Cumbria’s university celebrates National Apprenticeship Week 2025

The university has been shortlisted in The Apprenticeship Guide Awards 2025 in the categories of:

• Best University for Apprenticeships
• Best Apprenticeship in Healthcare
• Excellence in Training Delivery

The University of Cumbria is one of the largest degree apprenticeship providers in the country. It has seen 20 per cent growth over five years, and now has more than 2,500 learners on a range of degree apprenticeships.

The National Apprenticeship Week theme for 2025 is ‘Skills for Life’, a core purpose of the University of Cumbria which has as a focus the addressing of high-level skills needs in  Cumbria and beyond, including public services, businesses and industrial sectors.

In 2024, the university was awarded £600,000 by the Office for Students (OfS) to expand its apprenticeship portfolio into areas such as user experience and user interface (UX/UI) design, diagnostic radiography and youth work.

The funding enables the university to further expand its mission to equip the region with the higher-level skills it needs to thrive - for now and future generations.

Cumbria now offers the following apprenticeships: Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Nursing Associate, Registered Nurse, Midwife, Paramedic, Assistant Practitioner (Health), Diagnostic Radiography, Youth Work, Chartered Manager, Senior Leader, Police Constable, Professional Forester, Project Manager, Creative Digital Design Professional, Digital User Experience (UX) Professional.

Apprenticeship programmes at the university are delivered in partnership with over 330 employers, including global and national organisations such as BAE Systems, Sellafield Ltd, NHS trusts, and the Forestry Commission. The university’s apprenticeship provision is rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted and its pioneering paramedic apprenticeship won the Widening Participation/Outreach Initiative of the year category of the Times Higher Education Awards 2024, recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the higher education sector.

Pro Vice Chancellor (Growth and Development) Claire Aindow said

“The achievements, expansion and evolution of our university’s apprenticeship provision in 2024 has been truly remarkable.

“The university’s positive outcome for Ofsted and industry recognition through our Times Higher Education award provide reassurance that our key values of sustainability and quality underpin our growth.

“National Apprenticeship Week allows us to shine a light on the University of Cumbria’s exceptional learners and the wider achievements of our provision, recognising the impact and contribution of our apprentices.”

Look out across the week for more stories of our degree apprenticeships and learners – https://news.cumbria.ac.uk/.

• Winners of The Apprenticeship Guide Awards 2025 will be announced on 1 May at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate.

ENDS