Apprenticeships at the University of East London (UEL) are a deliberate and strategic diversification. Daljinder Kaur Hopal, Associate Director of Employer Partnerships and Apprenticeships, explain their approach.
Apprenticeships are not a side activity at the University of East London (UEL). They are a core part of how we build resilience, strengthen employer partnerships and deliver skills that translate directly into organisational performance.
This approach is shaped by our identity as a career‑focused, employer‑driven institution recognised nationally for teaching excellence and innovation.
As University of the Year 2025 for Teaching Quality, and a first‑wave Department for Education (DfE) delivery partner for AI capability, UEL brings a distinctive combination of academic strength, digital innovation and workforce development expertise.
These USPs underpin how we design, deliver and grow apprenticeships as a strategic pillar of our institutional future.
Complementary pathways
Diversification at UEL is not simply about income; it is about relevance. Apprenticeships allow us to deliver programmes that are tightly aligned to industry need, responsive to employer priorities and focused on measurable workplace impact.
They complement traditional degrees by offering applied learning, competency‑based assessment and a direct link between training and organisational outcomes.
For employers, apprenticeships are not simply a qualification route. UEL’s reputation for industry‑aligned teaching, digital capability and innovation in workforce development makes apprenticeships a natural extension of our mission. Our recognition as a DfE AI Capability Partner further strengthens our position as a provider that can support employers navigating emerging technologies and new skills demands.
Best practice apprenticeships
Since launching in 2017, UEL’s apprenticeship offer has grown into a vibrant, high‑performing portfolio. Today, we support 910 apprentices across 250 employers, demonstrating the scale and reach of our commitment to widening access to skills and careers.
This growth is matched by quality: our 81.3% Qualification Achievement Rate, significantly above the national benchmark, shows the strength of our teaching, support and employer engagement.
UEL’s apprenticeship provision continues to stand out nationally, recognised for both the quality of our programmes and the strength of our employer partnerships.
Over recent years, we’ve earned sector‑wide acclaim: Highly Commended for Digital Apprenticeship Provider of the Year and shortlisted for Construction Apprenticeship Provider of the Year at the ATA Awards (2023); Best Apprenticeship in Education at the AGA Awards (2025); and a 2026 shortlist for Outstanding Apprenticeship Programme at the ATA Awards.
Our employers have been celebrated too — Maltby Land Surveys, a geospatial partner training apprentices through UEL, won SME Employer of the Year in 2025, reflecting the impact of our collaborative approach.
Employer partnerships in practice
Employer relationships sit at the heart of apprenticeship delivery. The employer is not a stakeholder, they are a co‑designer, co‑educator and co‑assessor. Employers need clarity and transparency around off‑the‑job training, assessment timelines, workplace responsibilities and learner support.
UEL’s employer partnerships are strengthened by our recognition as a leading university for social mobility and career outcomes, which reassures organisations that our learners bring resilience, ambition and real‑world capability.
Apprenticeship assessment
Assessment in apprenticeships is fundamentally different from traditional degrees. It is competency‑based, workplace‑rooted and externally validated through End‑Point Assessment (EPA).
This requires universities to design programmes that build towards EPA from the very beginning. UEL’s assessment approach focuses on skills scans and initial assessment, regular progress reviews involving the employer, clear mapping between workplace tasks and apprenticeship competencies, structured EPA preparation and early identification of support needs.
Quality is not only about teaching; it is about documentation, evidence and consistency. Employers should expect their university partner to have strong internal systems and a culture of continuous improvement, something UEL has been recognised for through multiple teaching quality awards and sector commendations.
AI modular apprenticeship units
UEL’s newest diversification pathway is the introduction of AI modular apprenticeship units, designed to help employers build confident, capable leaders who can turn AI strategy into real organisational impact.
As a DfE first‑wave delivery partner, UEL is recognised nationally for digital innovation and workforce development. These units give employers a practical route to developing AI capability without needing to commit to a full apprenticeship programme.
The units also create new stackable qualifications across Project Management, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, People Practice, Data, UX, Sales and Operations, strengthening UEL’s commercial offer and giving employers flexible ways to upskill their workforce.
Apprenticeships are reshaping the relationship between universities and employers. They are creating new pathways into professional careers, strengthening regional economies and enabling universities to play a more direct role in workforce development. For UEL, apprenticeships are not an add‑on; they are a strategic pillar.
As demand continues to grow, universities that embrace apprenticeships with ambition, discipline and partnership‑led thinking will be well‑placed to thrive.
The future of higher education will be more blended, more employer‑connected and more focused on skills. Apprenticeships are already leading that shift, and UEL is proud to be at the forefront.