Anyone know about degree apprenticeships (esp. physiotherapy)

[Abbsie]

DD intends to be a sports physio.

She shunned A levels despite being a straight A pupil for a BTEC extended diploma in sports science. Currently (Y12) predicted D-Star, D-Star D.

She does not want to do an undergrad degree. But does intend to get a degree through a degree apprenticeship.

Whatever she decides to do, she'll ace it. Loads of extra curricular, relevant volunteering, work experience in the area, as well as consistently high grade average. So she intends to aim high. She's just not intending to go through standard route.

I went the standard academic route (A levels, under grad, post grad) so I'm struggling to advise.

How do degree apprenticeship work?

Does she apply to the uni first and they provide or support her finding a placement?

Or get a job first and hope they agree to an apprenticeship? When does she apply for this job, if she intends to start the degree apprenticeship straight after Y13?

After Y13 (assuming a high triple distinction average), will she be Level 5 or Level 6 apprenticeship?

She seems to have read somewhere that she could apply early (ie now, in year 12) to secure a place after Y13. Is this right?

We watch the .gov website listing apprenticeships. Do these courses get added seasonally, at particular times of the year? Or will all that are on there now (not many) likely to be it?

She either needs to apply for an apprenticeship position with a healthcare provider or get a job as a therapy/rehab assistant and try to convince her employer to fund the apprenticeship.

She's unlikely to get an apprenticeship straight from college - they usually want people who have already worked as a therapy assistant or similar.

Some will be advertised on the nhs jobs website eg

beta.jobs.nhs.uk/candidate/jobadvert/C9223-22-1790

The above link is for a physio/OT apprenticeship job - it requires recent experience as a therapy support worker and a previous degree is desirable.

Physio training is extremely competitive and I don't think there are that many apprenticeships so she's limiting her options if she's certain she want to be a physio.

You should ask Mumsnet to move this to Higher education boards @Abbsie
There's lots of knowledge people over there.

I’m currently doing a degree apprenticeship in my late 30s to expand my leadership skills.y employer had to endorse the application so I think you would need to have a job first. It seems to be a good way to learn, quite structured. The fees come from the employer’s apprenticeship levy, which is effectively a rebate on employer’s tax contributions. I don’t think you could apply independently.

I think it would be unlikely to go straight into apprenticeship from yr13 without having worked as a therapy assistant first. Like DoctorDonna suggest she will need to apply for an NHS apprenticeship vacancy or get a job as a physio assistant in a work place that is open to the idea of an apprenticeship in the future.

You can contact your local trusts to see if they offer the apprenticeship (not all do) and when vacancies would usually be released but as PP have pointed out it’s very competitive. Is there a particular reason she won’t do a degree?

In our trust (not physio) then you must be employed for 2 years in a similar but lower role before starting the degree apprenticeship. This experience counts towards the first half of the first year so the time spent on the degree itself is shorter than those attending university directly. She should explore which Trusts near you or where she wants to live that offer the apprenticeship.