Information for Applicants

To apply to become a GA you must:

• Live and work in Scotland 
• Be at least 16 years old (although some employers require a minimum age of 18 due to health and safety considerations in their sector). There is no maximum age set on who can become a GA.
• Be employed in a relevant role – a GA is a full-time job which allows you to gain an Honours degree in the same amount of time as it would take to complete if you were in full-time study. 
• Meet Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) eligibility criteria. GA tuition fees for eligible applicants are met in full by SAAS. Please check that you meet SAAS eligibility criteria before submitting an application. Further information is available here

Entry requirements for GAs will depend on which apprenticeship you are applying for.

Typically, we would expect a minimum four Scottish Highers (or equivalent) at BBBC or equivalent.

Your application will be assessed on an individual basis, taking into account any qualifications and previous industry experience you have.

If you have already completed a Foundation or a Modern Apprenticeship in a related subject, this will also contribute towards meeting the entry requirements.

GA tuition fees for eligible applicants are met in full by Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS). Please check that you meet SAAS eligibility criteria before submitting an application. Further information is available here

As a full-time apprentice you will also receive a wage from your employer. Any additional costs in relation to books, course materials and travel should be discussed with your employer.

UWS’s Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Civil Engineering is enabling an ambitious female to pursue a career in this exciting STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) field.

Kirsty Smith is benefiting from studying the UWS GA in Civil Engineering along with a full-time post as Technical Officer / Engineer at Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA).

Kirsty Smith, who has been working within the Design and Environment section of the Ayrshire Roads Alliance for over five years, said: “I choose to study the UWS Civil Engineering GA as throughout my life I have always had an interest in STEM subjects. Civil Engineering has many different aspects which makes it a very interesting industry to work in as every project you work on is different. Civil Engineering is often seen as a ‘man’s job’ but more and more females are coming into the industry each year.

“I had previously completed my HND which allowed me entry into second year on the UWS BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering GA course. Working full-time whilst studying a degree requires a lot of commitment but the work-based learning aspect of the degree, which counts towards one third of your degree, makes it easier as the things you are already doing at work count directly towards your final grade.

“Being on the GA course has already helped my career progression as I was recently promoted from a Technician to an Engineer after only doing the degree for five months. The course links directly to my day- to-day work and the knowledge I am gaining at university is allowing me to take on more complex and challenging projects at work.

“I would recommend GAs to anyone; the mix of worked based and classroom learning is perfect. The subjects you cover at university are applied straight away in the workplace whilst still fresh in your mind. Whilst completing a GA you are a full-time employee which means you are also earning a full-time salary.”

Studying and taking on the role as Key Worker for 10 children is hard work, but Alistair Mack says that it’s all worth it. Alistair is studying on UWS’s Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Early Learning & Childcare while also working full-time in an Early Childcare Centre (ECC).

“I have plenty of support from both the University and my workplace,” says Alistair. “I feel like I am handling it well.”

And Alistair can see all of the hard work paying off with his practice improving every day from the knowledge grained on the course. “It’s great to see things we’ve learned about or spoken about in university unfolding in front of my eyes at work.”

Ultimately Alistair is hoping that completing the course will set him up for leadership roles moving forward in his degree. “I would like to lead my own ECC and maybe in the future look towards helping develop other practitioners or even the policies and laws that affect early learning and childcare in Scotland.”

Alistair has plenty of good things to say about the Early Learning and Childcare GA at UWS too. “Earning while you’re learning is such a great thing. As is on the job experience. Nothing beats the real thing.

“The support and guidance from the lecturers is the best thing about studying at UWS. I’d recommend this course to anyone currently working in the sector, looking for a university qualification – you won’t regret it!”

David Sinclair is advancing his career at SAS International thanks to University of the West of Scotland’s Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Business Management.

David, who is a Manufacturing Engineer, has been employed by SAS International, which is a market leading manufacturer of metal ceilings, for 15 years and is now in the 2nd year of his Business Management GA.

He chose this GA as it offered the opportunity to combine working towards achieving an Honours level degree in Business Management while continuing in his role at SAS. In his current role, David project manages the introduction of new manufacturing machinery and processes. He has responsibility for every stage of the process from identifying machinery that best fits business need to the final handover to production.

Commenting on the GA David said: “Having previously completed an Engineering MA, I was familiar with the apprenticeship model and was attracted by the GA as it aligns academic studies with day-to-day work. The emphasis on online delivery and tailored work-based learning complements my learning style and allows me to balance work, study and life commitments.”

“In the longer term, I aspire to move into a more senior management role and the Business Management GA will give me both the breadth and depth of knowledge, skills and understanding to support such a move.”

Jamie Arnott, Graduate Engineer at Wallace Stone, has advanced his career thanks to UWS's Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Civil Engineering.

In 2022 Jamie graduated from UWS with First Class Honours and also won the University’s Court Medal for being the top student in his year.

As a GA student, Jamie was able to integrate his academic learning with his workplace activities and demonstrate the application of his knowledge, skills and understanding in a professional environment. Jamie has been working at consulting civil engineers Wallace Stone, specialists in the field of marine and floating structures, for over six years.

Jamie said: “Since I was a kid I have had a passion for drawing and design which led me to pursue a career within a field where I could explore my interests. After participating in Falkirk Council’s traineeship programme as a Trainee Architectural Technician in 2015, I joined Wallace Stone LLP as a Junior Civil Engineering Technician. In 2016, I started my HNC in Civil Engineering at Glasgow Kelvin College on a day-release basis. Upon completion of this course in 2018, I wanted to continue my studies and began the Graduate Apprenticeship in Civil Engineering at UWS.

“Studying a degree whilst working was very challenging and took a lot of dedication and hard work. However, I believe my studies benefitted greatly from the guidance and support which I had from my work colleagues. This support network provided me with a forum to ask questions and pushed me to complete my university work to a high standard.”

The GA in Civil Engineering is a Work Based Learning degree which is mostly delivered in the workplace, ensuring that the content is aligned to industry needs. Typically students spend one day per week at UWS, with the work and learning they do in their workplace making a significant contribution towards their degree.

Jamie added: “The work-based element of the degree contextualised learning by enabling knowledge gained at the University to be transferred to real work situations and vice versa. This has enabled be to progress professionally by expanding my knowledge and accelerating the time it took me to gain professional accreditation - Engineering Technician (EngTech) membership -  with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE)."

At UWS, we are so proud of our students and the impact that they have in their chosen fields. One such student is Jye Mee Chong who studies on our Graduate Apprenticeship in Early Learning and Childcare. We are so proud of Jye that we nominated her for Graduate Apprentice of the Year!

Jye currently works as a support assistant within an ELCC setting in Glasgow. She works alongside her team in providing support for all the children and families who use the setting.

Jye’s mentors consistently comment on her enthusiasm for early education and childcare. Her lecturers have observed her respectful interactions with children, families and colleagues, demonstrating Jye’s impact in contributing to making Scotland the best place for children to grow up.

She has been an inspiration to colleagues and fellow students in her ability to combine family commitments, work and further studies, whilst maintaining enthusiasm and passion in supporting the work of ELC in Scotland. Whilst balancing these priorities, Jye has also been able to achieve a steady and sustained improvement in her grades throughout the apprenticeship across years 1 and 2. 

Jye’s studies and experience in practice have increased her knowledge and understanding of not only child development, but of the policy framework that supports children and families in Scotland. Jye notes that the Graduate Apprenticeship programme has developed confidence in her ability and knowledge around the routes for progression in her studies. She is very keen to develop her skills of support and is currently exploring how she might progress in her studies by completing postgraduate study in Early Education.

Jye is exactly the type of practitioner that children and families need, and her development through this apprenticeship has only enhanced her commitment to supporting all of the children and families that she encounters. 

Radoslaw Lewandowski, who holds the post of Associate Software Engineer at Arnold Clark, has just completed his GA programme at UWS and has already seen the benefits of the course in his job.

He said: “I have gained a lot of practical, hands on development experience during my time completing my GA which helps me in my current role to develop new software.

“I was always interested in IT and the UWS GA gave me the opportunity to be able to advance my career and gain academic qualifications whilst also still being able to provide for my family. Software developers are in high demand and I am delighted to have undertaken the course. UWS is a great university and its new modern campus in Lanarkshire is a great place to study.”

“The UWS GA gave me the opportunity to be able to advance my career and gain academic qualifications whilst also still being able to provide for my family.”

Arnold Clark has been involved in the University’s GA offering since August 2017. David Peters, Head of Digital Solutions at Arnold Clark, said: “Our UWS Graduate Apprentices go straight into the workplace from day one and are embedded into the business early, interacting with teams and getting hands on experience of the agile software development process.

“Graduate Apprenticeships provide a number of benefits, the main one is the ability for us to develop our apprentices in a way that is unique to our business.”

Andrew Begg, who lives in Glasgow, works as a Technical Services Engineer at Newsprinters’ Eurocentral operation in Glasgow. He benefited from undertaking a Graduate Apprenticeship (GA) in Engineering Design & Manufacture at the University’s Paisley Campus.

Andrew, who graduated in 2019, said: “I have worked as a mechanical engineer in manufacturing for 19 years which included a five year apprenticeship which began in 1998. I am committed to lifelong learning and during that time I gained an HND in mechanical engineering and an HNC in mechatronics ending in 2006. Over the last two years I have gained a CMI Level 5 in management and leadership.

“I was attracted to the GA course at UWS as I felt the content mix of core engineering and engineering management skills were a good progression from my previous experience. Studying at degree level is something I wanted to achieve for a long time but due to work commitments attending a traditional university course was not possible.”

Max Blanchflower is benefiting from studying the UWS GA in Civil Engineering along with a full-time post as a Trainee Site Engineer at George Leslie.

Max, who is now in the second year of BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering GA, said: “The Graduate Apprenticeship has been a fantastic opportunity for me, enabling me to have a full-time job whilst studying towards a degree. The GA will really help my career development at George Leslie and my goal of becoming a fully-qualified engineer.

“There are so many benefits of studying a GA – the hands-on skills that you learn can be applied immediately to the workplace.”