Since its emergence, the driving forces and developmental trajectory of the UK’s modern apprenticeship system have attracted significant academic attention. The rise of this system can be attributed to multiple factors: it demonstrates substantial advantages in standardization compared to traditional apprenticeships; it responds to the urgent demand for highly skilled professionals; it aims to improve employment rates and reduce unemployment; it seeks to bridge gaps in the education system relative to other countries; and it effectively aligns the interests of apprentices, employers, the government, and higher education institutions through well-designed mechanisms. Regarding its developmental direction, the system exhibits five notable trends: first, a continuous upward shift in its level structure; second, an increasing trend toward lifelong participation; third, a movement toward higher standardization; fourth, an emphasis on literacy and numeracy as foundational core vocational skills; and fifth, a greater focus on the systematic teaching of theoretical knowledge. These experiences offer three key insights for the development of applied higher education in China: first, applied higher education must align with labor market demands to achieve long-term development; second, as a form of high-level vocational education, applied higher education must emphasize theoretical learning; third, adopting a lifelong learning approach is essential for the development of vocational education. By drawing lessons from these international experiences, applied higher education in China can achieve sustainable development and fully realize its social service function through deep integration of educational supply with economic and social needs, organic unification of knowledge transmission and ability cultivation, and effective connection between pre-service education and post-service development.