Earn as you learn and get a degree
You No longer have to choose between getting a degree and going straight into a career. More businesses are teaming up with universities to offer employees degrees while they work.
Pamela Marshall, 27, an admin process manager at asda in Motherwell, recently graduated from the asda retail honours Degree programme with a first.
Pamela says: ‘i started working at asda part-time while at school, and was delighted when i was offered a place on the asda- funded degree programme.
‘the course and related work meant i gained a better understanding of how the business worked, which gave me more confidence — and i was promoted while on the programme.’
She advises others thinking of doing a degree while working: ‘You must be prepared to work hard.
‘to have a full-time job and gain a university degree in three years, you need good timemanagement skills and high motivation, but in return you gain a recognised qualification while earning and get excellent experience.’
Pamela was one of 21 asda staff on the degree programme, which combines work-based and classroom learning, supported by online study and networking with others on the programme.
hayley tatum, senior vice-president, people, at asda, says: ‘ offering the opportunity to earn and learn is a win-win situation for our colleagues and the business as we can develop our internal pool of talent.’ Programme members can complete a university degree without the expense of financing their studies. the programme will be running again this year. tim Blackman, vice chancellor of Middlesex university, which works with asda to offer the degree, says: ‘ these programmes provide unique opportunities for people to gain higher education qualifications through professional and workbased learning.’
Other employers offering degrees include accountaincy firm KPMG (see kpmg.co.uk), where the audit school and college leaver programme sponsors employees through an accountancy degree while paying them up to £20,000 a year. it specialist cGi ( cgi-group.
co.uk) offers a BSc in information system management or a Ba in business management. cap Gemini has a degree apprenticeship programme that offers it-based degrees ( capgemini.com).
For more companies that also offer degrees, see
careerpilot.org.uk.