ULaw launches articled apprenticeship scheme for school leavers

On 3 November The University of Law revealed its new articled apprenticeship scheme, which will allow school leavers to become fully qualified solicitors after six years of on-the-job training.

The scheme provides a credible alternative to the traditional route of becoming a solicitor. Participants will be employed at Hillyer McKeown (with offices in Chester, the Wirral and North Wales) straight from school and be paid a "competitive salary". They will simultaneously study at ULaw. At the end of the six-year period, they will have an LLB, LPC and have completed a "period of recognised training", thus enabling them to qualify as a solicitor.

The scheme was launched at the Houses of Parliament. The government's apprenticeship ambassador to business, Gordon Birtwistle MP, said:  "Apprenticeships are the way forward. They provide on-the-job training and offer a wage with a career at the end of it. There are a lot of young people under pressure to go to university and study, and this is providing life-changing opportunities for young people who might have not been able to financially support themselves through a law course."

John Latham, ULaw's CEO and president, said: "The Articled Apprenticeship offers an alternative, cost-effective, route to qualification for those who want to 'earn while they learn' to be a solicitor. By giving legal employers the opportunity to shape new recruits from the very beginning, the programme will also help talent retention, by demonstrating a commitment to employee development."