In this article, Dr Giles Proctor explains why he believes Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship (GSA) Programmes can give both employers and individuals the best possible opportunities to help employees qualify via the SQE route.
What is a GSA?
Many people have heard of 6-year apprenticeships, well the GSA is a graduate entry apprenticeship programme that runs for either 2 or 3 years and trains apprentices to pass the SQE1 and SQE2 whilst also producing the workplace evidence portfolio which will also form the basis for meeting the QWE requirements .Both solicitor apprenticeship programmes end with the SQE2 end point assessment and provide a qualification route to becoming a solicitor.
We are starting to see firms include graduate solicitor apprenticeship programmes within their early careers training portfolios, and guess what? We think that these apprentices have a very strong chance of passing the SQE first time around.
At The College of Legal Practice, we see the GSA as a unique collaboration between a higher education provider and a legal services organisation. We work closely with our client firms on each of their programmes and we are finding that there are some key differences with this programme and SQE preparation courses that greatly benefit both the individuals and the employer. I have summarised them below.
SQE Funding for the employer
As you might be aware, large employers can draw down 95% of the funding for the GSA through the apprenticeship levy, making this an efficient way to bring in future solicitors in a sustainable way for your business. This funding channel is unique and can be put towards the full apprenticeship programme costs that includes training, coaching and SQE1 & 2 assessment costs, including one re-sit for SQE1.
And great news for smaller employers too, they can receive up to 100% of their apprenticeship programme costs from the government, if they are ineligible to pay the Apprenticeship Levy.
Increased likelihood of passing the SQE and qualifying in two years
We are seeing in our student cohort, that students who are preparing for longer for the SQE are getting better results. It is no surprise that taking a 40-week course generates better outcomes than studying over 13 weeks. Perhaps now is the time to stop sprinting through SQE1 and build in QWE from the start?
The programme structure for apprentices means that every aspect of qualification is carefully considered and covered in one 2 or 3-year programme.
The candidates have a structured preparation pathway towards taking the SQE1 and SQE2, each over a one-year period. Whilst they are training, in addition to personal supervision, they receive discrete coaching to support their confidence and progression, and meet the requirements of producing the work-based portfolio of evidence which can form the basis for meeting the QWE .
This pathway works brilliantly to ensure aspiring lawyers gain all the necessary preparation, the skills and qualifications required from the Solicitors Regulation Authority to move into the profession as a fully qualified solicitor, with additional support to meet their goals.
In addition to this, unlike SQE preparation courses, where much of the onus for proactive learning is on the individual student, engagement with the programme and training elements within it, is mandatory for apprentices, with standards monitored by Ofsted.
Retention and Progression
Some employers may have heard of the 50% drop out rate for apprenticeships. This figure is a little misleading as it includes all apprenticeships, a large portion of which are six to-seven-year apprenticeships for 16–17-year-olds. However, the GSA is for graduates only, who have spent much longer in the education system already exploring their career ambitions. When you run your application process for apprenticeships, it is set up much like a training contract, with a clear programme and expectations for employment, training and progression to become a solicitor.
The GSA is no less rigorous an application than the traditional routes, and apprentices are unlikely to enter the programmes without a firm intention of completing it.
Alongside being a stable point in a person’s career journey, the GSA has the benefit of extensive apprentice support to limit the chance of apprentices dropping out due to personal challenges. 1-2-1 coaching is provided as frontline support to all apprentice needs both academic and wellbeing. This allows the needs of students to be addressed at the earliest stage possible and the prerequisite support put in place swiftly. With our programmes we aim to ensure the same coach supports the apprentice through the length of the programme. The coach works closely with the apprentice's manager with regular review meetings across the programme.
This new route does not simply benefit candidates, however. There are large gains to be made for organisations who are considering partnering with a higher education provider (HEI) to deliver the GSA. In this article, we’ll share the brilliant benefits that delivering the GSA will offer your organisation.
Improving access and social mobility
You can help achieve your access and social mobility objectives through the introduction of Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeships. The GSA is an excellent example of a salaried opportunity for aspiring solicitors who perhaps can’t otherwise afford to prepare for the SQE.
In combination with the more flexible new SQE route to qualifying, the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship provides candidates with the support they need to move through their qualifying work experience, their SQE prep and their eventual exam readiness. For many students, who are the first in their family to get a degree, let alone enter this rigorous profession, we hope that having a clear and funded structure to progress will be the difference between pursuing their goals and not. This has a knock-on effect for employers. Students who may not have considered training and qualifying can now enter the GSA, leading to increased social mobility, a more diverse workforce and eventually a pool of future solicitors that better represent the society they serve. This future pool of solicitors is already built into your business through their experience and training, leading to higher staff retention.
The GSA can be used externally for new graduate candidates, but also offers a fantastic opportunity for internal progression and recruitment. Paralegals and legal executives can enter the GSA as a clear, structured pathway to qualification. The GSA provides support for working through the rigorous learner journey of SQE prep with planned coaching and structure to ensure all regulatory requirements are met.
Focus on delivering value for your clients
Traditional apprenticeship schemes take apprentices out of the workplace for a day a week, impacting on client delivery. With our programmes, apprentices can study virtually and flexible, allowing them to focus on their work responsibilities and demands alongside their study. Our programmes avoid the need for travel time and costs and give apprenticeships options for study outside core working hours if need.
That said, it’s important as an employer to also consider how much flexibility you can feasibly offer in your delivery of the GSA, as well as the flexibility offered by the HEI you partner with. We also know that balancing work and study for the SQE is very challenging, so ensuring that the equivalent of a day off each week for training as part of the programme is an essential requirement for all employers.
Different GSA providers take different approaches to the timing of training, and deciding on the right provider to match your intentions is a key consideration for you to factor in.
Final thoughts ;
So, at the College, we believe the Graduate Solicitor Apprenticeship is highly valuable for employers and offers the structure to help apprentices pass the SQE. It provides a robust launch pad to fully integrate apprentices into your workplace and ensures that they have individual support and coaching to become your next valued cohort of NQ solicitors.
Want to find out more about the GSA? Please get in touch with me at gproctor@collegalpractice.com.