Would I be an employee or a student?
You would be first and foremost an employee, spending around 80% of your time with your employer. You would spend the rest of your time with a university or college, and would be enrolled in your university / college, having access to the same facilities and benefits as other students.
The exact split between work and learning is agreed by your employer and the university / college providing the course. For example, some employers may agree for their apprentices to attend university or college 1 day a week, whilst others may opt for more online learning or block release learning for several weeks at a time throughout the year.
The integration of work and learning allows the work you carry out in employment to count towards your qualification, meaning that attendance at university can be flexible based on your employer’s requirements.