Apprenticeships continue to deliver value

That's from the latest ARU degree apprenticeship employer survey (2026) – an annual survey that looks at employer and apprentice satisfaction with an aim to establish partnership value and get clear insights into areas of improvement.

The 93% recommendation wasn’t the only significant outcome employers told us about. Other highlights of ARU apprenticeship delivery to their organisations include:

• development of practical workplace skills
• professional development and increased capability
• positive workplace impact from apprentices applying their learning
• strong support from ARU staff and programme teams.

In terms of impact on business, 85% of employers consider ARU apprenticeships a good return on investment, demonstrating that investing in apprenticeships is helping organisations build capability while developing future talent.

Increased satisfaction

Employer satisfaction was up this year too with an 8.1 out of 10 indicator. Combining the employer and apprentice satisfaction indicators gave us a score of 7.8 out of 10, with apprentice satisfaction at 7.5 out of 10 – a .3 increase in the right direction.

Celeste Jones, Director of Learning Development Services, said:

"We're delighted to see employers and apprentices reporting increasing satisfaction with ARU Apprenticeships. While we're proud of this progress, we remain committed to listening carefully to feedback and using it to drive further improvements, ensuring our apprenticeship provision continues to deliver exceptional experiences and meaningful outcomes for all."

Valuable support

The support network around apprentices was highlighted as a plus in the survey and several key strengths for apprentices were identified:

• gaining skills, knowledge and behaviours that can be applied immediately in the workplace
• the support provided by tutors, lecturers and university teams
• teaching and learning experiences that contribute to professional growth and career development.

Ongoing improvement

The survey also serves as a valuable tool for ongoing delivery improvement. ARU will focus efforts on seven key points that will enhance communication, onboarding and consistency across programmes, increase visibility of progression and embed best practices, as well as promote inclusion and expand development opportunities.

Eimear Lee, Dean of ARU School of Apprenticeships, said:

"Listening to our apprentices and employer partners is vital. Their feedback is helping us build on what's working well, strengthening the learner experience and ensuring apprenticeships continue to deliver meaningful outcomes for individuals and organisations alike. We will continue to work closely with employers and apprentices to ensure our provision remains responsive, inclusive and impactful."

Overall, the survey demonstrates a positive trajectory for apprenticeship provision, with rising satisfaction, strong levels of recommendation, and a shared commitment from both employers and ARU to continuous improvement and learner success.