The University of Aberdeen has announced 15 places on its Graduate Apprenticeship BEng Civil Engineering programme starting in September.

Graduate Apprenticeships are designed to allow you to study for your honours degree while you continue working. As a Graduate Apprentice, you will undertake about 80% of your learning at work and 20% at university.

The programme, launched last year, is funded by Scotland’s national skills body Skills Development Scotland.

Graduate Apprenticeships are designed to enable employers to develop new or existing staff through a blend of work-based and on-campus learning, meaning staff remain working for their company while earning their degree.

Skills Development Scotland developed Graduate Apprenticeships in partnership with employers, universities, colleges, and professional bodies to create stronger links between education and industry.

The University’s Civil Engineering programme is considered among the best in the UK, and is accredited by the Institution of Structural Engineers, Institution of Civil Engineers, Institute of Highways Engineers and the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation

The Graduate Apprenticeship consists of two, two-week blocks of campus-based learning each year, each followed by a period of work-based-learning (WBL).

Programme co-ordinator, Dr Paul Davidson, said:

“We are once again delighted to offer these Graduate Apprenticeship positions, funded by Skills Development Scotland.

“Our involvement in the scheme is testament to the quality of our Civil Engineering programmes, which are consistently ranked among the best in the UK and rated highly for teaching quality, student satisfaction and graduate employability.

“The Graduate Apprenticeships offer employers and workers the opportunity to benefit from the tangible business benefits that apprenticeships have been shown to deliver, such as improved productivity and performance, talent development and retention, and staff engagement in their own professional development.

“Our first cohort of students have derived huge benefits from their involvement in the programme, and we are looking forward to repeating that success with the next group of students starting in September.”

Skills Development Scotland Director of Critical Skills and Occupations, Diane Greenlees said:

 “More and more Scottish employers are turning to Graduate Apprenticeships to meet their critical skills needs.

“Graduate Apprenticeships are industry-led and delivered with Universities across Scotland, ensuring businesses have access to high-level skills and providing both new and existing employees with the opportunities to get a job and get a degree.”