In September 2024, the Government announced plans to reform England’s apprenticeship system by introducing a new Growth and Skills Levy (the Levy). These reforms are set to exclude funding for Level 7 architecture apprenticeships from the Levy.
Along with other built environment bodies, RIBA issued a joint statement urging the Minister of State for Skills to “urgently consider the impact changes to Levy funding will have on the sector’s ability to address future skills demand in our contribution to the Government’s growth priorities”.
Like all apprenticeships, Level 7 apprenticeships are an additional access route for people to participate in built environment professions, and during this uncertain period it’s important to celebrate the success of this pathway during National Apprenticeship Week.
Level 7 apprentice Todd Fletcher and two of his fellow students at London South Bank University (LSBU) will soon enter the architectural history books by becoming the first cohort to qualify wholly through the apprenticeship route, going from school leavers to registered professionals while getting paid to work in practice.
Todd, as well as LSBU’s Head of Architecture, his practice contact and his liaison officer all spoke about the apprenticeship experience, highlighting the benefits both to the individual and to the wider profession.
Why are architecture apprenticeships a “no brainer”?
LSBU was the first university in the UK to offer Level 6 apprenticeships in architecture, equivalent to a Part 1 degree, in addition to the more widely available post-graduate Level 7 apprenticeships.
Todd had initially enrolled for the degree course before learning about the apprenticeship route from fellow students and managed to transfer to the Level 6 option after approaching FBB Architects. The practice had already supported three staff members through Architectural Technology degrees at LSBU and was attracted to the idea of being at the forefront of the emerging architect apprenticeship route.
“It was always in my mind that I wanted to earn money as soon as I left sixth form,” Todd explains.
“The apprentice students seemed to be effectively doing the same as me, over a longer period of time, but getting paid,” Todd recalls. “When I realised I could gain practical experience while getting my qualification with no student debt at the end, it was a no brainer.”
And being part of a historic cohort of students – the first to go through the apprenticeship process in England – is something Todd is proud of.
“I’m really happy that we’ve seen [the process] through to the end and we’re going to come out of the other side,” he says. “There’s still a lot to learn, but I really recommend the apprenticeship system. In fact, whenever I mention the benefits of this route to other students on other pathways, they’re like, ‘why didn’t I think of that?’”
Read more about RIBA’s activity during National Apprenticeship Week and more case studies.
Why do apprentices gain confidence from real-world experiences quicker?
An apprentice works four days a week in their office and comes into university one day a week for lectures and studio tuition.
“There is a lot to juggle,” says LSBU’s Head of the School of Architecture and Planning, Professor Igea Troiani, says, “but out of all our students, apprentices are the best at dealing with time management and the pressure of deadlines, curiously sometimes better than students with more time on their hands.”
She continues: “Understanding these challenges, we offer a robust support system that includes a personal tutor, module and course leaders, a Skills reviewer and an Apprenticeship team devoted to architecture who are available to help with any challenges an apprentice might face.
But the benefits of the apprenticeship route are clear, says Igea.
“Apprenticeship students learn in the university and office at the same time and it brings on a deep understanding of architectural practice that leads to them knowing the job before they graduate so they generally continue with the same office, if possible, throughout their architectural education,” she says. “This gives them stability in their employment prospects and in some aspects puts them further ahead in their career if they want to start as a sole-practitioner sooner rather than later because they have such a robust understanding of what it means to practice as an architect.”
Kwame Ofori, who is LSBU’s liaison with Level 6 and Level 7 employer practices, also believes that apprentices tend to mature quicker than normal architectural students, and gain confidence from the combination of real-world experience, learning from their peers and mentoring by people in the industry right from the outset.
How do apprenticeships encourage loyalty and commitment from a practice point of view?
FBB Architects is given access to LSBU’s own student portal, allowing the practice to monitor the progress of their three current apprentices in real-time and to see any areas that need attention.
“We work with the university assessor, who will highlight any areas he thinks Todd might need to be exposed to at any particular time,” says architect and student mentor at FBB, Anita Nice. “The process is very transparent, and it will ensure that students are exposed to appropriate learning outcomes at key stages in their development. It really does feel like a partnership with LSBU.”
She continues: “As a small practice, apprenticeships allow us to offer an opportunity that we might not otherwise be able to support financially. It encourages loyalty and commitment from our apprentices, and the reflective nature of recording the learning outcomes encourages the self-led learning, development and growth of our young aspiring architects, which in turn benefits us all.”
What has RIBA been doing since the Level 7 announcement?
RIBA was invited to participate in a Department for Education roundtable on Skills England, where it received an update on the Government’s likely decision to remove Level 7 funding from the Levy. Following this, RIBA wrote to Baroness Smith of Malvern, the Minister for Skills, urging the Government to ensure funding for Level 7 architecture degree apprenticeships are included within the scope of the reformed Levy.
Aside from the joint press statement referenced at the beginning of this professional feature, RIBA’s Policy team has provided written evidence to the Department for Education, highlighting how the proposed changes would hinder RIBA members’ ability to employ apprentices and undermine efforts to improve diversity in the profession.
Highlighting the widespread concern over the proposed changes, RIBA co-signed a letter coordinated by the University Alliance on Level 7 apprenticeship funding, which was backed by over signatures from over 600 organisations.
RIBA has also been actively engaging with key parliamentary figures behind the scenes to build support for our concerns. As part of these efforts, it has provided briefings to MPs and Lords with an interest in skills and apprenticeships, helping to shape discussions and secure parliamentary scrutiny of the Government’s decision.
Thanks to Todd Fletcher; Anita Nice, FBB; Igea Troiani and Kwame Ofori, LSBU.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a Professional Feature edited by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas.
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