Graduate Apprenticeship Programme – September 2023

This apprenticeship programme gives employees the opportunity to study for a fully funded   degree level whilst working for Orkney Islands Council.  The programme is designed for employees who are working in the subject area which they are studying and applying the knowledge gained and their work experience to their learning.

This is an excellent opportunity to study for a degree and you can be eligible, even if you already have a degree in a subject which is not relevant to your current post. One OIC employee has already graduated from this programme and another three will graduate in July this year.

If you are interested, please discuss whether this is possible with your line manager.  You need a nominated mentor which can be your line manager or another appropriate person and the universities also require that you have some protected time to undertake work based learning during your working week.

Strathclyde  & Robert Gordon University requires students to attend their  campus several times during the academic year and this can vary depending on the subject studied. This can only be clarified in more detail once we have further details on courses required.  The costs involved with campus visits must be funded by your Service. Heriot Watt requires this to a lesser extent, if at all, and neither Heriot Watt or UHI requires campus visits for their BA (Hons) Business Management course.

There are some eligibility requirements to participate in the Graduate Apprenticeship programme, which is funded through Skills Development Scotland.  Employees:

• Must have settled status and been living in the United Kingdom (UK), the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• Must have been living in one of these places for the three years immediately before the start of the course
• Must also be living (ordinarily resident) in Scotland on the day the course starts

Applications are invited to study at degree level in the following subject areas:

• Accounting
• Business Management (including Financial Services)
• Civil Engineering
• Construction and the Built Environment
• Cyber Security
• Data Science
• Engineering: Design and Manufacture
• Engineering: Instrumentation, Measurement and Control
• IT: Management for Business
• IT: Software Development

I attach a full list of all courses each university provides  for your information. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you want to discuss this opportunity further or have any queries.  Please be sure to discuss this opportunity with your line manager as it is essential that the Service can provide you with the support required.