These FAQs have been generated by Higher and Degrees Apprenticeships (HDA) and Work-Based Learning (WBL) leads from across the institution. The responses were generated by the Apprenticeship and Work-Based Learning Group (AWBL) forum members.
The Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) employer and student HDA FAQ fact sheets are on our Key Guides section and provide answers to a range of typical queries from these different stakeholder groups.
Q. Is there a checklist of key HDA compliance requirements?
Take a look at our Compliance Checklist.
Q. Who checks that a course which includes HDA provision is compliant?
This is either the Work-Based Learning Framework (WBLF) ‘standing panel’ if using the Framework or
SHU faculty course development panel if using traditional route.
Q. What are the consequences if HDA requirements are not achieved?
If SHU is found to have compliance failures or omissions when audited by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), its HDA service provider status can be revoked, and the ESFA funding withdrawn.
Q. Why are HDAs important for SHU?
They offer an opportunity to be both part of the challenge to address current UK skills shortages and to access alternative student funding opportunities.
For students, they offer an alternative and potentially debt-free opportunity for higher education award study. The new SHU strategy Implementation Plan states that SHU should be the leading Higher Education Institution (HEI) for Degree Apprenticeships as a key plank to being the Leading Applied University
Q. How ready is SHU for HDA provision?
Some ‘early adopter’ courses have been offering HDA routes since 2015. Degree Apprenticeships will come online in response to employer ‘Trailblazer’ led HDA framework development. The Directorate of Education and Employer Partnerships (DEEP) can provide a summary of on-going activity and has brought together a pool of Work-Based Learning (WBL) Champions.
Q. What apprenticeships does SHU currently offer?
Please take a look at SHU’s generic HDA Offer start dates. We also offer specific start dates for Engineering courses.
These documents are subject to frequent revision. Please check the date on the PDF documents and if you have any queries about this, please contact DEEP
Q. How do I know whether a SHU course is suitable for HDA provision?
If a course can be adapted to feature a strong WBL element, and can be delivered in a flexible, part-time way, there is a strong chance it can be considered for HDA provision. The next stage is to consider the full current ‘live’ list of Apprenticeship Standards on the SFA website. You can also see our Key Guides resources.
If a suitable course can be adapted to fit a ‘live’ list requirement and mapped accordingly (e.g. using the WBLF as the governance structure) it can most likely offer HDA provision.
Q. Are HDAs the same as WBL?
No. Think of HDAs as a specific subset of WBL. Not all WBL is directly linked to HDAs, but all HDAs have a WBL ethos. Further information can be found on our Policy page.
Q. Can SHU recognise prior learning with Apprenticeship?
There are some additional factors to take into account and we are currently working with our Academic and Quality Standards (AQS) Team and the Quality Assurance Agency on developing a short guide. The key principles to bear in mind alongside discussions with ourselves and the Admissions Team are:
- The normal principles with regard to qualifications generally apply, but with some additional rules to consider
- With regard to prior experience, this is not a sensible option to replace any formal credits, given that an apprenticeship is based on both the curriculum and the real work place experience – the apprentice needs to obtain a full set of knowledge, skills and behaviours as set out in each Apprenticeship Standard. Therefore it would not be appropriate to use experience as a replacement for any formal credits.
- Where a mature learner has a wealth of experience, please contact us to discuss whether they are too advanced in their learning to draw down funding at the full amount.
- The University cannot draw down apprenticeship funding for learning that has already taken place so the amount of recognised prior learning needs to be very specifically identified. We can support those judgements to avoid funding of repeated learning at the same level of study.
- There needs to be enough time left in the programme (and Gateway Period) for the learner to not only complete the course of study, but to also gain work-based competencies (defined as knowledge, skills and behaviours) some of which fall outside the scope of the curriculum. If there is only a short time left of the course after RPL is applied, then the Commitment Statement needs to reflect that and also reflect the prior experiential learning of the apprentice. It may be possible to extend the post-curriculum Gateway Period to enable work-based competencies to be realistically attained, in addition to the formal credit still required.
It is acknowledged, that these principles require further clarification, so until our short guide is available please contact us with any questions and we will liaise with AQS and Admissions to agree solutions on a case by case basis.
If any doubts persist, we can inform the ESFA of our decision to generate an appropriate audit trail for funding purposes.