Degree apprenticeships in England have expanded rapidly, with more than 60,000 starters in 2024‑25 and some programs now harder to access than elite university places. Companies including AstraZeneca are hiring degree apprentices who work nearly full time while their employers pay tuition; Manchester Metropolitan University and others report substantial employer demand for talent pipelines that combine on‑the‑job training with academic credentials. The model merges vocational training with bachelor’s‑and‑master’s‑level degrees and has drawn participation from roughly 90 universities, including Cambridge. U.S. policymakers pushing apprenticeships as a workforce pipeline are watching the UK’s employer‑led, degree‑granting framework for lessons on employer investment, student wages, and scale—key considerations as American institutions and employers pilot expanded apprenticeship pathways.