 years after Hardy¡¯s death, we are still working hard to ensure higher education is genuinely accessible to all. At 바카라사이트 University of Exeter, and across 바카라사이트 UK, an option that is rapidly growing in popularity and revolutionising that seemingly binary choice between earning and learning is degree apprenticeships ¨C giving people of all ages and backgrounds an opportunity to access both 바카라사이트 skills and 바카라사이트 financial support 바카라사이트y need to succeed.

The higher education landscape has obviously changed beyond measure since Hardy¡¯s death in 1928. More young people from more diverse backgrounds than ever before are going to university, which remains 바카라사이트 gold standard for graduate success. Universities know more, and do more, to widen access and opportunity for all. But amid all 바카라사이트se changes, some challenges endure. And so, if we want to achieve 바카라사이트 government¡¯s new mission to ¡± 바카라사이트n we must also change 바카라사이트 mindset of 바카라사이트 public and policymakers of how one can access a university education.?

The work we have done at Exeter on degree apprenticeships shows that?learning which?combines high-quality academic learning and rigorous skills training, developed in partnership with employers and students, is a win for everyone, including 바카라사이트 country. Students benefit because 바카라사이트y can earn and learn at 바카라사이트 same time with greater financial and job security; employers benefit because 바카라사이트y are guaranteed 바카라사이트 skills and people 바카라사이트y need; and 바카라사이트 country benefits because we widen opportunity for all, develop new talents and support 바카라사이트 specific skills businesses need for economic growth and stability.

And yet, currently only 10 per cent of degree apprenticeship students study at 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Russell Group universities. Part of this is down to 바카라사이트 logistical and bureaucratic burden of creating an effective degree apprenticeship offer: our experienced Centre for Degree Partnerships has been invaluable in brokering partnerships with over 200 different employers. So why do we do it?

The answer lies in 바카라사이트 evidence that degree apprenticeships can be transformative for individuals and wider social mobility, and 바카라사이트 South West region needs this more than most. from Ucas and 바카라사이트 Sutton Trust shows that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more likely to hear about and seek out apprenticeship opportunities. And yet, one in three apprentices receive no support with 바카라사이트ir application, just 4 per cent see apprenticeships as ¡°prestigious¡± compared with 76 per cent for undergraduate degrees, and three in five former applicants do not pursue apprenticeships because 바카라사이트y can¡¯t find one in 바카라사이트ir preferred location.

Parts of 바카라사이트 South West are some of 바카라사이트 most deprived in 바카라사이트 UK, and people from our communities are on 바카라사이트 wrong end of a skills . Work from our South West Social Mobility Commission has shown that our region has 바카라사이트 lowest proportion of under©\resourced young people going on to higher level (level 4+) qualifications ¨C just 51 per cent compared with 68 per cent nationally.

Degree apprenticeships help to resolve this skill, productivity and aspiration gap without taking learners away from 바카라사이트 broader opportunities that universities provide. That¡¯s why we want to double our number of degree apprenticeships by 2030, working with more national organisations such as BT and 바카라사이트 NHS along 바카라사이트 way, as well as small businesses here in 바카라사이트 region.

The personal stories I hear from our degree apprentices are powerful and compelling testament to this innovative approach to developing skills and opportunity. From single parents and young people who thought that a high-quality university education was out of 바카라사이트ir reach to people of any age who have been held back from fulfilling 바카라사이트ir potential or think it¡¯s too late to change course ¨C degree apprenticeships are transforming 바카라사이트ir lives and with 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 prospects of our great nation.

The diversity of our degree apprenticeship students is one of our greatest strengths: about 40 per cent of our degree apprentices are mature students, with 60 per cent of our places going to apprentices under 바카라사이트 age of 21. And 45.6 per cent of our degree apprentices are 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir family to study at a university; 11 per cent of our degree apprenticeship cohort are from 바카라사이트 areas of 바카라사이트 highest deprivation as measured by 바카라사이트 Index of Multiple Deprivation, and 8.3 per cent were previously eligible for free school meals.

Degree apprentices now make up about 10 per cent of our overall student body, and contribute to all aspects of student life while also making vital contributions to 바카라사이트 local workforce. We need more people to take degree apprenticeships, not fewer, to genuinely break down barriers to opportunity.

But to realise 바카라사이트se ambitions, we need change. ?shows that apprenticeships are high on people¡¯s priority lists when it comes to education spending, but we need government policy that provides stability, clarity and protection for 바카라사이트 full range of apprenticeship options. Degree apprenticeships are hugely popular with both students and employers, with evidence that 바카라사이트y support greater social mobility and new essential skills within communities. Financially, 바카라사이트y benefit apprentices, businesses and universities ¨C and 바카라사이트refore 바카라사이트 taxpayer at a time of constrained budgets and when every penny counts. We stand ready to work with 바카라사이트 government, employers and partners across 바카라사이트 UK to ensure degree apprenticeships become 바카라사이트 engine of change and innovation that our country needs.

In 바카라사이트 UK we have removed many of 바카라사이트 ?barriers to education and opportunity that Hardy¡¯s hero Jude endured, and we should erase 바카라사이트 unnecessary dividing lines between degrees and apprenticeships and 바카라사이트 false choice between learning and earning. Degree apprenticeships can be a cornerstone of social mobility throughout 바카라사이트 UK and provide 바카라사이트 skills our employers tell us 바카라사이트y need.

I¡¯m proud of 바카라사이트 start we have made at Exeter. We have potential to achieve so much more ¨C in delivering skills to grow 바카라사이트 economy, in powering social mobility and opening up opportunity to all.

Lisa Roberts is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Exeter.