Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh is to offer 30 Graduate Apprenticeship places for people who wish to study BA (Hons) Business Management.

Thanks to further funding from Skills Development Scotland, QMU can now give more people the opportunity to study for a degree while continuing with their employment.

The combination of study and employment is proving to be a winner for 15 graduate apprentices who were the first entrants to the QMU programme in 2018. The employees, who are from retail, construction, engineering, recruitment, childcare and third sector organisations, are now more than half way through the first year of their degree. The opportunity to integrate their working life with academic study means they can work, learn and earn throughout the duration of the four year honours degree.

Dr Andrew Bratton, Programme Leader for QMU’s Graduate Apprenticeships, explained: “The programme, run by the QMU Business School, offers an alternative to full-time university study and provides benefits for employees and employers in Scotland. For students, it’s a practical, integrated way to develop their expertise and career with their current employer.  In addition, employers benefit from having highly skilled, more motivated and ambitious future leaders applying their learning to current working situations or new projects.”

Dr Bratton continued: “We are delighted that Skills Development Scotland’s support of QMU’s Graduate Apprenticeship programme is opening up education opportunities for 30 new apprentices who wish to develop their business and leadership skills.”

Graduate Apprenticeships have been developed by SDS in partnership with employers, universities and colleges and professional bodies to create stronger links between education and industry. The growth of Graduate Apprenticeships supports the Scottish Government’s ambition to create 30,000 apprenticeship jobs a year by 2020.

Skills Development Scotland, Director of Service Design and Innovation, Jonathan Clark, said: “The success and growth of Graduate Apprenticeships demonstrates that they are supporting employers to upskill their workforce and giving individuals more opportunities to learn and develop their career whilst in employment.

“Universities and colleges across the country are widening their choice of Graduate Apprenticeships and Skills Development Scotland will continue to develop subjects that focus on a range of sectors where there is a need for highly skilled jobs.”

Dr Bratton concluded: “We look forward to speaking to new organisations about the opportunities associated with Graduate Apprenticeships and helping new apprentices grow and develop into effective organisational leaders.”

Thirty places will be available for new graduate apprentices to study at QMU in September 2019. For further information contact: E: abratton@qmu.ac.uk or visit:www.qmu.ac.uk/ga