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BA (Hons) Modelmaking for Industry: Degree Apprenticeship
- Duration: 3 years
- LARS code: 770
- EQA provider: Office for Students
BA (Hons) Modelmaking for Industry degree apprenticeship information
The BA (Hons) Modelmaking for Industry degree apprenticeship values the development of graduates who are effective and responsible practitioners. The development of ethical practice is embedded in a varied, yet relevant curriculum. You'll gain knowledge of sustainable materials and practices, develop skills that are transferable across different areas of the modelmaking industry, and exhibit behaviours that demonstrate how
The degree apprenticeship will introduce apprentices to all avenues of the modelmaking disciplines. Core skills will be learned through your specialisms, and digital skills of CAD, CAM, image manipulation, document creation etc., are embedded throughout the course.
Learning packages and the residential weeks will provide awareness of specialisms not experienced in the workplace. The course will introduce the industry disciplines outside your specialism.
Through discussion between employer and education provider, learning can be made relevant to any workplace while underpinning ‘on-the-job’ training with critical theory and background understanding of techniques, materials and the context for modelmaking in the 21st century.
Three reasons why AUB’s Modelmaking for Industry apprenticeship could benefit you:
- You’ll gain from AUB’s industry-focused experience of teaching and learning in the modelmaking field. Experienced tutors for the ‘off-the-job’ training will include lecturers and technician demonstrators delivering our BA (Hons) Modelmaking course, many of whom are experienced professional modelmakers in their own right.
- This apprenticeship offers a relevant and tailored approach to learning the skills needed in the workplace, confirmed by the employer. This ensures an effective start to a modelmaking career, with just the right skills and knowledge for the work you're doing.
- AUB has experience of industry-standard equipment, including analogue and digital manufacturing, and specialist workshop machinery. We have knowledge and experience of traditional and cutting edge materials. This ensures that we can support the learning that's needed to be effective in whichever workplace the "on-the-job" training takes place in.
Level 4 (first year)
First-year units support the apprentice’s introduction to professional modelmaking, and enable the development of the fundamental skills needed for effective study. Critical knowledge of health and safety, project management, and the fundamental skills of communicating through sketching and drawing will be introduced and embedded. The breadth of the modelmaking industry will be explored, giving apprentices a solid understanding of their employer’s position in the creative industries. Finally, knowledge of project planning principles and technical design skills will be developed ready for Level 5.
Units:
- Language of Industry
- Exploring Creative Opportunities
- Project Planning and Model Design
Level 5 (second year)
Second-year units expand apprentices’ knowledge of research methods, innovation, and the commercial implications for the work that they do. Apprentices are challenged to consider the "journey" of a model from initial discussion with a client, through to completion. As skills are refined, techniques for pitching and presenting are studied, the idea of critical discourse explored. In preparation for Level 6, apprentices apply their abilities to communicate in a professional context.
Units:
- Innovation in Models
- Model Journey
- Critical Contribution
Level 6 (third year)
Final year units will enhance apprentices’ research and communication skills, while enabling them to establish a critical position on contemporary issues within their discipline. The use of modelmaking in unfamiliar areas of the creative industries is experienced, and apprentices will make good use of opportunities to learn from their peers and AUB’s making community. Finally, as they work towards the End Point Assessment that marks completion of the course, apprentices are tested to demonstrate their identity as an effective, professional and experienced practitioner.
Units:
- Catalyst
- Portfolio Enhancement
- Final Major Project
- (After the gateway) End Point Assessment
What a degree apprenticeship can do for you
- You’ll pay no tuition fees. Apprenticeships are funded by government, and by employers, not through student loans to pay for tuition fees. This means you’ll have no student loans to repay after graduation.
- Get paid while you study. Since 80% of your training will take place in a workplace, you’ll be earning a wage while studying.
- A degree-level qualification after three years. Degree apprenticeships are recognised as Level 6 qualifications. They're different to traditional degrees, but have the same status in the industry you've trained in.
- A community of apprentices. You’ll benefit from the experts that you’ll be working with day to day, and also a community of apprentices working across the UK with access to support from the University.
Each apprentice works on the job for 80% of the week, and 20% off the job in lessons. This is normally one day per week, but there'll also be blocks of time spent away from the workplace.
Lessons will take place online and in person, so the apprentice will need access to a computer to do their degree work. AUB will collaborate with you to ensure that the educational workload is balanced with your needs.
Apprentices will need to balance degree lectures, employment responsibilities, communication, and documentation – not an easy combination. It's important for you to ensure that pinch points are anticipated and reduced during throughout the apprenticeship.
Applying for a degree apprenticeship
It’s important to note how you can apply for a place on an apprenticeship, as the route is different from a traditional route into higher education.
To start a degree apprenticeship, you must apply for a relevant job with an employer offering the programme. It’s a competitive recruitment process. In contrast, an undergraduate course is accessed through UCAS, allowing students to apply directly to any available university course without needing a specific job offer.
A degree apprenticeship combines full-time paid employment with part-time university study, leading to a degree without tuition fees or student debt. It’s ideal for gaining practical experience, earning while learning, and building a career from day one.
However, apprentices have less campus life and limited flexibility in choosing modules. An undergraduate degree, by contrast, offers a more traditional university experience with greater academic focus and flexibility, including extracurricular opportunities and broader networking. But it typically involves full-time study and student loans.
Both routes lead to a degree, but the learning style, lifestyle, and career paths differ significantly.