Apprenticeships provide a valuable opportunity for individuals to gain practical skills and experience while also earning a qualification. However, for an apprenticeship to be successful, it is important to prioritise continuous quality delivery throughout the programme. This involves regularly monitoring the apprentice’s progress, reviewing their training and development, and ensuring they meet the requirements set out in their apprenticeship standard.
By prioritising ongoing quality delivery, apprentices can develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their chosen field, while employers benefit from a skilled and competent workforce. In this article, we will explore the key elements of ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships and guide ensuring apprentices receive the best possible training and development throughout their programme.
Monitoring Apprentice Progress
Regular Progress Reviews
One of the most important elements of ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships is regularly monitoring the apprentice’s progress. This involves conducting progress reviews and analysing data to ensure the apprentice is on track to meet their apprenticeship requirements.
Regular progress reviews provide an opportunity to identify any issues or challenges that the apprentice may be facing and to discuss these with the employer. For example, an apprentice may struggle to develop certain knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) required for their apprenticeship. By identifying these issues early on, adjustments can be made to the training plan to ensure the apprentice receives the support and resources they need to succeed.
Monitoring Key Qualifications
In addition to monitoring KSBs, progress reviews should cover English and maths qualifications, where required, and any other mandatory qualifications relevant to the apprenticeship. Attaining these qualifications is essential for the apprentice to complete their programme and gain valuable skills and experience successfully.
Use of Digital Tools
Using digital tools and platforms for progress tracking can enhance the efficiency and accuracy of monitoring. E-portfolios and digital logs allow apprentices to record their achievements and reflections, providing a comprehensive view of their progress.
Progress Review Meetings
Setting Clear Expectations
Regular progress review meetings between the provider, employer, and apprentice are essential to ongoing quality apprenticeship delivery. These meetings provide an opportunity to review the apprentice’s progress, discuss any issues or challenges, and set expectations for the future.
Adjusting the Commitment Statement
During progress review meetings, adjustments may need to be made to the commitment statement, particularly if the apprentice is ready to take their End-Point Assessment (EPA) sooner than anticipated. It is essential to communicate these changes promptly to the End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) to avoid any delays in the assessment process.
Encouraging Employer Engagement
Collaboration is key during progress review meetings, and it is important to set expectations for the employer’s active role in helping the apprentice reflect and act on feedback. This can include encouraging the employer to provide opportunities for on-the-job training that complement the apprentice’s off-the-job training and setting expectations for how the employer will support the apprentice in meeting their apprenticeship requirements.
Scheduling Flexibility
The frequency of progress review meetings should be set out in the commitment statement, with shorter intervals early on in the apprenticeship and adjusted as the apprenticeship progresses. By regularly reviewing progress and setting expectations for the future, progress review meetings can help ensure that apprentices receive the best possible training and development and are on track to complete their programme successfully.
Monitoring Off-The-Job Training
Ensuring Minimum Requirements
One key requirement of an apprenticeship is that the apprentice spends a minimum of 20% of their working time on off-the-job training (OTJT). It is important to monitor whether the apprentice is getting their planned minimum 20% OTJT time over the duration of the apprenticeship and whether it is focused on developing the KSBs set out in their apprenticeship standard.
Flexible Training Methods
Flexible approaches can be used to provide OTJT, and it doesn’t need to be the same every month. Different training methods can be utilised to impart new KSBs, such as online training or attending industry events.
Addressing OTJT Issues
If issues arise with the minimum OTJT time, contacting the employer to remind them of their duty to allow their apprentice to spend at least 20% of their working time on OTJT is important. If the employer cannot provide this time as planned in the commitment statement, it may be possible to negotiate time in lieu at a later date within working hours.
Apprentice Feedback
It is important to discuss with the apprentice whether they are happy with the quality and quantity of their OTJT. It is also important to check that the apprentice feels sufficiently challenged or whether there are opportunities such as shadowing or mentoring that they are interested in. Monitoring the quantity and quality of apprentices’ OTJT is essential to ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships. It can help ensure that apprentices receive the best possible training and development to meet their apprenticeship requirements.
Mandatory Qualifications
Preparation and Support
Apprentices may be required to attain certain mandatory qualifications as part of their apprenticeship. It is important to prepare the apprentice for these qualifications, which may include level 2 English and maths qualifications if they do not already have them.
Distinguishing OTJT Obligations
Preparing for and assessing apprentices to obtain English and maths qualifications does not count towards fulfilling the 20% of working time for OTJT obligation. However, attaining these qualifications is essential for the apprentice to complete their programme, gain valuable skills, and experience success.
Employer’s Role
As part of ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships, it is important to prioritise preparation for mandatory qualifications. This can include providing additional training and resources to support the apprentice in attaining these qualifications and setting expectations for the employer’s role in helping the apprentice meet these requirements.
Ensuring Success
By preparing the apprentice for mandatory qualifications and ensuring they have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in their chosen field, apprenticeships can provide a valuable opportunity for individuals to gain practical skills and experience while also earning a qualification.
Preparation for Final Assessment
Familiarisation with Assessment Format
Preparing apprentices for final assessments is essential to ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships. It is important to familiarise apprentices with the assessment format and grading criteria and provide opportunities for mock assessments to help them feel more confident and prepared.
Mock Assessments
This can involve holding mock assessments, which are worded and assessed considering the KSBs included in the standard and EPA grading criteria. Their mock results can help determine when to hold a three-way “gateway” discussion to agree on whether the apprentice is ready to move to the next stage or needs additional support.
Consistent Evaluation
In addition, it is important to word and assess all assignments and reviews regarding the EPA grading criteria to familiarise the apprentice in advance. Encouraging the employer to do the same can help share responsibility for monitoring the apprentice’s progress towards completing their apprenticeship and obtaining their certificate.
Boosting Confidence
By prioritising preparation for the final assessment, apprentices can feel more confident and prepared and more likely to succeed. This can lead to a skilled and competent workforce and a more successful apprenticeship programme.
Gateway
Critical Evaluation
The gateway stage is an important part of the apprenticeship. The apprentice has completed their training and is preparing for their final assessment to certify the new KSBs they have learned. At this stage, assessing the apprentice against the KSBs set out in their standard is paramount to deciding whether they are ready to take their assessment.
Comprehensive Review
The gateway discussion involves reviewing the apprentice’s progress and readiness to take the EPA and should be held with the employer and the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO). Reviewing any professional body and regulatory requirements before the gateway to ensure they have been met is important.
Clear Planning
It is recommended that a meeting with the employer and EPAO be held at least three months before the EPA to agree on roles and responsibilities, the proposed timeline, and any reasonable adjustments that may be needed for the assessment. This can help ensure everyone is clear on what is expected and help avoid delays or misunderstandings during the assessment process.
Feedback
Policy for Feedback
Regular feedback from apprentices and employers is essential to ongoing quality apprenticeship delivery. It provides valuable insights into how the programme works, what works well, and areas for improvement.
To collect feedback, it is important to have a policy outlining how feedback will be obtained, how it will be responded to, and how it will be used to improve the training offer. This policy should include ways of obtaining, responding to, and using feedback to improve the programme.
Meaningful Feedback
Providers should also regularly give meaningful feedback to apprentices to help them understand what they need to improve to make progress. This can include setting goals for improvement, providing constructive criticism, and highlighting areas of strength and improvement.
Sharing Insights
Sharing feedback from apprentices with employers can also help improve the support and on-the-job training they offer future apprentices. Employer feedback is often published on the Find Apprenticeship Training website when the provider is searched for and can help inform other employers about the quality of training and support provided by the provider.
Conclusion
In conclusion, ongoing quality delivery in apprenticeships is important for the success of both the apprentice and the programme. To ensure this success, it is important to prioritise ongoing apprenticeship delivery through regular reviews, progress review meetings, monitoring of off-the-job training, preparation for final assessment, gateway discussions, and feedback collection.
Regular reviews of apprentice progress and data analysis are essential for identifying and discussing issues with the employer. Progress review meetings between the provider, employer, and apprentice can help set expectations and encourage collaboration.
Monitoring off-the-job training is important to ensure apprentices receive the planned minimum of 20% off-the-job training time focused on developing the KSBs set out in their apprenticeship standard.
Preparing apprentices for their final assessment and holding mock assessments can help them feel more confident and prepared. Gateway discussions are a key part of the apprenticeship. The apprentice has completed their training and is preparing for their final assessment to certify the new KSBs they have learned.
Regular feedback from apprentices and employers can provide valuable insights into how the programme works and areas for improvement.
By planning ongoing quality apprenticeship delivery, apprenticeships can provide a valuable opportunity for individuals to gain practical skills and experience while also earning a qualification. This can lead to a skilled and competent workforce and a more successful apprenticeship programme.
