Pathways, partnerships and productivity
Pathways, partnerships and productivity

The Passmore Centre for Professional and Technical Education - LSBU

24 Apr 2019

London South Bank University’s mission is to provide professional and technical opportunities to all those who seek them. We have whole-heartedly embraced the apprenticeship agenda and now have over 700 students enrolled on Higher and Degree Apprenticeship programmes including in areas where there are known skills gaps such as Chartered Surveying and Nursing. Not only do apprenticeships provide a significant opportunity to address the UK’s skills gaps – due to their close alignment to employer needs – they also have great potential to improve the country’s social mobility, by providing tuition-free education to those who enrol on them.

One example of this is the Level 6 Architecture Apprenticeship (equivalent to RIBA Part I) which LSBU is the first university in the UK to offer. This will provide an alternative cost-effective route to architecture registration, while diversifying the profession and strengthening ties between the architectural industry and academia.

Since November 2018, the apprenticeship work is delivered from the Passmore Centre – LSBU’s new business and networking hub for professional and technical education. Supported by a £5m grant from the London Borough of Southwark, the Passmore Centre has a specific focus on employer engagement, providing a ‘one-stop-shop’ to help employers access information about apprenticeships and potential apprentices. The Centre also offers space for employer meetings, community engagement and teaching facilities.

The university estimates that 2,000 students will be undertaking apprenticeships at LSBU every year by 2020. Around 600 of these are expected to achieve higher degree apprenticeship qualifications or the equivalent.