Industry organisation AiGroup, the Australian Submarine Corporation, BAE Systems (as in British Aerospace) and Uni South Australia have launched what is billed as Australia’s first degree apprenticeship.
It’s a combination of a job and an honours degree in software engineering, with the program recognised by regulator, SA Skills Commission and supported by the SA Government.
The Commission ties the program to an existing shortage and the AUKUS submarine program’s future need. National planning agency, Jobs and Skills Australia reports a shortage of software engineers across the Commonwealth.
The University’s existing software engineering programme offers the possibility of students working with an industry client on an honours year project, “from brief through to project delivery” but the degree apprenticeship is about continuing employment and study, with paid work embedded from the start.
The course is five years, rather than the standard four for Honours, with academic content front-loaded – by their final year students will be on campus for classes one day a week and working the others.
This has the potential to be a big-deal indeed. While there are 13 students in the first intake that translates to 150 students across the first five year cycle and bigger starting classes are expected in future.
And it is in-line with Mary O’Kane and colleagues’ Universities Accord call for “new models of learning and earning.”
But creating degree apprenticeships across the economy will require entrepreneurs who can put employers, universities, and VET providers, together, especially if the model is to include small and medium enterprises, where the jobs are, rather than just giant corporations. As well as BAE, which has degree apprentice programme at its UK submarine yard, Uni SA is partnering with SA company Consunet (electromagnetic warfare).
AiGroup is also working on a dual electrical qualification with Uni Southern Queensland and Queensland TAFE, for the State Government and with RMIT, on a degree apprenticeship in systems engineering.
Industry organisation AiGroup, the Australian Submarine Corporation, BAE Systems (as in British Aerospace) and Uni South Australia have launched what is billed as Australia’s first degree apprenticeship.
