About the Project

This project, aimed at Engineering Apprentices, created valuable resources for students to enhance both their professional skills as well as their learning skills and help them better navigate the apprentice programme.

Through this project we continued the development of two areas of skills provision for apprentices:

• Maths Online Bridge for Individualised Support (MOBIUS) – an innovative online learning platform that provides an individualised study pathway for each learner to help them bridge gaps in their maths knowledge, and succeed in their degree
• Core skills for Apprentices – through this part of the project we scoped out additional non-maths skills that apprentices need to progress through their apprenticeships, to meet the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in their individual learning plans.

Project Impact

Engineering and Digital Technology Solutions pathways on the Mobius online maths bridging resource were completed and rolled out to degree apprentices in WMG and the School of Engineering. School of Engineering offer holders were also given access to Mobius in August, enabling them to gain maths skills and confidence prior to starting their undergraduate degree courses.

So far, 38 DTS apprentices and 35 Engineering apprentices in WMG enrolled in Mobius prior to their course start. Access to Mobius was offered to undergraduate offer holders in the School of Engineering in August 2021, of which 132 have enrolled.

All apprentices across the University will benefit from the Apprentice Core Skills Moodle site that will be developed out of this project.

A proposed plan of content for an ‘Apprentice Core Skills’ Moodle site was created, mapped to the skills that apprentices need to progress through their apprenticeships, to meet the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) set out in their individual learning plans.

Student Experience

Mobius provides a flexible online learning opportunity for students to improve their maths skills and gain confidence in their own time, at their own pace. It provides individualised recommendations for next steps so that students can focus on the resources most relevant for them. Video transcripts with accessible maths notation enhance the experience for all students.

The outcomes of the project promoted a more enjoyable learner journey by reducing the stress that results when a learner feels they are missing crucial underpinning knowledge. 

Learning Outcomes

The non-academic learning outcomes of a degree apprenticeship are related to the personal and professional skills that are essential for employability and success in the workplace. By grouping key, existing resources into one central resource for tutors to direct apprentices to or for apprentices to access proactively, we provided better opportunities for our apprentices to develop these skills ready for their End-Point Assessments.

The Mobius online resource provides a means for apprentices and other students to enhance their maths skills.

Accessibility

A key part of the legacy of this project was to help make a Warwick education more accessible and inclusive.

Mobius is a digital resource that can be made available now and in the future for all students who require bridging maths support. It has given an opportunity to students whose A-level studies were adversely impacted by the pandemic to increase their maths skills and confidence prior to joining the university, which will help them as they embark on their STEM degrees. It also helps those without standard A-level qualifications prepare for and evidence their maths skills and knowledge.