The best of both worlds? The working lives of Degree Apprentices in England

Creaby, Fiona ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3986-2639, Christie, Fiona ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1384-3683, Rattenbury, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6939-0826 and Jones, Katy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8090-4557 (2022) The best of both worlds? The working lives of Degree Apprentices in England. In: Mobilities in Higher Education: SRHE International Conference 2022, 05 December 2022 - 09 December 2022, Online.

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Abstract

Degree apprentices are emergent actors within UK workplaces and Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) since the introduction of Degree Apprenticeships in 2015. In the context of a growing policy narrative around the usefulness of degree apprenticeships to working lives, the future of employment and social mobility, research about them is developing. However, there is limited focus on the journey of these unique actors, how they position themselves within the worlds of Higher Education and employment, and the possibilities they consider for their future selves. Hence, this paper offers a theoretical and empirical contribution as we draw on the ‘space of authoring’ from Figured Worlds theory to explore how a cohort of degree apprentices author their experiences and consider the impact of the Degree Apprenticeship on their working lives. We argue that exploring the journey of these early pioneers can offer useful insights for future applicants, employers, policy-makers and HEIs.