Employer feedback

Employers reported significant interest in the programme and described apprentices as motivated, enthusiastic and ready to develop as social workers.

The industry advisory group, regular meetings and proactive UWS responses were valued, although employers identified a need for clearer expectations and earlier communication at the start of the programme.

Delayed approvals and compressed recruitment created uncertainty for employers and apprentices and led to pressure later in the academic year, although some employers used the delay positively to support transition activity.

Employer-led preparation, particularly the Learning Hub model, helped apprentices move from existing roles into a trainee social worker identity and build confidence in legislation, risk, reflection and practice skills.

Face-to-face learning was valued for engagement and peer connection, while online and outreach delivery were essential for rural employers where travel time, cost and geography could otherwise limit participation.

Apprentices benefited from local and cross-authority peer networks, which helped reduce isolation, support motivation and enable shared learning across different employer contexts.

Releasing apprentices from substantive roles, managing university attendance days and planning placement blocks created operational pressures, particularly where several apprentices came from the same team or service area.

Employers highlighted hidden costs including backfill, travel, accommodation, books, equipment, additional learning support and assessor workload, all of which affect future sustainability.

Feedback points to the need for stronger placement planning, early identification of mentors, clearer induction arrangements and potential practice learning opportunity swaps between employers.

Future cohorts should only proceed once provider approval, regulatory requirements, recruitment windows and programme start dates are sufficiently clear to avoid uncertainty and compressed delivery.

Employers should receive clear guidance on apprentice role design, protected study time, university attendance, placement expectations, mentor and assessor roles, workforce planning and likely hidden costs.

Employers should be encouraged to offer a Learning Hub or similar preparatory model to support apprentices’ professional identity, confidence, legislation knowledge, risk awareness and readiness for practice learning. Such activity may support identifying individual learning needs and gaps.

The programme should balance face-to-face learning for engagement and peer support with online or localised delivery for rural and remote employers where travel and accommodation create barriers. Costs for this should be considered, e.g. lecturer travel and accommodation for in-person teaching at rural/remote off-campus locations. Consideration may also be given to sourcing a suitable location for apprentices in more rural/remote locations to meet together to facilitate opportunities for in-person peer learning and support, perhaps with a lecturer joining online when appropriate.

Learning providers and employers should explore staggered attendance days and placement blocks to reduce pressure on teams and avoid multiple apprentices being released from the same service at the same time. This will be particularly relevant to employers with apprentices in different year groups.

Protected study time should be embedded in learning plans, employer agreements and review meetings, with clear expectations such as half a day weekly or one full day fortnightly.

Initial, midpoint and review meetings should include the apprentice, employer, mentor or assessor and university representative, with schedules and expectations shared early enough to support planning.

The pilot has shown that robust tripartite agreements are crucial to success for all parties, ensuring that all understand their roles from the outset, and what is expected of them.

Partners should explore shared reading lists, digital access, book banks, support funding and clearer costing models covering backfill, travel, accommodation, equipment and additional support needs, such as supportive software and other reasonable adjustments.
 

Employers should be supported to explore practice learning opportunity swaps, local partnerships and cross-authority collaboration to broaden apprentice experience and manage placement capacity and learning needs.
 

A national forum involving employers, learning providers, SDS, SSSC and relevant partners would support shared learning, consistency, problem solving and future programme improvement.