CPA Bulletin

32 CPA Bulletin > August 2023 www.cpa.uk.net The article in the last CPA Bulletin looked at what an apprenticeship is, how they have changed in the last few years, how they are developed and what some of the challenges are in terms of apprenticeship delivery - particularly the issues faced by the colleges and training provider network. For this article, we will look at how employers can better support the learning process of the apprenticeship, highlight the vital role of workplace mentors and their valuable contribution to apprenticeship delivery, and actions that the CPA has started to provide to help address the issues raised by the provider network. One thing that needs to be made clear is that an apprenticeship is not just work experience - it is far more than that and apprentices are technically full-time employees of the employer, on a programmed learning journey with most of the practical learning taking place within the workplace and supported through additional studies. At the end of their apprenticeship, they will be regarded as ‘job-ready’, holding the skills, knowledge and appropriate behaviours that are relevant to the occupation and of the employer’s type of business. Although a broad term, in principle the title ‘apprenticeship’ under the trailblazer model has been (for England) protected in legislation so that any learning programme that is classed as an apprenticeship must be standards-based as set by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, known commonly as IfATE. This is opposed to other forms of training such as traineeships, etc. This also means that national funding is only paid in principle against those approved and completion of the apprenticeship - by the achievement of the end point assessment - means that it is recognised as a national qualification in its own right without having to achieve, unlike in the past, other qualifications such as NVQs/ SVQs. The standards-based model of apprenticeships is however unique to England whilst apprenticeships in both Scotland and Wales use the framework model which may require VQ attainment, albeit embedded within the delivery process. However, all of the good practice factors of apprenticeship delivery that are covered in this article apply to both framework and standards-based apprenticeships. Standards-based apprenticeship rules dictate that at least 20% of the apprenticeship is undertaken ‘off-the-job’. The definition of off-the-job training is that it must be away from the apprentice’s normal working duties and must teach new knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to the apprenticeship. In principle, it means that it does not involve productive work, but off-the-job learning can still be undertaken within the workplace in normal working time as well as at the chosen training provider. Examples of ‘off-the-job’ training include assignments and projects, working alongside experienced colleagues undertaking a task, industrial visits internal or external to the employer, etc. The key element to an apprenticeship is that at the beginning of the apprenticeship, the employer and their relevant staff, the apprentice and the provider agree the learning programme which encompasses associated timescales, delivery responsibilities, methods of learning and evidence of completion for the learning programme. IfATE advise that a commitment statement should be in place from the beginning of the apprenticeship, setting out the training content an apprentice will receive, which elements count towards the off-the-job training and who it is delivered by. As cited in the first article, the occupational standard required of the apprenticeship - the skills and knowledge that needs to be learnt and the behaviours that need to be demonstrated - are detailed for each apprenticeship and downloadable from the IfATE website (please see the links at the end of this article). The standard lists the duties of the occupation and fromwhich the associated skills and knowledge as learning outcomes are mapped against each duty, along with a set of relevant behaviours. They form the source content for the training programme and should be agreed between all parties involved in the delivery. TRAINING: 1 TRAINING Plant Occupations Apprenticeship Delivery This is the second article on plant-based apprenticeships that focusses on apprenticeship delivery and how employers can play their part in making the apprenticeship a success for them and their apprentice.