Teesside University and University of Gloucestershire will begin delivery of the first ever Level 7 Arts Therapist (Degree) apprenticeship programmes in 2023.
Following a competitive process led by employers and Salisbury Managed Procurement Services, these two universities have been awarded to deliver the Level 7 Arts Therapist (Degree) apprenticeship. Over the course of the next few months employers and stakeholders will be working with the universities to collaboratively co-design the course, aiming to start delivery from September 2023 (subject to course validation and approval).
The Level 7 Arts Therapist (Degree) apprenticeship standard covers the three distinct arts therapies trainings – Art Therapy, Music Therapy and Dramatherapy. Teesside University intend to offer Art Therapy and University of Gloucestershire intend to deliver Art Therapy, Dramatherapy and Music Therapy.
Both Teesside University and University of Gloucestershire are committed to providing hybrid, innovative and learner responsive apprenticeship programmes, that will be accessible nationally with minimum learner travel requirements.
A webinar is taking place on Friday 2nd December 2022, where employers are invited to attend to hear and engage with the universities about their course design. To book a place in the webinar please email nhsapprenticeships@hee.nhs.uk
Click here to access the Arts Therapist apprenticeship – employer implementation flowchart.
Claire Arditto, Regional Head of AHPs, NEY and Chair of the Arts Therapies Apprenticeship group is ‘delighted that there is another route into the Art, Music & Drama Therapy professions, as this Level 7 Apprenticeship will truly enable widening participation and more local level workforce planning with employers.’
Professor Sarah Perks, School of Arts and Creative Industries, Teesside University said, “We are really excited to be one of the two Universities launching this new apprenticeship which is an important qualification in a growing field. We are committed to working with employers to fully support their needs and to also increase inclusivity and opportunity across the sector, and build on our reputation of successful apprentices working in intensive and hybrid ways to successfully combine their work and learning.”
Stephen Sandford, Music Therapist and Co-chair of the Arts Therapies trailblazer group, said: “It’s a tremendous achievement to now be even closer to having apprenticeships in arts therapies available and to help increase diversity and inclusion. I’d encourage all our partner sectors across health, education and social care to start to workforce plan now to employ an arts therapist apprentice!”
Andrew Langford, Chief Executive at the British Association for Music Therapy, commented: “The apprenticeship route for Music Therapy will provide an opportunity to increase the diversity of the profession. A wider range of backgrounds and experiences will undoubtedly enhance Music Therapy even further.”
Tim Wright, Head of Arts Therapies at West London NHS Trust and Co-chair of the Arts Therapies trailblazer group, said: ‘Arts therapies apprenticeships represent an extremely exciting development in arts therapies training, closely aligned to the needs of the workplace. They are also a major opportunity to increase diversity and inclusiveness in these professions. It is wonderful to be now so close to our first apprentices starting and I would encourage employers within and outside the NHS to avail themselves of the enormous contributions arts therapies apprentices can make to patient care and to their organisation generally’.