Higher Level Apprenticeships
If you've completed A Levels or equivalent, you may be interested in a Higher Level Apprenticeship, which offers the opportunity to gain quality training and a recognised higher qualification while in paid employment.
Higher Level Apprenticeship qualifications
Higher Level Apprenticeships (HLAs) currently offer you qualifications from Level 4 to Level 7 (Masters degree). The majority are at Level 5 (Foundation degree or equivalent).
The length of a Higher Level Apprenticeship will vary depending on the programme you choose, but will be a minimum of two years.
Benefits to apprentices
By taking part in a Higher Level Apprenticeship, you can gain the skills that employers need and that are relevant to the local economy, therefore improving your prospects of good earnings and sustained employment.
Other benefits include:
- earning while you learn
- strengthen your CV with enhanced skills and qualifications
- build confidence and motivation and pride in your professional journey
- inspire peers and future apprentices with your success
- open doors and advance your career opportunities
- achieving professional-level qualifications without paying higher education tuition fees
Benefits to employers
Higher Level Apprenticeships allow employers to train staff to the level needed so they have strong technical and good employability skills.
An apprenticeship can:
- provide a route to attract and develop the talent and skills needed by the business
- highlight your organisation's commitment to skills development and excellence
- attract high-calibre talent by demonstrating support for apprenticeships
- strengthen your brand reputation within your sector and community
- inspire continuous improvement in training, mentoring and business outcomes
- grow your business and talent and competitive edge
- share your knowledge and expertise and re-energise your business
- succession planning and fill higher level skills gap
- increase productivity
Eligibility
Opportunities are available for you to gain qualifications from Level 4 upwards if you are a new employee or an existing employee in a new job role. Entry requirements will depend on the apprenticeship pathway.
To take part in the Higher Level Apprenticeship programme you need, as a minimum, to:
- be employed or be about to take up permanent paid employment as an apprentice, or be an existing employee moving to a new job role, with a Northern Ireland based company
- work a minimum of 21 hours per week (which includes time for ‘off-the-job’ training)
- have achieved all necessary entry qualifications determined by the relevant sector
- pass any entry tests specified by the relevant sector
- be the minimum school leaving age in Northern Ireland
You may need to meet other eligibility considerations, for example you may not be eligible if you're a non-EU national, a public sector worker or based on the qualifications you have previously been awarded.
Apprentices from Third Countries including European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Nationals
If you're a Third country national, including European Union (EU), European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss Nationals, you and your family members are eligible to undertake a HLA provided you've a right to live and work in the UK, for example, through:
- having secured settled status in the UK with the appropriate visa/permit
- having indefinite leave to enter or remain in the UK
- having been recognised as a refugee by the UK Government, or the spouse or civil partner or child of a refugee, or having been granted Humanitarian Protection, or having EU Temporary Protection with evidence/permit to show their status and eligibility to work in the UK
- having secured pre-settled or settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme
- acquiring the right to live and work under the UK’s immigration system
Legal responsibility for establishing that the apprentice has a right to live and work in the UK rests with the employer.
Under the Common Travel Area arrangements, Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals (including those who continue to reside in the RoI) are eligible to undertake a HLA subject to satisfying all other eligibility criteria.
Higher Level Apprenticeships available
Higher Level Apprenticeships are available through the Further Education colleges and universities in Northern Ireland, in over 20 occupational areas including:
- ICT
- Professional Services
- Engineering
- Life Sciences
- Accountancy
- Health Care
See details below of qualifications available per sector and where they’re available.
Accounting
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Accounting Technician | Belfast Metropolitan College Northern Regional College North West Regional College Southern Regional College South Eastern Regional College South West College |
| Level 6 | Accounting and Management | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Accounting and Finance | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Accounting and Finance (Top-up) | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Accounting Technology (Top-up) | Belfast Metropolitan College Southern Regional College |
| Level 7 | Accountancy | South West College |
| Level 7 | International Accounting with Analytics | Ulster University |
Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 4 | Engineering | Northern Regional College |
| Level 4 | Engineering (Advanced Manufacture) | South West College |
| Level 4 | Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) | North West Regional College |
| Level 4 | Engineering (General) | North West Regional College |
| Level 4 | Engineering (Maintenance) | South West College |
| Level 4 | Engineering (Mechanical and Manufacturing) | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) | Southern Regional College Northern Regional College North West Regional College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (General) | North West Regional College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (Manufacturing) | South West College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (Mechanical and Manufacturing) | Northern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (Mechatronic) | South Eastern Regional College Southern Regional College South West College |
| Level 5 | Engineering (Technical Design and Manufacturing) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Print Management | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 6 | Engineering (Top-up) | Southern Regional College South West College |
| Level 6 | Engineering (Electrical and Electronic) | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Engineering (Mechanical and Manufacturing) | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Engineering (Mechatronic) | Ulster University |
| Level 7 | Engineering (Mechanical with Management) | Queen's University Belfast |
Agri-food Manufacturing
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Food and Drink Manufacture | College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise |
| Level 5 | Food Innovation and Technology | College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise |
| Level 6 | Food and Drink Manufacture (Top-up) | College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise |
Built Environment
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 4 | Building Services Engineering (HVAC) | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 4 | Construction (Modern Methods of Construction) | Northern Regional College |
| Level 4 | Construction Management | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 4 | Construction Management Renewables | North West Regional College |
| Level 5 | Architectural Technology | Northern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Building Services with Sustainable Energy | South West College |
| Level 5 | Construction (Digital) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Construction (Quantity Surveying) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Construction Engineering with Surveying | Northern Regional College South West College |
| Level 5 | Construction Management | North West Regional College |
| Level 6 | Building Services with Sustainable Energy (Top-up) | South West College |
| Level 6 | Construction (Top-up) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Construction Engineering and Management | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Construction Engineering and Management (Top-up) | South West College |
| Level 6 | Quantity Surveying ( Top-up) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Quantity Surveying and Commercial Management | Ulster University |
Childcare and Youth Work
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Leadership for Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Management) | Belfast Metropolitan College Northern Regional College North West Regional College South Eastern Regional College South West College |
Civil Engineering
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 4 | Civil Engineering | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Civil Engineering | Belfast Metropolitan College South West College |
| Level 6 | Civil Engineering | Queen's University Belfast |
| Level 6 | Civil Engineering | Ulster University |
| Level 7 | Civil Engineering | Ulster University |
| Level 7 | Civil Engineering and Infrastructure | Ulster University |
Health and Social Care
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 4 | Healthcare Practice | South West College |
| Level 5 | Health and Social Care | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Leadership Health and Social Care (Adult Management Care) | Northern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Leadership Health and Social Care (Adult Residential Management) | Northern Regional College |
Hospitality and Tourism
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Culinary Arts | Belfast Metropolitan College South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Tourism Hospitality and Event Management | Belfast Metropolitan College Northern Regional College North West Regional College South Eastern Regional College Southern Regional College South West College |
| Level 6 | International Hospitality Management | Ulster University |
ICT
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Cloud Computing with Cyber Security | Northern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Cloud Computing, Analytics and Security for Industry | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Computing | Northern Regional College North West Regional College South West College |
| Level 5 | Cyber Security and Digital Forensics | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Cyber Security with Cloud and Network Infrastructure | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 5 | Software and Cloud Development with Data Analysis | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 6 | Cloud Computing with Cyber Security (Top-up) | Northern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Computing for Industry (Top-up) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Computing Science (Top-up) | South West College |
| Level 6 | Computing Systems | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Cyber Security and Digital Forensics (Top-up) | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Cyber Security with Cloud and Network Infrastructure (Top-up) | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 6 | Software and Cloud Development with Data Science (Top-up) | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 7 | Artificial Intelligence/ Computer Science | Ulster University |
Leisure and Wellbeing
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Sport and Exercise | Southern Regional College |
Life sciences
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Applied Industrial Science (Analytical) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Applied Industrial Science (Bioscience) | Southern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Applied Pharmaceutical Science | Ulster University |
| Level 7 | Pharmaceutical Analysis | Queen's University Belfast |
Planning and Project Management
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 7 | Building Information Modelling Project Management | Queen's University Belfast |
| Level 7 | Construction and Project Management | Queen's University Belfast |
| Level 7 | City Planning and Design | Queen's University Belfast |
| Level 7 | Planning and Development | Queen's University Belfast |
Professional Services
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Business | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Business and Enterprise | North West Regional College |
| Level 5 | Business Data Management | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 5 | Business Management | Northern Regional College South West College |
| Level 5 | FinTech | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Leadership and Productivity | South Eastern Regional College |
| Level 6 | Business Studies | South West College |
| Level 6 | Financial Technology | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Business Technology | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Law | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Leading on Customer Operations | Ulster University |
| Level 6 | Procurement and Supply | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 7 | Business Technology | Ulster University |
| Level 7 | FinTech | Ulster University |
Sales and Marketing
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Digital Marketing, Advertising and Communications | Southern Regional College |
| Level 5 | Marketing | Belfast Metropolitan College |
| Level 6 | Digital Marketing, Advertising and Communication (Top-up) | Southern Regional College |
Transport and Logistics
| Level | HLA Title | Training Provider |
| Level 5 | Supply Chain and Logistics | Northern Regional College |
More information
If you're interested in doing a Higher Level Apprenticeship, contact the relevant Further Education College or University for further information.
If you're not sure about which apprenticeship you want to follow, or just need more information on what the Apprenticeships programme can do for you, contact the mailbox: