Coventry University expands partnership with WildHearts to offer socially conscious degree apprenticeships
Coventry University is expanding its partnership with B2B social enterprise WildHearts to offer socially conscious degree apprenticeships.
After a successful pilot scheme with food and beverage giant Nestlé, the university will work with WildHearts to offer a Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) starting in September 2025.
The partnership aims to combine the university’s academic expertise with WildHearts’ social enterprise and corporate training model.
While the CMDA program was co-designed by the two organisations, Coventry University remains the registered training provider, with WildHearts playing an integral role in delivery.
Aidan Friend, Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor and CEO, Better Futures Apprenticeships, said: “In a partnership like this, there is so much value because everybody wins. We have a partner that has access and networks around the world and bring in top leaders to teach our students which is an amazing thing, something that we couldn't do easily on our own.
“Ultimately it is about the learner and what they get out of their apprenticeship that makes a real difference to themselves as a whole person, not just as a leader. They go out in the world delivering really good outcomes, not just for their company but for their communities and their regions and their countries.”
Students will benefit from direct input from leaders of multinational companies including Barclays, Zurich, Siemens, Linklaters and Nestlé. The scheme also hopes to open doors to new corporate clients wishing to upskill team leaders, middle managers, and senior professionals through an apprenticeship program.
