The Higher Degree Apprenticeship (HDA) learning agreement
 A key compliance requirement of any HDA for every apprentice (as both student and employee), their employer and Sheffield Hallam University (SHU).
At the heart of any HDA is a three-way commitment statement which outlines the mutual responsibilities of the apprentice, their employer, and the university. It emphasises both Work-Based Learning (WBL) and mentoring as a key requirement of the curriculum design. A template commitment statement is available in the key guides section of the resource. Commitment Statements are needed to demonstrate commitment and obtain funding, but they should be treated as live documents and an adaptable road map. The HDA course should provide explicit checkpoints and opportunities to review and update the learning milestones with the End Point Assessment (EPA) in mind. |
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The purpose of the toolkit and EPA from LTA Multimedia on Vimeo.
The following statements typify a SHU commitment statement, but will be updated by the Directorate of Education and Employer Partnerships (DEEP) to reflect any changes to the funding rules or to achieve general improvements
The apprentice shall |
The employer shall |
The University shall |
| Attend training sessions, either on- or off-the-job, as and when required
Liaise with the course leader and the employer, as applicable, in relation to any reviews, monitoring, or audits required for the apprenticeship, including providing information for, and access to, all documentation relevant to the apprenticeship on request |
Provide a safe and supportive environment for the work-based elements of the apprenticeship
Ensure that the apprentice’s roles at work allow him/her to gain the wider employment experience required by the university course and the apprenticeship framework Ensure that the apprentice is given sufficient time to enable him/her to complete all elements of the work-based learning elements of the university course within his/her contracted working hours Allow the apprentice to attend all agreed off-the-job learning and shall continue to pay the apprentice during such time, where it falls within normal working hours |
Deliver the academic learning elements of the university course and establish and/or deliver on- and off-the-job learning to meet the needs of the apprenticeship, the apprentice and the employer
Monitor the apprentice’s progress in liaison with the employer, and the course leader shall keep the employer informed of the apprentice’s progress, including any disciplinary issues Monitor the quality of learning delivery to ensure that it meets the required standards, including liaising with both the employer and the apprentice |