You’ll need to apply for this course through your employer, with their support. Individuals cannot apply directly to the University.
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Overview
Our Social Work Degree Apprenticeship has been designed to support you to become a qualified social worker while you continue to work and earn. You’ll study at university and learn on the job, giving you the skills, confidence and real-world experience you need to make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
Social workers help a wide variety of people — from care leavers and older adults to those experiencing homelessness, mental ill health or substance misuse. During this course, you’ll experience the key areas of social work and learn how to support individuals, families and communities through challenging moments in their lives.
You’ll learn how to assess situations, plan support, and work with other professionals such as the NHS, schools, housing teams and voluntary organisations. Throughout the course, you’ll become familiar with safeguarding practices, risk, wellbeing and the importance of anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.
At Worcester, you’ll learn through a mix of workshops, practical tasks, reflective activities and sessions led by practitioners with lived experience. You’ll link your university learning directly to your day-to-day role, helping you grow as a confident, reflective and adaptable professional.
By the end of the programme, you’ll be ready to apply to join the Social Work England register and take on roles in children’s services, adult social care, mental health, learning disabilities, and many other areas.
How apprentices study
Teaching and learning on an apprenticeship will be a collaborative process between you, your employer and the university. This will include attending university for tutorials, work-based learning, when required to complete the apprenticeship an alternative placement and mentoring by a qualified/experienced colleague.
In a typical week apprentices have around 6 - 9 contact hours of university teaching across 3 semesters. However, the precise contact hours will depend on the year of study and the module you are studying. An example of teaching contact time will be structured around:
- 3 hours of interactive workshops/skills simulations or student seminars either face to face or online
- 3 hours of (large group) lectures either face to face or online
- 3 hours of asynchronous online teaching and learning
Apprenticeship students will have the opportunity to study alongside other students completing a BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) Degrees.
As an apprentice, you’ll spend part of your working time developing the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed for your qualification. This is known as ‘off-the-job’ learning, and your employer will support you to complete it. You and your employer will agree how this learning is structured to best support your development and progress.
Course content
On this degree apprenticeship, you’ll study theories backed up by substantial evidence, and then get the opportunity to apply this learning in professional practice.
Our courses are informed by the latest research and developments in the field, as well as feedback from students and employers. Therefore, modules do occasionally change to keep the course up-to-date and relevant.
All modules are mandatory to ensure you’re eligible apply to join the Social Work England register.
Careers and employability
Most graduate apprentices are offered roles within their work place. As a social worker, you’ll be making a real difference every day. You’ll work with children, adults, families and carers to help people stay safe, feel supported, and build independent, fulfilling lives. You’ll learn how to assess situations, plan and organise support, and work alongside other professionals such as teachers, nurses, housing teams, police and voluntary organisations. You’ll use your judgement to make decisions in the best interests of the people you support, keeping their voice at the heart of your practice.
This apprenticeship prepares you for the realities of social work through a blend of workplace experience and university learning. Your practice placement is a major part of the course and allows you to apply your developing skills in real settings.
At Worcester, you’ll benefit from strong partnerships with local employers, including:
- Worcestershire County Council Adult Services
- Worcestershire Children First
- Herefordshire Council
- Gloucestershire County Council
- Barnardo’s
- West Midlands Social Work Teaching Partnership
These partners help shape the course, offer workplace visits, and provide talks and skills sessions, ensuring your learning stays relevant and up-to-date.
Once you complete the apprenticeship, you’ll be able to apply to join the Social Work England register. You could find a career in:
- Child protection
- Youth justice
- Adoption and fostering
- Adults with mental health needs
- Older adults and dementia care
- Homelessness and housing support
- Domestic abuse services
- Community development
Some graduates also choose careers outside of traditional social work settings, or even go on to work independently or set up their own services.
Course highlights
Teaching and assessment
Teaching combines interactive seminars, practical skills sessions, online learning and time in practice, helping you link what you learn to real social work situations. You’ll be assessed through written work, presentations, skills simulations and your practice portfolio – all designed to prepare you for confident, safe and effective professional practice.
Teaching and assessment contents
The Social Work Degree Apprenticeship programme acknowledges that social work is a practice-based, professional, and academic discipline and therefore the integration of theory and practice are central to all aspects of the curriculum. Apprentices who successfully complete the programme will be eligible to apply to register with Social Work England as social workers and contribute to the ongoing development of professional social work practice. The programme has a particular emphasis on supporting apprentice’s personal and professional development, building emotional resilience and self-care skills alongside practice focused and problem-solving skills to prepare apprentices for the transition to qualified practice as a social worker.
The programme team will use a range of apprentice centred, traditional, and innovative learning and teaching approaches, in both the academic modules and practice placements, seeking to recognise the diversity in learning styles amongst apprentices. Drawing on contemporary practice literature and research, the programme team seek to integrate evidence informed practice principles across the curriculum. The design and delivery of the course programme has been developed to reflect key principles of equality, diversity and inclusion to support best practice.
The programme will include a mixture of off the job, blended learning and teaching on campus and online, alongside on the job training with employers and completion of mandatory placement. Individual and small group tutorials will usually be arranged online as this has proven to be convenient and popular with apprentices. The team will collect feedback regularly from apprentices on the approaches used and lecturers will reflect on teaching practice to accommodate the needs and strengths of the apprentice cohort.
The University of Worcester has an established reputation in partnership working through planning, teaching, assessment, consultancy, and evaluation with people with lived experience of social care services and of providing care for others through the IMPACT group. The IMPACT group brings together people with diverse experiences of using health and social care services - who have consolidated their presence across teaching and learning, recruitment, research, and consultancy within the school. Building on this firm foundation and commitment, the IMPACT group has played a central role in the design and development of the BA (Hons) Social Work. Apprentices and staff will have the opportunity to learn from the experience, skills, and knowledge of people with lived experience throughout the programme.
In addition, the programme team co-operate with employers, social work practitioners, educators, and managers from our partner agencies within the statutory and independent social work sector and are active members of the West Midland Social Work Teaching Partnership, to ensure that teaching and practice within the programme remains relevant, contemporary, and responsive to the changing professional context.
Meet the Social Work team
Meet some of the Social Work team that you'll be learning from.
Dr Peter Unwin
I have enjoyed a long and varied career in social work, specialising in safeguarding, foster care and service user and carer (SUAC) involvement. I began my career in residential care in South Africa in the days of apartheid and this era of oppression fired me up with a strong sense of social justice. I went on to qualify as a social worker in the UK and moved into senior management and inspection roles with local authorities.
Dr Peter Ayling
Peter's background is in social work practice with children and families including child protection, children in care, fostering and adoption, child and adolescent mental health.
Peter has also been involved in therapeutic work with children for the last 15 years as a social worker and play therapist and is enthusiastic about supporting the emotional development and wellbeing of children and ensuring that children's views and wishes about their lives are heard and acted on.
Peter believes in the importance of the social work profession for our society and enjoy being involved in the training of talented and committed future social workers.
Peter completed his Doctoral research into the experience and practice of empathy by children’s social workers in 2024.
Diane Asamoah
Diane is the course leader for the Social Work Continuous Professional Development programs. She currently lectures on the BA(Hons) Practice Realities module, MA Complex practice, supporting students to prepare for Social Work employment, PEPS 2 and Practice Leadership for Strength Based Practice.
She looks forward to supporting students with an understanding of the skills needed for current Social Work practice.
Dr Peter Unwin
I have enjoyed a long and varied career in social work, specialising in safeguarding, foster care and service user and carer (SUAC) involvement. I began my career in residential care in South Africa in the days of apartheid and this era of oppression fired me up with a strong sense of social justice. I went on to qualify as a social worker in the UK and moved into senior management and inspection roles with local authorities.
Dr Peter Ayling
Peter's background is in social work practice with children and families including child protection, children in care, fostering and adoption, child and adolescent mental health.
Peter has also been involved in therapeutic work with children for the last 15 years as a social worker and play therapist and is enthusiastic about supporting the emotional development and wellbeing of children and ensuring that children's views and wishes about their lives are heard and acted on.
Peter believes in the importance of the social work profession for our society and enjoy being involved in the training of talented and committed future social workers.
Peter completed his Doctoral research into the experience and practice of empathy by children’s social workers in 2024.
Entry requirements
We accept a range of qualifications, including Access to HE Diplomas. We also take into account any work or life experiences you have, alongside any qualifications you hold.
You’ll need to apply for this course through your employer, with their support. Individuals cannot apply directly to the University.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about entry requirements, please email apprenticeships@worc.ac.uk
Fees
Fees contents
Fees for this apprenticeship will be paid by the employer, through apprenticeship funding via the Growth and Skills Levy.
How to apply
How to apply contents
All applications are through your employer, and you must have the support of your employer. Please discuss the possibility of completing the apprenticeship with your line manager and/or HR department. Your employer can then contact the University to discuss applying to the programme.
Individuals cannot apply directly to the University.
Contact
If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.
Apprenticeships team
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