Innovative new course recognised with industry standard for job readiness

Manchester Metropolitan University’s Digital User Experience (UX) degree apprenticeship programme has gained Tech Industry Gold Accreditation – the industry standard for job readiness.

Delivered by experts in the field at the University’s new £35m School of Digital Arts, the course is the first of its kind in the country.

It is also the first Digital UX Degree Apprenticeship to gain Tech Industry Gold, the kitemark endorsed by employer skills body TechSkills that denotes education and training relevant to digital and tech careers.

Developed collaboratively with the BBC, Magnetic North and a wide variety of employers from different sectors, the programme is an innovative blend of higher education and work-based learning that enables students to earn while they learn the skills for a successful career in digital UX.

The Tech Industry Gold accreditation recognises its already outstanding learning outcomes, innovation in delivery through following a Scrum sprint structure with integrated learning and assessment and the unanimous backing of participating employers. Digital UX degree apprentices also benefit from the outstanding facilities in the newly opened SODA building.

It demonstrates the early impact of SODA, Manchester Metropolitan, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership’s investment into the future of digital storytelling, which will support the urgent and growing demand for skilled workers in the region’s creative digital and tech sector.

Jill Griffiths, Deputy Head of the School of Digital Arts, said: “Having contributed to the development the Digital UX Standard from the very beginning we are thrilled that the programme, and team, have achieved Tech Industry Gold recognition.

“Working in partnership with industry is central to the mission of SODA, and the Digital User Experience (UX) Degree Apprenticeship is a brilliant example of our commitment to offering high quality, innovative and exciting courses that equip apprentices, and students, with the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to enrich the creative and digital sectors and be future leaders in their fields.”

Tech Industry Gold

Learners successfully completing accredited programmes are awarded Tech Industry Gold Credentials, designed to showcase skills and helping employers in the hiring process.

Employers, educators and learners also become part of the Tech Industry Gold Community and gain access to knowledge sharing forums and student development opportunities.

Lucy Tallon, DUXDA Line Manager and Co-op Head of Design, said: “Co-op used Manchester Met’s Digital UX Degree Apprenticeship programme to recruit bright new talent for our growing design team.

“By blending the high-quality learning experience at Man Met with the workplace development and products within Co-op we can see our apprentices will be well rounded and high calibre professionals when they graduate and complete their apprenticeship. That they learn alongside and with UX apprentices from a range of sectors provides a rare and rich dimension to their learning.”

Jenny Taylor, IBM UK Foundation Manager and Chair of the national Digital Trailblazer Group, said: “Degree apprenticeships such as the Digital User Experience (UX) offer a superb new route into digital careers.  Our business is dependent on the quality of our workforce, and we put considerable energy into developing people to have the right combination of skills for the work we do. Tech Industry Gold Degree Apprenticeships are an important way for us to attract and develop high quality entrants who have future leadership potential.”

Liz Gorb, Director of Apprenticeships at Manchester Met, said: “We are delighted to receive the Tech Industry Gold accreditation for our Digital User Experience (UX) Degree Apprenticeship. This is a fantastic recognition of our excellence in learning outcomes, innovation and delivery.

“TechSkills,formerly Tech Partnership, bring together a wide range of employers and universities and we have partnered with them from the start of our Degree Apprenticeship journey. This is our third programme to receive the Tech Industry Gold accreditation.

“These accreditations speak to our dedication to upskill apprentices to thrive in a number of digital and technology careers.

“Degree apprenticeships make an incredible impact on people’s lives and careers. Our programmes offer a great combination of high-quality academic learning and on-the-job training. They deliver exceptional results both at university and impact within the workplace.”

Manchester Met is the leading university provider of degree apprenticeships in the UK (*RateMyApprenticeship Awards 2019, 2020, 2021), with a proven record of success. Since they began in 2015, its degree apprenticeships programmes have seen more 2,000 degree apprentices joining the University, across 15 programmes, from more than 540 employer partners.

Ninety-two per cent of apprentices achieved 1st or 2.1 degrees in 2021, and over 60 apprentices have also been nominated for awards, with many of them winning or being highly commended.

You can find out more about the University’s Degree Apprenticeship programmes here.

10 December 2021