ESFA finally launches Tripadvisor-style feedback feature for apprentices

A Tripadvisor-style review tool that allows apprentices to give feedback on their training provider has finally been launched.

Apprentices can now give anonymous feedback from their ‘My Apprenticeship’ account. The results will appear on each training provider’s Find Apprenticeship Training webpage for employers and prospective learners to view once 10 responses have been submitted.

The apprentice will be asked to agree or disagree with 12 questions in the feedback survey before being asked to rate their training from ‘excellent’ to ‘very poor’.

Apprentices can start giving feedback three months into their training and can update it every three weeks.

The Education and Skills Funding Agency’s digital service has been developing the feature for a number of years. Its launch was originally set for September 2018, with then-skills minister Anne Milton speaking in strong favour of its value over Ofsted inspections.

Around the same time a similar feedback tool for employers got underway and the reviews have featured prominently on the government’s Find Apprenticeship Training site since.

But “low engagement” in a number of trials for the tool for apprentices forced the ESFA to go back to the drawing board last year.

In an update published today, the ESFA said: “We have launched a new feature where apprentices can give feedback about their training. Allowing you to gather insights to help further develop your training programme.

“This new feedback feature will be invaluable in helping you provide the best training possible.”

Ofsted uses the employer reviews to inform inspections. The watchdog confirmed to FE Week that it plans to use the new apprentice feedback in the same way.