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Professional Manager (Apprenticeship) CertHE

This apprenticeship is employer led: applications must be submitted by employers on behalf of their staff.

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Start Dates

21 September 2026, 17 May 2027

Duration

19 months part-time

Eligibility Criteria

Permanent Employment in relevant field


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Ask your employer to email us at apprenticeships@hud.ac.uk.

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About this course

Overview

Why choose Huddersfield for this course?

  • Outstanding Quality - Huddersfield is an Ofsted Outstanding provider, delivering top-tier apprenticeship training.
  • Develop leadership and management skills through blended learning and a work-based project.
  • Apply theory in your job role with dedicated support and coaching to meet apprenticeship standards.

Accreditation and Professional Links

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This apprenticeship course has been designed for aspiring or newly appointed managers. Operations managers perform leadership and management duties with teams and/ or projects to ensure the successful completion of organisational goals. Typically, they are accountable for developing team members, managing projects, planning and reviewing workloads and resources, delivering operational plans, resolving problems, and building relationships both internally and externally. They are accountable to a more senior manager or business owner.

To develop your skills in these areas you will study three modules which are:

  • Managing Organisations
  • Managing People
  • Managing Operations and Projects

You will also complete a work-related project agreed between you and your line manager which allows you to demonstrate a wide range of knowledge and skills.

In line with the apprenticeship model, the course is designed to support a training in practice approach. You will already be employed by an organisation who will sponsor you throughout the course and enable you to transfer your learning to your job role.

The professional manager apprenticeship is a 19 months L5 course based on a blended model of classroom-based teaching, remote online learning, and work-based task completion.

Throughout the course you will be supported by a dedicated course leader and subject experts with current occupational competence gained in a variety of industries. Your work-based learning coach will support you to link theory to practice and build a portfolio of evidence that demonstrates your competency against the apprenticeship standards.

Why study with the University of Huddersfield?

  • The University of Huddersfield has the highest Apprenticeship Qualification Achievement Rate (QAR) among Higher Education Institutions in England.* (*Excludes providers with fewer than 100 apprentices)
  • Our 2023/24 QAR was 87.6% and coupled with our Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ rating displays the excellent learning experience for apprentices and their employers at the University of Huddersfield.
Who can apply?

Entry Requirements

  • If you are aged 19+, there is no compulsory requirement for you to provide evidence of GSCE English language and maths at grade 4 or above, or grade C or above if awarded under the previous GCSE grading scheme or equivalent. It is your employer’s decision whether you require evidence of English and Maths as an occupational requirement for your job. In such circumstances, your employer can opt for you to complete the required English and/or Maths functional skills learning and assessments alongside your apprenticeship.
  • The employer must confirm that the learner is in an appropriate role, and working at a sufficient level, to enable them to develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours specified within the standard.

If your first language is not English, you will need to meet the minimum requirements of an English Language qualification. The minimum for IELTS is 6.0 overall with no element lower than 5.5, or equivalent. Read more about the University’s entry requirements for students outside of the UK on our International Entry Requirements page.

What will you learn?

Course Details

You'll study the following modules:

This module will help you understand how organisations work at a macro level. You will learn about the legislative framework that affects the sector your organisation works in as well as the internal policy frameworks that govern how you work. You will consider the current and future needs of the sector and how these impact your organisation. Being a responsible organisation is essential today to ensure sustainable people and environmental ways of working. You will consider what this means to your organisation and how the policies align with this. You will also consider who the stakeholders are and what their role is in helping your organisation to be successful.

This module will help you understand how to manage people. You will learn about talent management from recruitment through to coaching, mentoring and performance management. You will understand how to use data relationships to identify development needs of other people. You will learn about communication, influencing and negotiation which will help you to motivate people but also manage conflict when it arises. You will do all of this within an inclusive culture based on equity, diversity and are for the well-being of the team. This module will help you deliver performance with and through other people.

This module will help you understand the business environment and what it takes to successfully plan and execute operations. You will learn about strategic planning and how to create plans in line with organisational objectives but also how to monitor plans against the strategic objectives. You will learn how to set up and manage projects whilst taking account of resources, risks, and financial considerations. You will learn to work with data and make decisions based on analysis of this data to solve problems or suggest future improvements.

This module will allow you to complete the work-based project which is a mandatory aspect of your apprenticeship. The project must be a significant and defined piece of work that has real business application and benefit. It must be completed on-programme and is a mandatory requirement for Gateway. The project will be comparable in terms of content and complexity for all learners but the context within which the knowledge and skills must be demonstrated will vary. The project must be signed off by your employer prior to commencement and must be completed before the end of the module.

Teaching and Assessment

Discover what to expect from your tutor contact time, assessment methods, and feedback process.

How much will it cost?

Fees and Finance

As an apprentice, there is no tuition fee to pay for the higher or degree apprenticeship. Tuition fees are covered by your employer and the government through the Levy. As you'll be a paid employee, you are not able to take out a student loan.

Are you an employer? You’ll find lots of information about how apprenticeships are funded via the levy on our Degree Apprenticeship webpages.

If you require further information, please contact apprenticeships@hud.ac.uk

Scholarships and Bursaries

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Tuition Fee Loans

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What’s included in your fee?

We want you to understand exactly what your fees will cover and what additional costs you may need to budget for when you decide to become a student with us.

If you have any questions about Fees and Finance, please email the Student Finance Team.

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Why Hud

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Careers support

We know you’re coming to university to study on your chosen subject, meet new people and broaden your horizons. However, we also help you to focus on life after you have graduated to ensure that your hard work pays off and you achieve your ambition.

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Student support

At the University of Huddersfield, you’ll find support networks and services to help you get ahead in your studies and social life. Whether you study at undergraduate or postgraduate level, you’ll soon discover that you’re never far away from our dedicated staff and resources to help you to navigate through your personal student journey.

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Teaching Excellence

Great teaching is engaging and inspiring — it helps you reach your full potential and prepares you for the future. We don’t just teach well — we excel — and we have the awards and recognition to prove it.

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Inspiring Academics

Our researchers carry out world-leading work that makes a real difference to people’s lives. Staff within the Huddersfield Business School may teach you on this course.

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Research Excellence

You’ll be taught by staff who want to support your learning and share the latest knowledge and research.

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Accommodation

Looking for student accommodation? Huddersfield has you covered. HudLets has a variety of accommodation types to choose from, no matter what your preference. HudLets is the University’s approved accommodation service, run by Huddersfield Students’ Union.

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Further Study

If you want to continue your learning beyond your undergraduate degree, there is a range of financial support available for postgraduate study, including discounts for Huddersfield graduates.

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