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Can You Pursue a PhD Through an Apprenticeship?

Exploring the Intersection of Apprenticeships and Doctoral Studies

In the dynamic landscape of education and career pathways, the concept of apprenticeships has evolved beyond traditional vocational training. While apprenticeships are often associated with hands-on practical skills, there's a growing curiosity about whether one can embark on a journey to earn a Ph.D. through an apprenticeship. Let's delve into this intriguing question and explore the possibilities.

Understanding the Apprenticeship Model

Before we explore the prospect of a Ph.D. through apprenticeships, let's revisit the fundamental principles of apprenticeship. In the context of vocational education, apprenticeships offer a unique blend of on-the-job training and academic learning. Individuals, known as apprentices, gain practical experience under the guidance of a mentor or employer while simultaneously pursuing relevant qualifications.

Apprenticeships Beyond Traditional Trades

Traditionally, apprenticeships have been synonymous with trades such as carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work. However, the modern apprenticeship landscape extends far beyond these boundaries. In recent years, apprenticeships have diversified to include roles in information technology, healthcare, finance, and more. This expansion prompts us to consider whether doctoral-level education can be integrated into this model.

The Current Landscape for Higher Education Apprenticeships

As of now, the concept of earning a Ph.D. through apprenticeship is not widespread, especially in comparison to undergraduate and master's level apprenticeships. The traditional route for obtaining a Ph.D. involves enrolling in a doctoral program, conducting independent research, and producing a thesis. However, there are emerging initiatives and pilot programs exploring the fusion of apprenticeships with doctoral studies.

Challenges and Opportunities

The idea of pursuing a Ph.D. through an apprenticeship is not without its challenges. One of the primary obstacles is the traditional structure of doctoral programs, which often prioritise individual research endeavours. Adapting this model to incorporate the collaborative, hands-on nature of apprenticeships poses a significant challenge.

On the flip side, such a fusion could bring about a paradigm shift in doctoral education. Apprenticeship-based Ph.D. programs could provide students with practical, real-world experience from the outset, potentially enhancing the applicability of their research. Moreover, the collaboration between academia and industry within the apprenticeship framework could lead to more targeted and impactful research outcomes.

Exploring Potential Models

Several countries are experimenting with apprenticeship models at higher education levels. In Germany, for example, the dual education system combines academic study with practical training, and this concept has been extended to some master's level programs. While a direct translation of this model to the Ph.D. level is complex, it sparks conversations about innovative approaches to doctoral education.

The Role of Industry and Academia Collaboration

For a Ph.D. apprenticeship model to succeed, close collaboration between industry and academia is paramount. Employers would need to play an active role in providing meaningful, research-oriented projects for apprentices, while academic institutions would need to adapt their structures to accommodate this hybrid approach.

A Future Possibility?

The idea of earning a Ph.D. through an apprenticeship is an intriguing concept that challenges the traditional norms of doctoral education. While it is not yet a widespread reality, the evolving landscape of apprenticeships and the changing dynamics of higher education suggest that such a model could become a viable option in the future. As the conversation continues, it prompts us to reimagine the intersections between academic rigour and practical experience, paving the way for innovative approaches to doctoral education within the realm of apprenticeships.

About the Author: Nurturing Apprenticeship Enthusiasm

Darryn (The Office Apprentice) Lewis 

Talent Acquisition Specialist with a rich tapestry of 15 years in the world of human resources and recruitment. My passion lies in connecting exceptional talent with forward-thinking organisations, fostering growth on both ends of the spectrum.

I bring not just expertise but a genuine love for the subject. Through my words, apprenticeships cease to be a mere career path; they become a transformative journey toward personal and professional growth. Welcome to a space where enthusiasm for apprenticeships is not just evident but contagious. Let's embark on this exciting adventure together!

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Our business teams support the research and development of life-changing medicines for our patients every step of the way and help turn our most ambitious goals into reality. Functions such as Finance, Human Resources, Project Management and Supply Chain play a part in supporting our people and our processes. So, whether you have a passion you want to pursue or are still figuring it out, there’s endless opportunity to experience new things and learn from different areas of the business to discover what truly inspires and motivates you.

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At AstraZeneca we recognise that access to work experience is important for students to gain valuable insights into different industries and to help them with their professional and personal development.

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Designed to help you deliver the next generation of life-changing medicines by progressing through our range of exciting placements in early and late stage drug development. Learning how Patient Safety supports clinical drug development and helps ensure the safety of our patients. You’ll grow, develop and get the opportunity to make real contributions to our projects.

Join our Patient Safety graduate programme and enjoy a high level of emphasis on your personal development and career progression, helping make a difference to our medicine, patients and society!

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Locations: Macclesfield, UK & Gothenburg, Sweden

Tackle new scientific challenges. Seek opportunities to learn and grow in a highly supportive team. Collaborate and build close connections with peers and experts across the business. Join our PT&D graduate programme and enjoy a high level of emphasis on your personal development and career progression. Work on a variety of projects aligned to your experience and career ambitions. Build a broad skill base that will enable you to strengthen both your managerial and technical capabilities. And accelerate your learning.

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Precision Medicine is at the heart of what science can do at AstraZeneca. It combines the expertise of specialists from across the organisation, unlocking new potential approaches that put patients first, setting us apart from our competitors. Through advances in diagnostic testing, we are now able to identify how unique individuals respond to treatments, and match them with medicines that deliver the best outcome for them. Since 2014, we've been ranked among the top pharmaceutical companies for precision medicine approvals - proof of our world-class practices.

R&D Graduate Programme: Early Phase Drug Discovery

We’re looking for the next wave of scientists to make an impact and influence the agenda. Join our R&D programme and bring your skills, drive and curiosity to our teams and projects. Thinking innovatively and taking the initiative to help drive our drug design and development. Completing novel and cutting-edge research in state-of-the-art laboratories and developing the knowledge and confidence to become the scientist you aspire to be.

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Locations: UK, US, Sweden, Mexico & India

Our IT team is at the forefront of discovering and driving digital health and workplace automation to ensure our teams can continue to develop life-changing medicines. As a member of our Technology Graduate Leadership Programme, you’ll join our next wave of technology leaders. Use your skills and influence to deliver technology solutions. Improve the way we operate, serve customers and enable our teams to do their best work. And enjoy being recognised for your knowledge, experience and ideas. Together, we’ll drive our technology capabilities and make meaningful impact for our business and patients.

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At AstraZeneca UK, we bring life-changing medicines to patients across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As a member of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), all of our sales, marketing and communications activities are subject to the ABPI Code of Practice.

Being based in the heart of London, at Pancras Square, offers us the strongest possible platform to transform the lives of patients in the UK, as the country’s leading biopharmaceutical company. It will bring AstraZeneca UK closer to our customers, partners and stakeholders in the UK’s healthcare environment, as well as foster greater collaboration with the wider AstraZeneca footprint.

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Location: Wilmington, DE

Designed to prepare you for a career as a Clinical Research Associate, you’ll progress through different programme rotations, gaining valuable experience across functions within Site Management and Monitoring and building multidisciplinary skills. Supported by experts in their field, you’ll receive mentoring and training, bringing limitless opportunities to learn, grow, and develop your strengths in different ways.

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On this rotational programme, you’ll have the ability to learn and grow across global functions, markets and our broad pipeline of products. Expanding your knowledge and developing a global mindset to take you to the next level. Collaborating with bright, diverse minds across the business. There’s never been a better time to be part of our journey – at the cutting edge of innovation, impacting millions of people around the world. Explore our transformational opportunities and accelerate your development.

AstraZeneca's Graduate Programmes are open to Masters level applicants. Applicants with an MBA should consider our Commercial Leadership Development Programme.

Search "AstraZeneca" on www.findaphd.com to explore any PhD studentships we are currently offering in partnership with our academic collaborators.

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Locations: UK, US and Sweden

Our Postdoc Programme is for self-motivated individuals looking to take on interesting, high-impact projects in a collaborative, challenging and reputable environment. As a respected specialist, you’ll have the freedom and autonomy to contribute known skills, and the support to rapidly learn new approaches to follow the science, innovate and make an impact. Leveraging scientific development to springboard your career whilst making a meaningful difference to patients, science, and our business. Collaborating and sharing knowledge cross functionally, together with independently leading projects in your field of interest.

R&D Postdoctoral Challenge

The R&D Postdoctoral Challenge invites final year MD and/or PhD students and Postdoctoral researchers to propose innovative ideas to transform the treatment of some of the world's most complex diseases. This exciting opportunity offers a fully funded postdoctoral position, where you will join our vibrant scientific community to conduct pioneering research within one of AstraZeneca's core disease areas or expert functions. You will have access to the expertise, compounds, novel tools and technologies, and mentoring support you need to turn your ideas into reality.

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Starting your career with us means following the science, boldly disrupting norms and supporting one another in shaping the future. Collaborate with leaders and teams across a wide range of disciplines and explore your passions. Discover your career purpose with us. And build strong bonds that will last a lifetime.

We discover, design, develop and deliver life-changing medicines. Our teams deliver innovations across all areas of our business – from diabetes care to genetics. With career paths spanning the medical lifecycle, you could be joining us in areas like Clinical Development, Data Science and AI, Finance, Manufacturing or Supply. Explore our opportunities and kickstart the career that could take you from emerging professional to renowned subject matter expert.

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PhD-level apprenticeship plans move a step closer

Yasemin Craggs Mersinoglu

18 Jan 2020, 6:00

More from this author

Plans for PhD-level apprenticeships have moved a step closer, despite the government’s failing to agree a policy position on the controversial concept.

A proposal for the first ever level 8 apprenticeship – the clinical academic professional – has been approved for development.

It is not known how long the standard, for the health and science sector, will take to develop before its final programme can be put to the government and be signed off for approval and delivery.

The chair of the trailblazer group declined to comment.

FE Week revealed in April 2019 that plans for PhD-level apprenticeships had been thrown into doubt after the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) raised concerns they were not in the “spirit” of the programme.

And it appears the quango still has apprehensions about them.

Officials on the IfATE’s approval and funding committee discussed the level 8 clinical academic professional programme in September, the same month the standard was signed off for development.

Minutes from that meeting stated: “The committee expressed concerns about whether this occupation meets the criteria for an apprenticeship, in particular the inclusion of a PhD.

“In addition, the committee believed that it did not meet the criteria for an apprenticeship standard.

“The committee noted that further discussions were ongoing on this issue in conjunction with the Department for Education.”

A spokesperson for the IfATE would not comment on the progress of the standard’s development this week.

He would only say that: “The proposal for a level 8 clinical academic professional standard has been approved for development following consultation with the Department for Education.

This is the first stage towards full approval of the apprenticeship for use by employers and apprentices.

“Work will continue with trailblazer employers to ensure that it meets government policy and quality criteria.”

Minutes from an IfATE board meeting in January 2019 revealed a discussion concluding with an action for “the DfE to explore the concept of level 8 apprenticeships further and agree a policy position”.

FE Week asked the department this week if they had now agreed a way forward.

A spokesperson told us: “We are continuing to keep the programme under review, and we are looking carefully at what the priorities of the programme should be from 2020 onwards.”

The spokesperson would not say whether a policy position had now been agreed, despite it being more than a year since the issue was raised.

A proposal for a technical specialist in nuclear engineering, science or technology PhD-level apprenticeship has also been in development since 2018.

Last year the employers involved said they were expecting a speedy resolution, but the trailblazer group is still waiting for a decision on the proposal by the IfATE.

A spokesperson for the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group told FE Week: “The trailblazer group of nuclear sector employers is continuing to develop the level 8 nuclear technical specialist standard, and following the IfATE’s processes for applications.

“The group received confirmation from IfATE in August that they would receive submissions for level 8 standards. The occupational proposal for the standard was originally submitted in September, and the IfATE panel requested some amendments, following which the group resubmitted a revised version in December.

“We await the decision on the revised proposal, but in the meantime we have continued to work on the content of the standard itself and the assessment plan, in preparation for submission according to the IfATE deadlines.”

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, doctoral apprenticeships and the “ladder of opportunity”.

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning

ISSN : 2042-3896

Article publication date: 27 May 2020

Issue publication date: 26 October 2020

This discussion paper supports the new development of Apprenticeships at Level 8 of the UK’s Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (QAA, 2014). This exciting development, one that employers and universities had been waiting for paves the way for, apprenticeships, sold as the ladder of opportunity, to go all the way to the top.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, we explore in brief the emergence of the new apprenticeship landscape and the importance of the addition of this new highest of levels.

Importantly, however, we make the case that such progress needs to be met with an equally progressive approach to the design of the new doctoral pathway.

Research limitations/implications

We sketch out a possible shell for the assessment of a Doctoral Apprenticeship, one that allows for flexible occupationally relevant inputs to create an applicable role-based and academically rigourous whole.

Originality/value

The importance of such a design is discussed within the context of the potential for impact in three priority areas: social justice, broadening the talent pool and ensuring the relevance and sustainability of the doctoral award.

• Apprenticeship
• Doctoral study
• Postgraduate research
• Professional doctorate
• Widening participation

Senior, R. , Cleaver, E. , Queiros, G. , King, H. and Barnett, K. (2020), "Doctoral Apprenticeships and the “ladder of opportunity”", Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning , Vol. 10 No. 4, pp. 673-685. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-12-2019-0170

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Phd training and development.

Pursuing a PhD is increasingly seen as more than producing a thesis and acquiring a scholarly specialism.

Your motivations for embarking on a PhD journey may vary, but by the end of it, you will be expected to be able to operate as an independent and competent researcher in various professional contexts and achieve broader social impacts.

In order to better prepare you for the current competitive economy and other challenges ahead of you, SOAS is committed to the academic and professional development of all doctoral researchers. Our doctoral training programme is robust and in line with the recommendations of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, and other good practices of the sector.

Training Needs Analysis 

Given the abundance of opportunities but the pressures of time, it is crucial for doctoral researchers to plan and monitor their researcher development activities strategically. The annual Training Needs Analysis (on  PhD Manager ) has been designed to help you and your supervisors in that process.

The TNA is a conversation between a doctoral researcher and their lead supervisor at the beginning of each academic year, whereby both parties identify skills areas that need further development and make prioritised action plans for that year.

Throughout the rest of the year, the doctoral researcher then maintains a record (on  PhD Manager ) of development activities they undertake as per their TNA. That record will feed into the researcher’s Annual Progress Review .

Common Core modules

PhD training at SOAS takes place principally at the disciplinary level, led and overseen by the PhD Programme Conveners in the respective departments. This is complemented by interdisciplinary and transferable research skills training open to all research students across the institution, including two credit-bearing “Common Core” modules by the Doctoral School. Besides their department training, all first-year students are expected to complete Common Core I at least. 

• Common Core I: Research Project Management  (Term 1, required)
• Common Core II: Technology-Enhanced Research  (Term 2, optional)

These two modules are designed to provide all SOAS PhD students with a strong foundation in research ethics, risk assessment, wellbeing, data management, open scholarship, and critical digital literacy, as well as fostering collegiality and collaboration beyond the students’ home departments.

SOAS is a member of the ESRC’s UBEL DTP, the AHRC’s CHASE Consortium, the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network (BPSN), and the Bloomsbury Doctoral Partnership (with Birkbeck, LSHTM, the UCL Institute of Education, and the Royal Veterinary College). We benefit from and contribute to training sharing schemes and events within all of these networks.

• Training opportunities and resources

Useful links for PhD students, including training opportunities and further development resources.

• Doctoral School grants

Funding to PhD students for language training, conference attendance, student-led initiatives and fieldwork. 

In this section

Studentships and doctoral training

If you want to study for a doctorate such as a PhD you cannot apply directly to UKRI or our research councils for funding. You’ll need to contact the research organisation (normally a university) where you wish to be based.

Find out more about our support for doctoral students .

UKRI funds doctoral training by awarding training grants to research organisations. Research organisations then support studentships from those grants and recruit students to them.

We offer two types of training grants:

• doctoral focal awards support studentships in tightly focused themes with highly tailored programmes
• doctoral landscape awards provide broader flexible funding to support the UK’s overall capability and capacity needs

Search funding opportunities .

Find out more about how our councils develop people and skills:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council
• Medical Research Council
• Natural Environment Research Council
• Science and Technology Facilities Council

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

Blog The Education Hub

https://educationhub.blog.gov.uk/2024/02/05/nhs-doctor-apprenticeships-everything-you-need-to-know/

Medical doctor apprenticeships: Everything you need to know

The NHS confirmed pilot funding for a new Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship in January 2023.

The apprenticeships are also part of the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan , which will see the biggest expansion of training in its history to help upskill, retain talent and create a healthcare workforce fit for the future.

Apprentices will earn a wage while training to nationally recognised standards, and like most degree apprenticeships , they won’t have to pay any tuition fees. The first applications for the small pilot scheme are likely to open in spring, with the aim that the first apprentices start in September 2024.

Of course, trainees will need to meet the same high standards as those who do a traditional undergraduate medical degree.

They will be required to attend medical school, complete an accredited medical degree like all other medical students, and meet all other criteria to qualify as a doctor as set out by the General Medical Council.

This marks an important step in making careers in medicine more accessible, helping to recruit frontline medics into the NHS.

Providing an alternative route into medicine will help more people of different backgrounds get into the profession, making the NHS workforce more representative of the local communities it serves.

Does this mean school leavers will be able to work as doctors without going to university?

Medical Doctor Degree Apprentices will be required to undertake an approved university medical degree programme as part of their apprenticeship. They will work as an apprentice while studying towards their medical degree.

Students who qualify via the traditional medical school route don't receive a salary until after they have completed their degree.

However, this doesn’t mean apprentices will be treated as qualified doctors from the beginning. They will work safely under supervision at an appropriate level that is suitable to their stage of training.

Will doctors who study an apprenticeship be less qualified than someone who went to university?

People who complete the Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship will have the same academic qualifications as those who complete their degree through medical school.

There will also be options for graduates with non-medical degrees. Individual employers will set applicant criteria themselves, which will ensure that applicants possess the values and behaviours to become a medical doctor.

The apprenticeship will typically last five years and apprentices will have to complete all academic elements of medical training, including a medical degree and the Medical Licensing Assessment.

They will also have to meet all requirements set out by the General Medical Council for entry onto the Medical Register.

This means that by the end of their training, apprentices will achieve the same high-quality qualifications as someone who has got their medical degree through a traditional route.

Will apprenticeships lower standards of the NHS?

Medical Doctor Degree Apprentices will be subject to the same rigorous requirements as doctors with traditional training, and will achieve a medical degree just like a medical student.

The apprenticeship will help to build a highly skilled NHS workforce, following on from the nursing and healthcare apprenticeships which already exist.

The apprenticeship will also boost the NHS workforce and help it to meet the growing demand for highly trained professionals, allowing it to benefit from a new pool of diverse talent.

How can I apply for a doctor apprenticeship?

Start dates are yet to be confirmed and we expect candidates will be able to apply to the pilot scheme from spring, with first candidates to start from September 2024.

Those who are interested in applying should periodically check  NHS Jobs   or the government’s   Find an Apprenticeship  website for any apprenticeship vacancies.

You may also be interested in:

• 5 of the biggest myths about apprenticeships busted
• Budget 2023: What are ‘returnerships’ and who are they for?
• How are apprenticeships funded and what is the apprenticeship levy?

Tags: apprentices , Apprenticeship , degree apprenticeships , Doctor training , General Medical Council , Medical doctor apprenticeship , Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship , Medical Licensing Assessment , Medical school , National Apprenticeship Week 2024 , NHS Doctor Apprenticeships

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• Postgraduate
• PhD and Professional Doctorates

PhD opportunities

Fully funded phd studentships.

Our mission is to create lasting, meaningful change throughout the world, and your research can be a key part of us achieving that goal.

Doctoral research that encourages change and produces real-world impacts is more important than ever. A doctoral degree is more than just a thesis: it is an opportunity to realise your potential as a researcher, to develop your passion and knowledge in a community that values progress.

Finance shouldn’t be a barrier to delivering world-leading research. That’s why we run an annual fully funded studentship competition, to recruit talented researchers from across the world. Applications for our 2024 studentships have now closed. The scheme usually opens in October. Sign up for emails to be notified of the next release and to keep up to date with research funding.

Discover our PhD opportunities that drive innovation and delivers real-world impact. Browse our PhD projects, or submit your own proposal.

Professional Doctorates

Make an impact with world-leading and award-winning research at Nottingham Trent University.

PhD fees and funding

Find out more about the fees and funding options available for research study at Nottingham Trent University.

How to apply for a PhD

Everything you need to know about applying to study at the NTU Doctoral School.

Re:shaping re:search - why join NTU?

With world-class facilities, dedicated doctoral support, and a growing portfolio of interdisciplinary and collaborative research programmes — all delivered alongside our worldwide family of academic and industry partners — NTU is the place to truly re:alise your potential.

We offer a unique Doctoral Education, Training and Development programme to support the growth of all our doctoral candidates, in everything from academic writing and academic software to healthy research practices. We support our candidates throughout their doctoral journey, enabling them to reach their potential as experts in their field.

As a two-time recipient of the Queens Anniversary Prize — the most prestigious national award for research outputs — 86% of our work has been judged as ‘world-leading’or ‘internationally excellent.’* We want to continue building this reputation for research excellence by taking a themed approach to addressing the world’s most pressing problems — the key questions that span business, the arts, science, sustainability, healthcare, politics, and the environment. We’re calling this new approach Re:search Re:imagined

* Latest data, Research Excellence Framework 2021

A diverse community

"I chose to pursue a PhD because I've always been intellectually curious". Hear about Richards's doctoral experience.

We’re committed to removing barriers to doctoral education — an ambition reflected in the award of joint funding to improve access and participation for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups in PGR study. Our Doctoral School is a diverse and highly inclusive community; it enables its members to become confident, skilled researchers, regardless of their backgrounds.

Join us to help fulfil our boldest ambitions — to value ideas, create opportunities, embrace sustainability, empower people, enrich society, and connect on a global scale. We believe in applied, meaningful research that delivers better answers. Be part of a community that champions your voice and experience.

By breaking down the financial barriers to PhD study, our fully funded studentships ensure you’ll have the freedom and confidence to deliver the kind of research that truly matters.

Re:searchers Re:vealed

Here at NTU, our researchers come from a variety of backgrounds, and they all have a powerful story to tell. In this series, we share their stories.

Advanced Degree​​​​​​​ Candidates

(united kingdom).

• PhDs and postdocs
• Medical students (including veterinary, dental, and pharmacy)
• Medics in foundation training

UK AD Mentorship Workshop

Advanced degrees @ bcg virtual open house.

APPLICATION:

• Cover letter (not required for London office)
• London office only -  Maths assessment (30 minutes). After a first review, you will be asked to complete a numerical assessment which is evaluated as part of your application. 
• International offices only  -  Pymetrics games  (30 minutes). The games must be completed within 48 hours of submitting your application (prompt to play sent via email within 1-2 hours after application submission)

Mentorship Workshop

• Open to all PhDs and Medical (including veterinary, dental, and pharmacy) students who are currently in their final or penultimate year of study at a UK university.
• One-page response to the question – “ In reflecting on your successes, what do you consider your greatest personal achievement and your greatest professional achievement?”

Meet our UK Advanced Degrees recruiting team

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• Talent for Care and Widening Participation
• Apprenticeships

Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship

The Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship, which is being launched by NHS England offers NHS organisations the opportunity to grow their future medical workforce and recruit from a wider pool of people in their local community.  The apprenticeship also provides individuals with a new route to train as a doctor, particularly those who, for a multitude of reasons, may be unable to attend university full-time.

In order to put this apprenticeship in place employers and medical schools were supported by Health Education England (now part of NHS England) to develop the apprenticeship and agree upon its standard.  

In July 2022 the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and the Department of Education signed off the medical doctor degree apprenticeship standard, which set out what those organisations that choose to employ medical doctor degree apprentices will have to achieve in order for their apprentices to qualify as medical doctors.  

It was confirmed in January 2023 that funding would be made available for the first 200 medical doctor degree apprentices, who are expected to undertake their learning at one of a few selected universities from September 2024. The newly published NHS Long Term Workforce Plan has set out an ambition to have 2,000 people per year training to become a medical doctor via an apprenticeship route by 2031/32. 

Medical Doctor Degree Apprentices will do the same training at the same high standard as those taking traditional educational routes, with any medical school offering the Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship being approved by the General Medical Council. 

The Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship is available to anyone with the required entry qualifications, including those currently working in other healthcare roles, which will be set by medical schools and employers.  Apprentices are employed and paid a salary by the organisation they work for, enabling them to earn as they learn. Apprenticeships are jobs which are advertised by local employers on the basis of local workforce need.  After completing a medical degree, all doctors, whether they took the traditional route or the new apprenticeship route, must then take up a Postgraduate Doctor in Training role for which they are paid whilst undertaking postgraduate medical training.   

The healthcare provider organisation employing the apprentice will meet some of the cost of the apprentice’s tuition through the apprentice levy funds.

This approach will help to create a workforce which includes people from currently underrepresented groups, helping them to create a more diverse workforce which mirrors more closely the population they serve, and fill posts in currently under doctored areas. 

If you have a specific question about the Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship, please direct your query to [email protected] .

To find out more read our Medical Doctor Degree Apprentice Frequently Asked Questions .

The Medical Doctor Apprentice standard is available here: Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship Standard  

Further information along with a toolkit to assist NHS organisations in the implementing the Medical Doctor Apprentice is available here: Further information and toolkit

To read a new blog from Professor Liz Hughes, Medical Director for undergraduate education at HEE all about the new Medical Doctor Degree Apprenticeship, visit: Blog

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IT apprenticeships

Not only will you develop the technical skills while learning on the job, with an IT apprenticeship you'll also be on track to achieving a recognised qualification

What IT apprenticeships are available?

As technology underpins everything we do, they are found across all sectors and not just in those for which IT and digital is their core business function.

From innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to leading multinational companies, IT apprenticeships are offered by a range of UK organisations.

Just like with tech graduate schemes , IT apprenticeships are commonplace at leading tech employers such as:

You'll also find examples of technology-focused apprenticeships in the following industries:

• Banking and finance - Barclays , Deloitte , EY , J.P. Morgan , KPMG and PwC .
• Civil Service
• Construction - Mace .
• Engineering and manufacturing - BAE Systems , GE Aviation , Jaguar Land Rover , MBDA and Rolls-Royce .
• Healthcare - the National Health Service (NHS) .
• Insurance - Aviva and AXA .
• Media - the BBC , Sky and Virgin Media O2 .
• Retail - Amazon and Nestlé .

Apprenticeships are offered at the following levels:

• Advanced - Level 3, equivalent to A-level .
• Higher - Levels 4 and 5, equivalent to a foundation degree or above.
• Degree - Levels 6 and 7, equivalent to a Bachelors and Masters degree respectively.

They may take the form of general IT or digital apprenticeships that allow you to focus on a particular area, such as:

• artificial intelligence (AI)
• computer programming, including coding
• computer science
• information and communications technology (ICT)
• software development
• software engineering.

The programme may then allow you to specialise even further. For example, computer science degree apprenticeships typically allow you to develop skills as a programmer while you decide whether to go into data analysis , tech consulting or forensics.

If you have a passion for gaming and would be interested in game design and development apprenticeships, read more about video game careers .

There are also apprenticeships for those considering cyber security training .

Who are they aimed at?

Despite the perception that apprenticeships are for young people, there's no upper age limit. Apprenticeships are relevant to anyone with a genuine need for at least one year's training and can demonstrate competence in line with an apprenticeship standard.

Individuals that want to start an apprenticeship should not already hold qualifications equivalent to the apprenticeship being undertaken. However, they can start an apprenticeship at the same or lower level if they need to acquire substantive new skills and the content of the training is different from any prior funded training.

What does an IT apprenticeship involve?

An apprentice should be employed for at least 30 hours per week where they'll complete a minimum of 12 months training. Most IT and digital apprenticeships are longer and can last for up to 24 months.

Apprentices undertake training both on and off the job, but all apprentices must be given a minimum 20% of off-the-job training to meet the requirements of the programme. This training must be structured, reviewed and most importantly help the apprentice achieve the knowledge, skills and behaviours included in the apprenticeship standard.

Off-the-job training must be 'away' from the workplace but does not have to be 'outside' the workplace - so it can include a range of methods such as role-play, online learning , job shadowing or industry visits.

At the end of the training period, the apprentice takes an end-point assessment managed by an independent assessor. The IT and digital end-point assessments include the collection of key pieces of work in a portfolio, an employer's reference, a project and finally an interview with the assessor. At the end of the process the apprentice is graded.

The BCS Digital IT Apprenticeship Standards , set out by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, provide more information and cover key IT and digital apprenticeship roles at Levels 3 and 4, including:

• artificial intelligence (AI) data specialist
• cyber security technologist
• data analyst
• data technician
• digital marketer
• infrastructure technician
• IT technical salesperson
• network engineer
• software developer
• software tester

If you complete an IT/digital apprenticeship through BCS, you can apply for recognition of attaining the professional RITTech standard and get added to their register. Registration lasts for three years, and you'll also have one free year as a BCS Associate member.

How much will I be paid?

All apprentices are paid the National Minimum Wage (NMW), which currently stands at £6.40 per hour for apprentices under 19, and those aged over 19 who are in their first year (as of April 2024).

If you're over 19 and have completed the first year of your apprenticeship you must be paid the minimum wage rate for your age.

To check apprentice rates and the NMW, visit GOV.UK - Become an apprentice .

As an apprentice you'll be paid for your normal working hours, as well as for any training that is part of your scheme. You're entitled to 20 days' paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays.

Salaries are determined by individual employers. For instance, you could earn £19,000 on Rolls-Royce's four-year Level 6 Digital & IT Solutions Degree Apprenticeship, while the Civil Service offers £28,050 (London) or £24,327 (nationwide) for those undertaking its two-year Level 4 Cyber Security Technologist Apprenticeship.

For detailed information about how apprenticeships work, pay rates, entry requirements and the difference between an apprenticeship and an internship, see what is an apprenticeship?

How do I apply?

Most applications are made online by completing an application form, although methods vary so check with the organisation first.

Apply for apprenticeships as you would for a job. Thoroughly research the company that you're interested in and ensure your CV is up to date. You'll need to tailor your application to fit the role by including evidence of relevant experience and examples of when you've demonstrated the required competencies.

For IT and digital roles, you could provide examples of any programming you've done or systems you've built - either in your spare time or as part of a university project.

Some organisations may ask you to sit situational judgement, numerical and psychometric tests as part of their initial recruitment process. You may then need to attend an assessment centre or undergo telephone or video interviews before reaching the final interview stage.

Read more about how to apply for an apprenticeship .

Find out more

• Explore IT graduate jobs .
• Consider studying relevant IT courses .
• Get an overview of the UK's IT industry .

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PhD training looks like UK universities’ next crisis

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Research degrees for home students are becoming financially unsustainable and socially exclusive, says Simon Green

It’s an understatement to say that UK universities are not in a good place. The combination of declining real-terms tuition fees, inflation and an increasingly hostile policy environment for international students is pushing institutions into deficit, with mounting numbers of voluntary severance schemes and outright redundancies. Along with this comes relentless media criticism around freedom of speech, wokery and low-value courses.

However, a further issue looms that goes to the heart of the sector’s long-term future: a coming crisis of doctoral training for UK students. 

At first glance, this might seem like scaremongering: numbers of postgraduate research students in the UK are holding steady at just over 110,000, split 60:40 between home and overseas. Both enrich UK academia and project the UK’s soft power into their home countries. The latest Postgraduate Research Experience Survey shows that at almost 80 per cent, overall satisfaction remains high. 

And yet, warning lights are flashing: numbers of new home students funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) fell sharply in 2022-23 . 

While differences in individual students’ funding arrangements, disciplines and institutions make this a complex area, there are three overarching and interconnected problems. 

First, quality: most admissions tutors will tell you it is becoming harder to attract strong home students onto PhD programmes. Even the lure of a studentship funded by UKRI is no longer enough, as well-qualified home candidates can typically choose between multiple offers. By contrast, the UK remains highly attractive to good overseas doctoral students, even once higher tuition fees, visas and exchange rates are factored in. 

Second, maintenance funding for PhD students is inadequate and so potentially exclusionary. While the annual UKRI stipend, which also benchmarks most university-funded studentships, is up by 20 per cent to £18,622 in 2023-24, this has not kept pace with cost-of-living pressures, nor with industry salaries, especially in science and engineering. 

Furthermore, the three-year funding model leaves no leeway for the impact of caring duties, mental health or other life events. The Economic and Social Research Council’s move to 3.5 year studentships is a step in the right direction. But until this becomes the norm, anyone who lacks significant family support, both monetary and emotional, will find a PhD increasingly hard and financially unattractive. 

That runs the risk of casting research degrees, and so the future of the academic profession, as a socially exclusive pathway. Universities cannot have an interest in linking the composition of our future workforce to family resources.

Third, the divergence between PhD tuition fees and the real cost of delivery is growing. Transparent Approach to Costing data for 2021-22 showed that the cost recovery of training and supervising postgraduate research students was just 46.6 per cent —including overseas students paying higher fees.

Complicated picture

In fact, the picture is more complicated, since most PhD students are funded either by themselves or their universities. UKRI funding typically accounts for a lesser proportion of this combined total, albeit with wide variation by discipline and university. This means the future of doctoral training will depend on the ability of universities to fund it, directly through fee waivers and indirectly through staff time. 

Together, these factors risk undermining the government’s aspirations for the UK to become a science superpower and to level up economic performance across the country. Both depend on training more researchers, including at doctoral level. 

Put simply, the UK has long done doctoral training on the cheap, thanks to 30 years of university growth and the country’s appeal to international students. That era is probably ending, with two main implications. 

First, the cost of PhD fees and studentships will almost certainly have to increase. Raising the value of studentships would raise new complexities, including liability to income tax. In the likely absence of additional public funding for PhDs, universities will have to either reduce the number of funded students or reallocate resources from other activities. 

Second, this dynamic affects external funders, several of whom have already confirmed they will be supporting fewer studentships. This will reinforce the trend for PhD training to be funded by universities. 

Given the other pressures institutions are facing, universities could be forgiven for seeing all this as a relatively low priority. But unless the sector starts thinking about this very long-term issue now, it risks acting when it is already too late. 

Simon Green is professor of politics at Aston University. From 2018-23, he served as the university’s pro-vice-chancellor for research.

This article also appeared in Research Fortnight

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• Crime, justice and law

New police training in sexual offences as more offenders convicted

Thousands of police officers receive new specialised training in investigating sexual offences as more sexual offenders are arrested and convicted.

Victims of sexual violence will be better protected as thousands more police officers are now specially equipped to investigate rape and sexual offences following the roll out of Operation Soteria to all forces in England and Wales. 

Over 4,500 officers have completed the new in-depth training, known as the rape and serious sexual offences investigative skills development programme (RISDP) – more than doubling the government’s target.

This will mean victims of these harrowing and often complex crimes will receive better support throughout the process as their perpetrators are brought to justice.

Today’s announcement comes one year on from the roll out of a new model for the investigation of rape across England and Wales, developed through the Home Office funded Operation Soteria.

Since Operation Soteria began, progress has been made across policing and the wider criminal justice system:

Arrest rates are up by a quarter. Police are arresting more sexual offenders, with arrests in 2022 to 2023 rising by 25% compared to 2019 to 2020.

More cases are being referred to prosecutors. Police are referring more adult rape cases to the Crown Prosecution Service, with 1,429 referrals in October to December 2023, up 142% from 590 in October to December 2020.

More suspects are being charged. Charges for sexual offences in the year to December 2023 were up by 18% compared with the previous year, and adult rape charges increased by more than a third (38%) in the same period.

Prosecutions are rising. The number of rapists being prosecuted has risen by 110% from 301 in the quarter before Operation Soteria was piloted to 633 in the latest quarter.

The pioneering programme developed by academics and Avon and Somerset Police has transformed policing’s approach to investigating rape and sexual offences. It sees police and prosecutors working more closely together throughout the process and helps ensure investigations are focussed on the actions of the alleged perpetrator, not the victim.  

Home Secretary, James Cleverly said:

Exceeding the target we set last year for specially trained officers is another significant milestone in our efforts to transform the way the criminal justice system deals with rape and sexual offences. As a government we have gone further than ever before to protect women and girls, but we are not slowing down. Building on the progress we have made so far, we will continue to drive up prosecutions, protect victims and put more sex offenders behind bars.  

Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris said:  

We know how important police specialism is in a crime as sensitive as rape. That’s why we set out to ensure that there were specially trained officers in every force in England and Wales. We set ourselves a target of training 2,000 by May 2024. I am delighted we have delivered training to over 4,500 officers. In addition to the new tools and guidance available through Operation Soteria these specially trained officers, with a relentless focus on the pursuit of perpetrators, will drive significant improvement in the investigation of rape in every force in the country.

It is also now mandatory for all new police recruits to complete learning and development on responding to rape and sexual offences as part of their initial training.  

In order to deliver this, the College of Policing has developed a course on rape and sexual offending for first responders, which will help ensure victims receive the right support from their first contact with the police and lay the groundwork for effective investigations.  

College of Policing CEO Chief Constable Andy Marsh: 

The College of Policing worked at pace to develop RISDP. Since we launched the programme in September 2023, we have more than doubled the initial target of training 2,000 investigators, which is an incredible achievement.   Trained officers are now turning the tables on men who are violent through a better understanding of the psychology of offenders, and how they manipulate victims.     RISDP focuses on the whole story surrounding a rape or sexual offence, rather than looking at an incident in isolation. Our training ensures officers are taking a victim centred approach, and as a direct result an increasing number of individuals are rightly being brought to justice for these very serious offences.

Siobhan Blake, CPS lead for Rape and Serious Sexual Offences, said: 

Across the Crown Prosecution Service, Operation Soteria has driven positive changes in how we work with police from the earliest opportunity on rape cases. With closer relationships and clear expectations, we’re able to build strong cases from the outset, working together to make a lasting difference for victims.   The impact of this joint working can be seen every day in our specialist units across the country - and in our data - as our prosecutors have consistently seen an increase in the number of cases they are able to charge and send to court.  We are clear that more work needs to be done to ensure more victims see justice done, and will do all we can to keep driving the necessary improvements with police.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Rape and Adult Sexual Offences, and the joint Senior Responsible Officer for Operation Soteria, Chief Constable Sarah Crew, said: 

Rape is one of the most complex and challenging crimes we deal with in the criminal justice system, and it’s vitally important that as a police service we get our response right from the moment it is reported.  Specially trained investigators are pivotal to achieving what we have set out to do through Operation Soteria: build strong cases, relentlessly pursue perpetrators and do better for victims.  The data, and the introduction of thousands of specialist investigators, is an encouraging step on our journey to improve the criminal justice system for victims of rape. 

Besty Stanko, the senior academic architect of Operation Soteria, said: 

This is a significant milestone we should celebrate as we start to see the positive impact Soteria is having on victims.    The Operation Soteria police-academic teams have made significant strides in changing the investigation of rape and serious sexual offences. Critical to this change is providing investigators with the right specialist knowledge and learning and development to do so.  Operation Soteria has shown the police service’s willingness to engage with those outside the police service to find a new way of working. We still have a long way to go, but the journey has begun and we are seeing positive change.

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Baroness Newlove, said: 

The announcement marks a significant milestone and a positive step towards a more supportive criminal justice system for victims of rape and sexual assault. This pioneering initiative equips all police forces with specially trained officers who can provide victims with the understanding and support they deserve from first contact, and lay the groundwork for effective, offender-centric investigations. To ensure Operation Soteria’s lasting impact, continued collaboration between the CPS and police is vital. This rests on commitments from both agencies to dedicate sustained resourcing and leadership for this programme long-term.

The earliest adopters of the Soteria operating model have already demonstrated real improvements in terms of outcomes of rape investigations.   

Today’s announcement forms part of the government’s wide-ranging plan to bring about wholescale change in the way the criminal justice system responds to rape and sexual offences.  

This includes:  

• legislating to ensure rapists, and those convicted of the most serious sexual offences, remain in prison for the whole of their custodial term and that they are subject to proper supervision in the community on their release
• offering a 24/7 support line for victims of rape and sexual violence, ensuring victims of these abhorrent crimes always have someone on hand to support them
• quadrupling victims funding by 2024 to 2025, up from £41 million in 2009 to 2010, including funding to increase the number of Independent Sexual Violence and Domestic Abuse Advisors by 300 to over 1,000 – a 43% increase by 2024 to 2025  
• strengthening support for victims through the Victims and Prisoners Bill, including ensuring that police requests for third party materials are necessary and proportionate to an investigation  
• providing over £10 million in funding to assist forces to uplift their technical capability and improve their ability to extract evidence from digital devices, specifically those that belong to adult victims of rape
• training more than 500 people through the Crown Prosecution Service’s specialist Rape and Serious Sexual Offences training
• rolling out an enhanced service for adult victims of rape and sexual assault through the Crown Prosecution Service, including the offer of a meeting with a member of the prosecution team once a victim has been notified that their case is proceeding to trial (this will be a new entitlement available nationally by the end of Autumn enabling victims to discuss what happens next and ask any questions they have about the process)
• launching the CPS guide to transform the victim’s journey through court, providing additional support for victims of rape and serious sexual offences

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• Can kinesiotaping optimise the results of an exercise-based treatment for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain? (PhD Academy Award)
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• http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7127-6560 Fábio Carlos Lucas de Oliveira 1 , 2
• 1 École de kinésiologie et de loisir , Université de Moncton , Moncton , NB , Canada
• 2 Research Unit in Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF) , University of Coimbra Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education , Coimbra , Portugal
• Correspondence to Dr Fábio Carlos Lucas de Oliveira, Université de Moncton, Moncton, NB, Canada; fclud{at}ulaval.ca

https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-108062

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• Rotator cuff
• Athletic Tape

What did I do?

My PhD project aimed to determine whether kinesiotaping provided additional benefits for treating individuals with rotator cuff-related shoulder pain (RCRSP). To achieve this goal, I investigated (1) the alterations in the rotator cuff (RC) muscle activation, (2) the immediate effects of kinesiotaping on the acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and shoulder proprioception and (3) the effects of kinesiotaping on the symptoms, functional limitations and underlying deficits associated with RCRSP.

Why did I do it?

The application of kinesiotaping has been a popular approach in clinics. However, few studies have investigated its immediate, short-term or isolated effects among individuals with RCRSP. 4 Current evidence has been insufficient to conclude the effectiveness of kinesiotaping in improving pain and function in this population. 5 Therefore, there was a need for high-quality evidence to better guide clinicians on whether to use kinesiotaping for the rehabilitation of individuals with RCRSP.

How did I do it?

First, I conducted a systematic review 6 to synthesise the evidence concerning the electromyographic activation of RC muscles in individuals with RCRSP. This study guided which RC and scapulothoracic muscles should be targeted for treatment and how these muscles should be rehabilitated. Based on this work, I designed a 6-week exercise-based rehabilitation programme as the cornerstone of my PhD project.

To assess underlying deficits, I conducted a cross-sectional study 7 that investigated whether kinesiotaping provides an immediate increase in the AHD (assessed using an ultrasound scanner) and whether the active joint repositioning sense (assessed using inertial measurements unit wireless sensors) was changed in individuals with RCRSP.

Lastly, I conducted a randomised controlled trial 4 (RCT) to identify whether adding kinesiotaping to the treatments would provide a faster and impactful difference to the healing of individuals with RCRSP. Fifty-two (52) individuals with RCRSP were recruited. Participants had at least one positive sign in each category of the following clinical tests 8 : (a) painful arc of movement (flexion and abduction); (b) Neer or Hawkins-Kennedy impingement test and (c) pain during resisted external rotation, abduction or empty can test.

Primary outcome (functional limitations) was assessed using the Disabilities of the Arm (DASH) questionnaire at baseline, week 3, week 6, week 12 and 6 months. Secondary outcomes were evaluated at commencement (baseline) and following the treatment (week 6), which included: pain intensity assessed using the Brief Pain Intensity (BPI), symptoms assessed using the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff (WORC) index, pain-free and full range of motion (ROM) (shoulder flexion and abduction) assessed using a universal goniometer, and AHD at rest and 60° of shoulder abduction assessed using an ultrasound scanner.

All participants were evaluated at baseline and randomly divided into experimental or control groups. Both groups received a 6-week rehabilitation programme composed of 10 physiotherapy sessions. Kinesiotaping was added to the treatment of individuals allocated in the experimental group ( figure 1 ). Halfway through treatment (week 3), self-report outcomes (DASH, BPI and WORC) were re-evaluated to assess functional limitations and symptoms. At the end of treatment (week 6), all outcomes were re-evaluated as performed at baseline. Participants received four exercises tailored to individual needs to be performed at home throughout the treatment and during follow-up periods. Self-report outcomes were also re-evaluated 12 weeks and 6 months after the first physiotherapy session to identify continued changes.

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Kinesiotaping technique for rotator cuff-related shoulder pain and underlying deficits. First strip ((1) Y-shape surrounding deltoid muscles), second strip ((2) I-shape in functional correction for multiaxial shoulder instability over the glenohumeral joint, supraspinatus, trapezius and middle deltoid muscles) and third strip ((3) I-shape in mechanical correction for glenohumeral joint).

What did I find?

The systematic review 6 revealed strong evidence that the infraspinatus and supraspinatus muscle activities were not altered during isometric contractions. Moderate evidence indicated that alterations in the RC muscle activities are best observed during dynamic tasks.

The cross-sectional study showed that kinesiotaping induced an increase (p<0.001) in AHD at 60° abduction in individuals with RCRSP, whereas no immediate effect was observed with the proprioception.

The RCT 4 demonstrated that functional limitations, symptoms, ROM and AHD improved in both groups, although adding kinesiotaping did not lead to superior outcomes compared with the exercise-based treatment alone in the mid-term and long term for individuals with RCRSP.

What is the most important clinical impact/practical application?

This PhD project revealed that kinesiotaping is not an essential element for rehabilitating individuals with RCRSP. Individuals who used kinesiotaping did not present with faster or more impactful results than those who did not, evidencing that kinesiotaping did not provide additional benefits for treating individuals with RCRSP in the mid-term and long term. Subsequently, clinicians and healthcare professionals should not expect supplementary gains from kinesiotaping when added to a rehabilitation programme based on sensorimotor exercises for individuals with RCRSP.

Ethics statements

Patient consent for publication.

Consent obtained directly from patient(s).

Ethics approval

This study involves human participants and protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02881021 ) on 25 August 2016. Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Quebec Rehabilitation Institute (IRDPQ #2016-496) of the Centre Integrated University of Health and Social Services (CIUSSS-CN). Participants gave informed consent to participate in the study before taking part.

• Maenhout AG ,
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• Hébert LJ , et al
• van der Heijden GJ
• de Oliveira FCL ,
• Pairot de Fontenay B ,
• Bouyer LJ , et al
• Saracoglu I ,
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• Michener LA ,
• Walsworth MK ,
• Doukas WC , et al

X @fabiophysio

Contributors FCLO contributed to conception, design and preparation of the procedures. He also conducted the recruitment of participants, data collection, the rehabilitation programme, analyses and data interpretation, and writing.

Funding This work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES). FCLO received a doctoral scholarship from the Brazilian Government through the Science without Borders programme in association with the CAPES Foundation.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Author note This doctoral project was conducted at the Centre interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale (Cirris), Université Laval, Québec City, Canada.

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