BOURNEMOUTH University has received £465,000 from the Office for Students to create five new degree apprenticeship courses.

The courses are in Digital Marketing, Accounting Finance Management, Biomedical Science, Social Work and Midwifery.

Applications for the courses will open early next year, with the courses due to begin in September 2025.

The tuition fees for the successful apprentices will be funded through the apprenticeships levy.

This is the second time this year that Bournemouth University (BU) has received funding from the Office for Students (OfS) for degree apprenticeships, after two new courses were announced in January.

The new apprenticeships also follow the announcement that the OfS rated BU as an outstanding provider in July.

Professor Philip Sewell, director of apprenticeships and skills at the university, said: “We want to be the region’s degree apprenticeship provider of choice, strengthening the local workforce and meeting national challenges caused by skills gaps.

“This funding represents the scale of ambition we have as a university to deliver apprenticeships that meet the region’s needs.”

The new courses will add to the five existing courses BU offer which are currently helping over 400 apprentices study for a degree whilst they work.

BU will also use the OfS funding to hold workshops for people from underrepresented groups interested in degree apprenticeships, addressing inequality of opportunity in the region.

“This will include afterschool and evening sessions to help young people find and apply for relevant roles,” explained Professor Sewell.

“We will also create resources for schools and put on webinars to help parents and carers learn more about degree apprenticeships and how they can support and conduct mock interviews.”