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A Sector in Crisis? Insights from How English Higher Education Apprenticeships Are Weathering the Storm

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Title: A Sector in Crisis? Insights from How English Higher Education Apprenticeships Are Weathering the Storm
Language: English
Authors: Phil Power-Mason (ORCID 0000-0002-4067-3758), Helen Charlton (ORCID 0000-0002-4110-8224), Francesca Walker-Martin, Sarah Bloomfield (ORCID 0000-0001-6222-7524)
Source: Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning. 2025 15(3):548-561.
Availability: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Apprenticeships, Business Education, Higher Education, Institutional Cooperation, Educational Practices
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
DOI: 10.1108/HESWBL-09-2024-0253
ISSN: 2042-3896
Abstract: Purpose: This viewpoint explores strategic lessons for wider higher education (HE) practices from university business and management apprenticeships in England. The paper highlights parallels between the challenges in apprenticeships and those confronting HE leaders and managers, especially regarding rising regulatory pressures, financial constraints and the need for innovation. The authors present how collaboration and adaptive practices from university apprenticeships might inform broader institutional approaches. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on autoethnographic experiences of business and management apprenticeship leaders to characterise the current state of the HE sector. Drawing together successful collaborative apprenticeship practices, the authors narrate how their own interactions have supported innovation in the face of resource constraints, regulatory compliance and a complex stakeholder context. Findings: Intense regulatory scrutiny and resource limitations have driven innovation and collaboration within business school apprenticeships, which could offer valuable strategies for the wider HE sector. Insights include enhanced personalised student support, proactive progress monitoring, and effective partnership. Collaborative approaches developed amongst apprenticeship providers have driven continuous improvement, highlighting potential benefits to traditional HE programmes of cross-institutional collaboration and the adoption of new practices in response to rapidly changing conditions. Originality/value: Contributing to the discourse on HE resilience, the authors reflect on how innovations within HE apprenticeship practice offer potential solutions to wider challenges. The paper emphasises that addressing current and future challenges in the UK HE context requires shifting from competitive isolation to cross-institutional collaboration and from top-down to bottom-up innovation.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1474087
Database: ERIC
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  Data: A Sector in Crisis? Insights from How English Higher Education Apprenticeships Are Weathering the Storm
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Phil+Power-Mason%22">Phil Power-Mason</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4067-3758">0000-0002-4067-3758</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Helen+Charlton%22">Helen Charlton</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4110-8224">0000-0002-4110-8224</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Francesca+Walker-Martin%22">Francesca Walker-Martin</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sarah+Bloomfield%22">Sarah Bloomfield</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6222-7524">0000-0001-6222-7524</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Higher+Education%2C+Skills+and+Work-based+Learning%22"><i>Higher Education, Skills and Work-based Learning</i></searchLink>. 2025 15(3):548-561.
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  Data: Emerald Publishing Limited. Howard House, Wagon Lane, Bingley, West Yorkshire, BD16 1WA, UK. Tel: +44-1274-777700; Fax: +44-1274-785201; e-mail: emerald@emeraldinsight.com; Web site: http://www.emerald.com/insight
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  Data: 14
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Evaluative
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Apprenticeships%22">Apprenticeships</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Business+Education%22">Business Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Institutional+Cooperation%22">Institutional Cooperation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Practices%22">Educational Practices</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22United+Kingdom+%28England%29%22">United Kingdom (England)</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1108/HESWBL-09-2024-0253
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  Data: 2042-3896
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Purpose: This viewpoint explores strategic lessons for wider higher education (HE) practices from university business and management apprenticeships in England. The paper highlights parallels between the challenges in apprenticeships and those confronting HE leaders and managers, especially regarding rising regulatory pressures, financial constraints and the need for innovation. The authors present how collaboration and adaptive practices from university apprenticeships might inform broader institutional approaches. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on autoethnographic experiences of business and management apprenticeship leaders to characterise the current state of the HE sector. Drawing together successful collaborative apprenticeship practices, the authors narrate how their own interactions have supported innovation in the face of resource constraints, regulatory compliance and a complex stakeholder context. Findings: Intense regulatory scrutiny and resource limitations have driven innovation and collaboration within business school apprenticeships, which could offer valuable strategies for the wider HE sector. Insights include enhanced personalised student support, proactive progress monitoring, and effective partnership. Collaborative approaches developed amongst apprenticeship providers have driven continuous improvement, highlighting potential benefits to traditional HE programmes of cross-institutional collaboration and the adoption of new practices in response to rapidly changing conditions. Originality/value: Contributing to the discourse on HE resilience, the authors reflect on how innovations within HE apprenticeship practice offer potential solutions to wider challenges. The paper emphasises that addressing current and future challenges in the UK HE context requires shifting from competitive isolation to cross-institutional collaboration and from top-down to bottom-up innovation.
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  Data: 2025
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PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1474087
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        Value: 10.1108/HESWBL-09-2024-0253
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      – Text: English
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        PageCount: 14
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    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Apprenticeships
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      – SubjectFull: Business Education
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      – SubjectFull: Higher Education
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      – SubjectFull: Institutional Cooperation
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      – SubjectFull: Educational Practices
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      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
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      – TitleFull: A Sector in Crisis? Insights from How English Higher Education Apprenticeships Are Weathering the Storm
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