Degree Apprenticeship Education for Future Engineering Leaders: Developing reflective practice with work-based learning.

Abstract

The significant growth in demand and offerings for degree apprenticeships (DA) since their introduction by the UK Government in 2014 is shaping the development of the workplace learning environment.  In support of this, educational reflective practices within the workplace, together with associated academic credit requires greater research focus.  For level 7 postgraduate degree students, it is relevant to examine enhancing reflective practices for work-based learning and in doing so, this paper focuses on a specific Engineering Business Management Degree Apprenticeship case study.  This research discusses the outcomes for students resulting from the postgraduate DA course, with an emphasis on their work-based learning and reflective practices, investigating the research question “how can an apprenticeship degree integrate work-based learning with reflective practice?”  A sample group of students close to graduation were chosen for the intervention and asked two question types covering their positive experiences and potential improvement areas for informing future practice. 

The positive findings highlighted the benefits of work-based learning and reflective practice for the degree apprenticeship, including the application of learning directly into the workplace and the addition of skills and behaviour competencies, whilst still achieving the master’s level knowledge and learning competencies. Potential improvement areas focus on the challenges of understanding reflective learning in the workplace, the work-life balance combining further education and finally the additional support required from employees.  The resulting recommendations for academics and course leaders encompass achieving reflective learning within the curriculum, designing courses to reflect the student’s time demands when including work-based learning, designing for the KSB’s (Knowledge, skills and behaviours) and understanding the wider student network of employer and workplace environment.