Degree Apprenticeships: Why Inclusion Makes or Breaks Success

Rebecca Heald
Sep 16
3 min read

The promise of degree apprenticeships

Degree apprenticeships were launched to solve two problems at once:

Give learners an affordable, practical pathway into professional careers
Give employers a pipeline of highly skilled, future-ready talent

On paper, it’s a win-win. Learners earn while they learn. Employers close their skills gaps. Universities expand access and impact.

But here’s the truth no one wants to admit: many degree apprenticeships are failing because inclusion isn’t built into the system.

The system is the problem, not the apprentices

Too often, degree apprenticeships are treated as compliance exercises.

Headcounts. Targets. Tick-boxes for diversity or funding.

But behind the numbers, the story looks different:

Apprentices dropping out because they feel invisible in lectures or on site
Tutors overwhelmed, lacking tools to adapt teaching for diverse learners
Employers seeing apprentices as “cheap labour” rather than future leaders

When that happens, everybody loses. The apprentice, the employer, the university and the industry.

And let’s be clear: these aren’t individual failures. They’re system failures.

Why inclusion makes or breaks success

Degree apprenticeships demand more than subject knowledge. They require cultural leadership... from universities, tutors, and employers alike.

Here’s why:

Retention

A study by the Sutton Trust found that apprenticeship drop-out rates can be as high as 47%. One of the biggest drivers? Learners not feeling supported or included.

Performance

McKinsey research shows diverse and inclusive teams are 30% more likely to outperform. If apprentices don’t feel able to bring their perspectives, employers lose out on fresh ideas.

Reputation

Universities and employers alike are being judged on their inclusivity. The OfS (Office for Students) and Ofsted are increasingly looking at student experience and equality outcomes. Fail to deliver, and your credibility takes a hit.

What inclusion really means in degree apprenticeships

Inclusion isn’t about “being nice.” It’s about designing systems where people can thrive.

Fairness: Clear, transparent processes for assessment and support. No hidden rules that punish those without insider knowledge.
Inclusion: Apprentices’ voices matter, in curriculum design, in the workplace, and in how feedback loops are built.
Respect: Apprentices are treated as professionals in training, not cheap labour. Their contribution is valued from day one.

When universities and employers get this right, apprenticeships transform lives and careers. When they don’t, apprentices walk away, often for good.

Common barriers (and how to fix them)

Rigid teaching styles
Many tutors still teach apprentices as if they were full-time traditional students. But apprentices need flexible, adaptive approaches.
✅ Solution: Invest in training that equips staff with inclusive teaching strategies.
Workplace exclusion
Apprentices often feel sidelined in project teams, given repetitive tasks rather than real opportunities.
✅ Solution: Mentor apprentices intentionally, involve them in decision-making, and give them stretch opportunities.
Hidden bias
Apprentices from underrepresented groups may face micro-aggressions, stereotyping, or assumptions about their ability.
✅ Solution: Train managers and mentors to recognise and dismantle bias in everyday interactions.
Lack of voice
Apprentices rarely get asked what works for them.
✅ Solution: Build feedback loops where apprentices’ experiences actively shape programme design.

Teaching Apprentices Inclusively

This is exactly why I developed Teaching Apprentices Inclusively, training designed for universities and employers who want their degree apprenticeship programmes to succeed.

It equips tutors, managers, and leaders with:

Practical tools to adapt teaching and mentoring
Frameworks to embed Fairness, Inclusion and Respect into programme design
Strategies to improve retention and performance outcomes
Confidence to treat apprentices as the future leaders they are

Because inclusive apprenticeships don’t happen by accident. They happen by design.

Final thought

Degree apprenticeships are one of the most powerful innovations in education. But without inclusion, they risk becoming just another system that looks good on paper and fails in practice.

If you want apprenticeships that retain talent, boost performance, and genuinely change lives, inclusion isn’t optional.

👉 Learn more about Teaching Apprentices Inclusively here: Teaching Apprentices Inclusively

👉 Ready to rewire your apprenticeship programmes? Book a call