How long have you been working with Manchester Met as an apprenticeship partner?

Following the move of our Head Office from London to Salford, we were keen to work with local universities and diversify our Degree Apprenticeship offering with a partner like Manchester Met.

Since working together, we’ve not only been able to put forward staff members for Degree Apprenticeship programmes but also have been able to support some Manchester Met students, who were able to spend a few days a week with us last year as part of their university experience.

What type of Degree Apprenticeships has TalkTalk been able to offer through Manchester Met?

We choose Manchester Met as a provider due to the introduction of the Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) Fast-Track programme. One of our biggest challenges was being able to offer Degree Apprenticeships that could be completed over a shorter time frame, something that the CMDA programme provided without compromising on standards.

How have Degree Apprenticeships been able to support existing staff?

The opportunity to recognise staff members and start them on an Apprenticeship programme equivalent to the level of their experience has been brilliant for us. With every intake, we’ve enrolled more and more people and we’ve also been able to transfer employees from previous providers to complete the latter part of their degree with Manchester Met.

We’ve recently also started using the MBA Senior Leader (Masters) and the Digital and Technology Solutions courses.

What’s been the most important thing to come out of the partnership?

Staff members undertaking Degree Apprenticeship programmes have not only dramatically increased in confidence but gained a wider, more strategic understanding of the business.

Many of our apprentices have been able to utilise what they’re learning within their day-to-day roles, with courses also providing opportunities for better internal exposure.

Why are you proud to work with Manchester Met?

Having the chance to work with a local university was extremely important to us. The standards of experience and feedback have been excellent, and more and more people are engaging in the courses available. Being part of the Employer Advisory Board for the Degree Apprenticeships programme is an added bonus, which is great for sharing feedback.

You can find out more about Apprenticeships at Manchester Met by visiting: https://www.mmu.ac.uk/study/apprenticeships.