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Degree Apprenticeships: Our Experience

4 September 2026

Degree Apprenticeships: Our Experience

Curious about Degree Apprenticeships? You have come to the right place! The ONE Group employed two of their very own Degree Apprentices, Andy Clarke and me… Becca!

If you’re curious about how degree apprenticeships work and the benefits they offer, this blog outlines the experience from both an employer and apprentice perspective.

Understanding Degree Apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships offer a unique opportunity to work full-time while simultaneously pursuing a qualification, whether it’s a degree or a specialised certification relevant to your career. Did you know these apprenticeships are not exclusive to school leavers or recent graduates? They’re open to individuals of ALL AGES (say whaaat?!) seeking a career change or a chance to enhance their existing skills.

The Funding Structure

The Apprenticeship Levy plays a crucial role in financing degree apprenticeships. Large employers contributing over 3 million annually automatically receive funding for training. Smaller businesses, although subject to a different percentage payment, also benefit with larger enterprises supporting apprenticeship training. Read more about funding here.

Benefits of Degree Apprenticeships

From an apprentice’s perspective, a degree apprenticeship offered us the opportunity to gain skills relevant to our chosen careers. We received a salary AND obtained a qualification without incurring debt.

For employers, in this instance The ONE Group, were able to ‘mold’ us apprentices to meet their specific requirements, blending our fresh perspectives with practical skills gained during the apprenticeship. A win-win for all!

Degree Apprenticeships VS Traditional University Degrees

Degree apprenticeships offer the best of both worlds – a recognised qualification, the exact same as a full-time university degree, coupled with real-world industry experience. This combination sets apprentices apart in the talent world, providing a competitive edge over traditional graduates who might lack the practical experience.

Degree apprenticeships typically span four years, with a balance between workplace responsibilities and a specific number of hours per week dedicated to studies. This structure allows apprentices to apply theoretical knowledge immediately in their roles, accelerating the learning curve.

Graduation and Additional Qualifications:

Upon completion, degree apprentices attend a traditional graduation ceremony, blending in with full-time students. Degree apprentices often earn additional qualifications, for example, Andy and I both obtained a Chartered Management Institute (CMI) accreditation, showcasing our commitment to professional development.

Advice for Aspiring Apprentices

If you’re contemplating a degree apprenticeship, we would both 100% recommend it as an alternative to the traditional university route.

Our advice? Assess your commitment level, as it demands dedication, a lot of time and a balance between your work and study. If you’re seeking a dynamic, hands-on experience that propels you ahead in your career, this will be the perfect route for you.

If your business is looking for fresh ideas and committed talent, provide opportunities for degree apprentices to join your business! Or invest in your people and offer them the opportunity to study a degree and expand their skills. Trust us, as a business we have experienced it and seen the benefits from doing so!

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THE ONE GROUP

Where we're from,
and how we got here

Twenty years of specialist recruitment in the East – and a lot of small decisions that added up.

TOG started in Peterborough in 2004 with a small team and a simple idea: that recruitment is a people business, done best by specialists who stay in their sector long enough to know it properly.

More than two decades on, we've grown into four offices across the East of England and Home Counties. We recruit for finance leaders, HR directors, engineering managers, tech founders, scientists, and the commercial teams that keep businesses running day to day. Between us, we've built up over 258 years of collective recruitment experience across our specialist divisions, and a network of more than 150,000 candidates we've placed, coached, or come to know across two decades in the region.

The founding principle hasn't changed. Recruitment as it should be.

OUR STORY

Key events timeline

2004

Doors open in Peterborough.

Our first office launches with a team of six on Lynch Wood. Cambridge follows the same year, giving us two offices before our first anniversary.

2015

Northampton makes it three.

Our third office opens with a team of five, quickly growing to eleven consultants covering the wider Midlands region.

2017

Peterborough moves across the road.

The team has outgrown the founding office. We move into Arena House on Lynch Wood, big enough for a growing consultant base and the back-office team that supports the whole group.

2018

Cambridge moves too.

Our second office relocates to Cambourne Business Park, giving the growing Cambridge team the space it now needs.

2023

Four offices, three counties, one very good year.

The Hertfordshire & Essex office opens in Potters Bar, extending our footprint into the Home Counties.

In the same year, we're named Business of the Year in Northamptonshire, and Employer of the Year in both Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire at the regional SME Business Awards. Three counties, three panels.

TODAY

Still growing.

Four offices, more than 258 years of collective recruitment experience across our specialist divisions, and a network of over 150,000 candidates.

Same founding principle.

SPECIALISTS BY DESIGN

What we do

We're specialists, not generalists. Every consultant at TOG focuses on one sector and stays in it. Not because it's the only way to do recruitment, but because it's how you build the depth to spot the difference between a strong CV and a strong hire.

It's also why so many of our clients come back to us years, even decades, after a first placement.

01
Accountancy & Finance
→
 02
Human Resources
→
 03
Commercial Office
Administration, customer service, project management and more
→
 04
Technology
→
 05
Engineering & Manufacturing
→
 06
Scientific
→
 07
Sales, Marketing & Creative
→
 08
Executive Search
Across all of the above
→

Beyond the recruitment itself, we produce annual salary guides, regional market reports, and the practical resources our clients and candidates turn to when they want a clearer view of what's happening in their sector.

THE WAY WE WORK

How we work

Four principles show up in every conversation and every process.
01

Be curious.

We stay interested in the market we work in, and in the people who work in it.

02

Keep it human.

We remember your kids' names and know how you take your coffee. That's just how we work here.

03

Make a difference.

We're here to help people build careers they love and businesses they're proud of.

04

Enjoy the ride.

Recruitment is a career, but it should be fun too. If it isn't, we've done something wrong.

WHAT COMES NEXT?

Recruitment
as it should be.

Hire with TOG → Looking for a role →
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