Occupational therapy degree apprenticeships
01 January, 2025
5 minute read
Occupational therapy degree apprenticeships in England
As an apprentice you can study for a degree and have on-the-job training. This means you can earn an income as well as studying, so it is a popular option.
The first apprenticeships were launched in 2019. They are offered by over 20 universities across England working with hundreds of employers.
All degree level occupational therapist apprenticeships have RCOT accreditation. This means that they are meeting the education standards we set and as a graduate you hold a qualification recognised in any World Federation of Occupational Therapist (WFOT) member country.
Universities all work collaboratively with partner organisations, usually employers in health and social care settings and also in small and medium sized private employers (SME), to deliver on-the-job training and academic education to apprentices. This means that you work alongside experiences occupational therapists in practice, as well as undertaking degree level studies.
Successful completion of the apprenticeship programme will enable application to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for registration to practice using the protected title ‘Occupational Therapist’.
Quality monitoring of apprenticeships
As each employer/university relationship is unique, the pathway to delivering the apprenticeships will also be unique and varied. We offer accreditation to education providers using our learning and development standards for pre-registration education to assess occupational therapy pre-registration programmes and ensure quality in their design and delivery.