Employer commitments

Apprenticeships are a partnership. As an employer, there are key commitments you’ll undertake to help your apprentice thrive. 

Initial assessment and training plan

You’ll do your part during the initial assessment. This is where we assess your apprentice’s skills level at the start to benchmark their progress. The apprentice’s training plan will come out of the initial assessment and a three-way conversation between employer, apprentice and training provider is key to this process.

Assign a workplace mentor

This doesn’t have to be their line manager, although it could be. Whoever it is, the mentor will help guide and support the apprentice throughout the apprenticeship programme. They’ll make sure the apprentice understands what’s expected of them to meet the standards required and acts as a consistent point of contact.

Off the job training

All apprenticeships have been assigned a minimum requirement of off-the-job-training (OTJT) hours to comply with the Funding Rules. Your account manager will advise you on how these OTJT hours are planned. This means that your apprentice will be learning during normal working hours either in their place of work or outside but not part of their normal working duties.

OTJT activities could include:

• attendance of university workshops and lectures, either on-campus or virtual
• self-directed study
• workplace activities but not part of normal working duties
• conferences, networking events.

Attend progress reviews

Progress reviews between apprentice, employer and training provider typically take place quarterly and are a mandatory part of apprenticeships.

Facilitate access to diverse work experiences

Ensure the apprentice’s work is relevant to their academic learning and career development and enable them to complete the portfolio of evidence required by the assessment plan.

‘Sign off’ the apprentice

The employer must ‘sign off’ the apprentice as 'occupationally competent', at the 'Gateway' to End Point Assessment (EPA).

Your apprenticeship account manager will be able to talk through all the above with you in detail, as well as other ways you can ensure the success of your apprenticeship programme for your organisation.