A proud graduate has sung the praises of degree apprenticeships after becoming the first person to achieve the qualification from Loughborough College.
Andy Smith, of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, graduated with a distinction in his Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) and BA (Hons) degree in Leadership & Management after completing the fast-tracked, two-year course with the College.
The 47-year-old, who works as a service manager at Siemens CIS in Ashby, said his employer supported the degree apprenticeship as part of his personal development and chose Loughborough College because of its reputation.
He said: “Loughborough College is considered the best in the area for learning development. University was the wrong fit for me but I found local technical colleges a far better environment to learn and gain experience.
“I initially found the course online when I was looking for a management degree course and liked that it was distance learning which completed within 18 months. This enabled me to manage my study time alongside my work commitments.
“It’s in no way easy, but very fulfilling when you see the grades coming back from the effort you’ve put in, with the encouragement from the college as well.”
Andy highlighted the support from lecturers as a key reason for his success - and justified his decision to study at Loughborough College.
“They were always available if you required help and you knew that if you need to talk to them they were at the end of a phone or mail,” he said. “The interaction and relationship is paramount in knowing they are there for you and that it’s not just their job but their passion!”
Andy said he would recommend a degree apprenticeship for anyone already working but who wants to enhance their knowledge and expertise.
“My advice is to absolutely go for it,” he said. “An apprenticeship provides you with the grounding in your career as you work alongside studying, developing experiences and expanding your capabilities. Most importantly you get to know yourself and when anyone challenges you about undertaking their work, you can unequivocally say I’ve been there, done that and can coach people through your experiences to be the best version of themselves.”
Mat Hobday, Curriculum Manager for the degree apprenticeship in Leadership and Management, said: “We are so delighted for Andy to not only achieve the qualification, but to gain a distinction. It is thoroughly deserved and he is such a great example of what can be achieved through a degree apprenticeship. The course is designed for people just like him - people in industry who want to achieve a degree qualification to enhance their expertise and skills.
“People on this course tend to already be in a management position so this allows them to continue working whilst studying. Normally a degree apprenticeship takes three years, but we were able to fast track Andy because of his experience to date.
“It’s never too late to get a degree and this approach allows you to learn in college, but also on the job - no matter what your age or experience.
“Everything our degree apprenticeship students do on the course is linked to their organisation. The course has to demonstrate benefits to the employer and that’s embedded in the qualification through every assignment.”