Covéa launches in-house degree

Covéa Insurance has launched a tailored university degree with funding from the government backed apprenticeship levy that came into effect in April this year.

Five higher level apprentices have been recruited who will study for a degree in software and web development alongside working in the company’s IT team. The degree will take four years to complete, just one year longer than a conventional full-time degree, and the apprentices will be paid employees for the duration of their studies, graduating with a full-time job, and no student loan to pay back.

The Covéa Insurance software and web development degree is just one element of a wider skills development programme that will see the company make an investment of almost half a million pounds into professional education and training qualifications over the next two years. The company believes that having a wider range of courses will present opportunities for new and existing employees at all levels, keen to learn new skills and improve their long-term job prospects.

The degree has been developed in partnership with an external university and training provider.

Covéa Insurance also has plans in the pipeline to use the apprenticeship levy to introduce additional new training opportunities to upskill its team even further, with a ‘Connoisseur Course’ for those wanting to develop expertise in their field, and a ‘Leadership Academy’ which will enable managers with significant people responsibility to obtain a professional management qualification and a degree in management.

Matthew Metcalfe, claims manager at Covéa Insurance, said, ‘A lot of businesses have written-off the apprenticeship levy as another tax. At Covéa Insurance, we see it as an opportunity to invest in our workforce and equip our people with the skills needed for our future growth and success. The recruitment of our first five degree apprentices is just the start. Our aspiration is to have 10% of our workforce on an ‘earn and learn’ journey within five years.’