At the University of Kent, we offer a Policy Officer Higher Apprenticeship that is tailored for working policy professionals who are near the start of their careers.
The primary role of a policy officer is to shape and/or
influence government policy, by working with a wide range of stakeholders and
experts to gather evidence, effectively synthesise information and present
recommendations to colleagues.
This apprenticeship
is particularly suited to the following roles:
Policy Officer
Policy Manager
Policy Adviser / Advisor
Policy Analyst
Political Affairs Manager
Policy officers work
within organisations that interact with and strive to influence government
policy, such as:
Local authorities
National government
Public bodies
Statutory regulators
Private sector
Non-profit, charity and voluntary sector
Benefits of the programme
The Policy Officer apprenticeship helps employers to utilise their apprenticeship levy fund, secure their apprenticeship target and build a diverse and loyal workforce. It is structured to combine work and study, supporting employees to put theory into practice.
Available across England, it includes high quality tuition from academics with internationally recognised experience and expertise. It is designed to ensure that apprentices rapidly acquire key skills that can be easily applied in the context of their organisation.
As students at the University of Kent, apprentices benefit from the added value of a higher education experience which includes being part of a vibrant student and alumni community (both physical and online).
Unsplash.
Read about Policy Officer Apprentice Kate Savenko's Research Project:
Upon
successful completion, the apprentice will have achieved a Certificate of Higher
Education in Policy Making.
Duration
and commitment
The
apprentice can start in September or January. The duration of this
apprenticeship is 24 months including the end-point assessment.
The
apprenticeship can be delivered entirely online or as a combination of online
learning with in-person face-to-face teaching at three, day-long intensive
sessions. We offer these intensive sessions in central London and at various
locations in England, subject to demand.
Entry
requirements
Since
this apprenticeship exists to both diversify the workforce and up-skill
aspiring policy professionals at all stages of their career, a broad range of
entry routes can be considered. As a guide, the minimum prior qualifications
needed to successfully complete the certificate are five GCSEs (including
English and mathematics) at Grade C/4 or above, or an equivalent
qualification.
All
apprentices must have the right to work in the UK to be eligible for the
apprenticeship.
Modules
Readiness for policy officer
apprenticeship
Who runs the UK? Power,
politics, and policy
Applied policy
analysis
Implementing policy
Making and
communicating policy
Project management for
policy officers
Critical thinking for policy
analysis
Applied research methods for
evidence-based policy
Fees and
funding
Apprentices
receive a salary, have an employment contract, spend a minimum of 20% of their
work time on off-the-job learning and pay no tuition fees.
This
qualification is eligible for levy funding in England, meaning the full cost
can be met by employers’ levy fund.
The cost
of the Policy Officer apprenticeship is £6,000. This can be paid from the
Apprenticeship Levy or by Government Co-investment. Other costs to consider
that are not covered by the Levy of Co-investment include travel to the
intensive teaching sessions (if applicable).
Start
Dates
This
programme starts in September each year. Please contact us for application
cut-off dates.
Employers and
Employees
Our team are there to offer support with
developing apprenticeships in your organisation, be it upskilling existing
employees or recruiting for new roles.
Apprenticeships are available to those
already employed in a relevant position and require the support of an employer
to take part. If you are not already employed in a relevant role, please visit
our please visit our Becoming an Apprentice page.
A job in policy has been challenging at times but it’s the type of job I have always wanted to have - you're always learning new things, working on a variety of tasks, and have lots of opportunities to work with colleagues and share ideas.”
Related Kent programme of study
HE Certificate in Policy Studies - Subject to approval.
Alumni Spotlight: Read more from Alumna Policy Officer Apprentice Sally Mathias