Middlesex sought a unified platform to manage administration, compliance and learner engagement at scale. In 2019, the university partnered with Aptem, and the impact was clear: greater efficiency, better compliance, and stronger oversight of the apprenticeship journey.
Centralising apprenticeship management to support growth
Beginning with just 25 learners, the university expanded its offer to more than 1,400 apprentices across diverse programmes, including policing, nursing, business, healthcare and teaching, by 2021. This growth trajectory presented operational challenges that the university’s legacy systems struggled to keep up with.
Before Aptem, administrative functions such as onboarding, attendance tracking and compliance documentation were fragmented across separate tools and manual processes. With Aptem acting as a central hub where every learner interaction is captured, tracked and auditable, Middlesex now has confidence that its data is complete and compliant.
Dashboards and employer visibility driving engagement
One of the standout benefits of the partnership has been the introduction of intuitive dashboards that provide visibility across learners and stakeholders. “The feedback has been extremely positive,” says Willis of the new employer dashboard. Users can now see apprentice progress at a glance, understand where issues might be emerging, and take action without waiting for manual reports or intervention from the apprenticeship team.
Dashboards not only save time for administrators but also empower employers. This is a key success factor in degree apprenticeship delivery where workplace engagement is essential. Through clear breakdowns of attendance and progress data, employers can proactively support apprentices and align on shared outcomes.
1400 +
Learners supported across a range of different programmes including the Police
Constable Degree Apprenticeship, Nursing, Business, Healthcare and Teaching.
We now use Aptem as our primary recruitment tool for apprentices. It has removed double entry, we are able to ensure we gather all the information required from a compliance perspective up front before we formally enrol students and can filter suitability in a timely and efficient manner.
Steven Willis, CAS Operations Manager
Embedded compliance and digital learning
Middlesex University’s use of SCORM within Aptem has helped solve a longstanding compliance pain point. SCORM enables the creation and storage of digital learning content such as British Values and Safeguarding modules directly within the system. This ensures that evidence of delivery is automatically captured and easily accessible, both during programme delivery and after apprentices complete their degrees. “We also use SCORM to capture what students are doing post-completion of their degree apprenticeship,” Willis explains, highlighting how the platform supports a complete evidence trail.
Aptem also tracks attendance across all apprenticeship programmes, reducing administrative burden and ensuring accuracy in funding claims. This automation removes repetitive tasks from the team’s workload and helps the university maintain a high standard of compliance with regulatory requirements.
Reviews and collaboration between Middlesex and Aptem
Middlesex’s commitment to continuous improvement is also reflected in how it uses Aptem to evolve learner reviews. Through a collaborative approach with the Aptem team, Middlesex has refined its review process to be more forward-facing by enabling apprentices to contribute to reviews in advance and giving tutors and employers a richer context for discussions. “This is a great example of the partnership approach we have with the Aptem team,” Willis observes, underscoring the mutual commitment to quality and innovation.
This close working relationship exemplifies how providers and technology partners can collaborate to enhance both platform capability and educational practice. By aligning system updates with operational needs, Middlesex ensures its apprenticeship delivery remains efficient, compliant and learner-centric.
Aptem holds the key to enrolling at our university for all apprenticeships. The system is great. It’s easy to use and intuitive. We love the new console. It’s cleaner and easy to navigate. We have received very positive feedback from our students and employers.
Steven Willis, CAS Operations Manager
Delivering a positive user experience
Ultimately, Middlesex University views Aptem as more than just a compliance system – it is a tool that supports a better experience for learners, employers and staff alike. The emphasis on usability matters in environments where multiple stakeholders interact with the system regularly, including administrators, tutors, apprentices and workplace mentors. An intuitive interface reduces friction, increases engagement, and helps ensure that programme milestones are met on time and with full evidence capture.
The bigger picture: quality, scale and efficiency
Two years into their Aptem partnership, Middlesex University has achieved significant improvements across several operational dimensions:
- Centralised apprenticeship administration that eliminates duplication and manual data entry.
- Compliance-first recruitment and onboarding that ensures accurate funding claims.
- Intuitive dashboards for real-time visibility into learner progress and employer engagement.
- Embedded digital learning and evidence capture through SCORM, improving quality assurance.
- Collaborative review processes aligned with delivery and regulatory needs.
These outcomes have helped the university not only manage its existing portfolio effectively but also prepare for future growth in degree apprenticeships. The unified delivery strategy delivers a combination of quality, compliance and a positive learner experience.
This is a great example of the partnership approach we have with the Aptem team.
Steven WIllis, CAS Operations Manager
A partnership built for sustainable delivery
Middlesex University’s experience with Aptem underscores how an integrated apprenticeship management platform can support a provider’s strategic goals. By automating administrative tasks, strengthening compliance processes, and providing stakeholders with clear, actionable insights, Aptem has helped Middlesex scale its degree apprenticeship delivery while maintaining quality and engagement.
As degree apprenticeship provision continues to grow in complexity and expectation, technology solutions like Aptem offer a foundation for operational confidence, learner satisfaction, and continuous improvement. This shows how Aptem Apprentice can be a catalyst for both efficiency and excellence in apprenticeship delivery.
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Steve Willis
BMS Progress
