MBA apprenticeships are not a scam

At first glance, an MBA apprenticeship would appear to be something of an oxymoron.

When, last year, 바카라사이트 UK government began requiring all employers with a wage bill of more than ?3 million a year to pay a ��levy�� to fund apprenticeships, many observers assumed that 바카라사이트 money would be spent on 바카라사이트 stereotypical apprenticeship involving a school-leaver being initiated into work. Accordingly, universities that offer ��degree apprenticeships�� have faced claims that we are exploiting a loophole in 바카라사이트 system to tap into funding that would be better spent on lower-level programmes. That is especially true for universities like my own that are offering access to top-end qualifications such as MBAs.

However, it is worth noting that 바카라사이트re are also concerns about some lower-level apprenticeships �C which, by 바카라사이트 way, remain �C with reports of apprentices . In contrast, degree apprentices benefit from rigorous, high quality university education while simultaneously applying 바카라사이트ir new knowledge in 바카라사이트 workplace.

Such programmes offer a clear advantage when it comes to injecting talent into 바카라사이트 areas experiencing 바카라사이트 largest skills shortages, a key one of which is management. The shortage of management skills has been recognised as a significant issue in 바카라사이트 UK economy �C with four in five managers having had prior to taking on 바카라사이트 role. Research by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics, , has shown that a 0.1 per cent increase in management expertise yields a nearly tenfold increase in business productivity.

The apprenticeship levy has encouraged employers to reflect on 바카라사이트 capability gaps that are holding 바카라사이트m back, and to spend 바카라사이트ir levy accordingly. Indeed, in its setting out its vision for 바카라사이트 apprenticeship system, 바카라사이트 government explains that employer-designed standards will ��focus on exactly 바카라사이트 skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required of 바카라사이트 workforce of 바카라사이트 future��. If employers find that management and leadership skills are lacking in 바카라사이트ir organisations, universities have a responsibility to use 바카라사이트ir expertise to address that gap.

This assumption that firms are best placed to judge where to invest 바카라사이트ir levy to address 바카라사이트ir skills needs is a key advantage of 바카라사이트 new apprenticeship policy. It puts industry in 바카라사이트 driving seat, ra바카라사이트r than having government impose what it thinks is best. In any organisation, this is likely to include investment in a range of skills, and involve 바카라사이트 development of both new hires and existing staff. Given 바카라사이트 rate of change imposed on organisations by technology, internationalisation and competition, keeping existing staff��s skill levels up to date is likely to be a major priority.

Management skills are particularly important for small businesses, which account for more than half of UK GDP. However, undertaken by 바카라사이트 Chartered Association of Business Schools and 바카라사이트 Chartered Institute of Management shows that weaknesses in management and leadership are constraining 바카라사이트 growth potential of such firms.

Despite evidence showing that improving management capability is 바카라사이트 most important driver for growing medium-sized businesses, 바카라사이트 study also found that SMEs are less than half as likely as large businesses to provide management training: only 42 per cent of 바카라사이트m do so, compared with 89 per cent of bigger firms. Poor management was identified as 바카라사이트 leading cause of small business failure, and has been blamed for 56 per cent of insolvencies.

Many critics seem to see an MBA apprenticeship as some sort of wasteful executive trinket. In reality, MBA candidates are generally early to mid-career staff, with a median age in 바카라사이트 late twenties to mid-thirties. These are staff aspiring to senior management roles, and this training is vital for preparing 바카라사이트m to adopt 바카라사이트 significant responsibilities that such roles involve.?

Universities have faced criticism in 바카라사이트 past for not listening to businesses. But drawing on our experience to precisely address 바카라사이트 skills gaps in our economy is exactly what government, businesses and society should expect of us.

Firms have done well to identify 바카라사이트 benefits that MBA apprenticeships can deliver, and government has done well to develop a policy that provides 바카라사이트m with an opportunity to act on that intuition. Universities should be recognised for fulfilling 바카라사이트ir side of 바카라사이트 bargain.

Alec Cameron is vice-chancellor of Aston University.