Do you want to be better prepared for a senior role or simply lead your business more effectively? If so and you are based in England, then did you know that up until 29th March this year you can study for an MBA within a fully funded Apprenticeship? This could be just the flexible, and low to no cost opportunity that you have been waiting for. You need to sign up for this Apprenticeship very soon as after 29th March an MBA will no longer be a required component or covered by the funding.
The Senior Leader Master’s Degree Apprenticeship standard was co-developed by businesses, professional bodies and training providers to ensure that the development and demonstration of key skills and behaviours are given equal if not more weighting than pure academic knowledge.
Several training organisations offer courses and a list is available via the .gov.uk website – https://findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk . Most courses require attendance which in these current times can be a significant hurdle. However, one provider that is currently delivering their training fully online is London Examinations Board (LEB) – https://leb.education/product/senior-leader-masters-degree-apprenticeship/ . They have teamed up with UK and international universities to provide a rich learning experience and it typically takes 18-24 months to complete.
Says Kevin Johns-Putra, CEO of LEB, “The Apprenticeship follows a work-based and problem-based learning approach, and apprentices will be expected to demonstrate how they have utilized their learning and development in solving business-related issues and problems by integrating and building on perspectives from the course and the learning material, plus their own contexts. Apprentices will complete core modules and be assessed on how they have been applied in their work place. Successful apprentices will be eligible to apply for membership with several Professional Bodies.”
LEB has been offering business-related degrees and Master’s programmes through links with various universities in the United Kingdom, Australia, USA, France and Malaysia. Working with its university partners, LEB is focussed on developing students who are working adults and has a highly-qualified teaching team.
Kevin further explains that, “To access the programme, you need to be employed in an existing job or a new hire and your employer must also agree to the apprenticeship, allowing you to spend 20% of your normal working hours on the programme. Applicants simply need to meet the entry requirements which are either a honours degree or a professional qualification and/or work experience at supervisory / managerial level plus English and Maths Grade A-C (or these must be gained during the apprenticeship). The potential benefits to students’ career prospects are obvious and employers can gain significantly as apprentices are trained within the context of their organisations, i.e. they contribute to their organisation’s productivity while developing their own skills. In addition, apprenticeship training can be adapted to the needs of the organisation and apprentices will gain the knowledge, behaviours and skills to confidently engage in sustainable, evidence-based decision making.”
And the cost? Instead of the need to take out a student loan to pay the fees (approximately £18,000), it is completely free to the apprentice. If the employer is large (with an annual payroll bill of over £3 million) then they can use their Apprenticeship Levy funds for this MBA / Apprenticeship training. If your organisation doesn’t pay the Levy or if it has been used up then there is ‘co-investment’ where the employer pays just 5% of the training costs and the Government pays 95%.
Now isn’t that an opportunity too good to miss?!
Enquiries and further details:
Website: London Examinations Board ; www.leb.education
https://leb.education/product/senior-leader-masters-degree-apprenticeship/
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 01992 711 963