End-point assessment: what colleges and training providers need to know

Based on her upcoming research, Sallyann Baldry explains how colleges and training providers should be preparing for end-point assessment

End-point assessment is the testing at the end of an apprenticeship that is set, administered, marked and graded by an organisation that wasn’t involved in its delivery, either as training provider or employer.

Each standard has an assessment plan describing what is required for the EPA. The majority of standards have only one approved assessor (known as an EPAO), although there may be more waiting in the wings, as every month sees another handful of organisations join the register and approved EPAOs are increasingly extending their range. Some standards already have good coverage, with management at level three, for example, having nearly 20 EPAOs.

Here are some tips for providers during each of the stages.

Choosing your EPAO

There is no need to stick with the EPAO named when initially registering an apprentice; there may be more to choose from by the time the apprenticeship is completed.

The employer decides which EPAO they want to work with, but the lead training provider contracts with them, on their behalf.

Registration

Providers will need to check that the EPAO is ready to offer the EPA, confirm fees and procedures, and complete registration. Fees are not always online, as they may be quoted on the basis of volume of apprentices or, if using raw materials, based on a variable market price.

Drawing up a contract

Contracts are not standard so each EPAO will have different terms. The Federation of Awarding Bodies has produced advisory guidance including template contracts for its members but many EPAOs will create their own.

Preparing for tests

Providers can expect a 10- to 12-week lead-in time after an apprentice is booked before the first test takes place. They must carefully check eligibility criteria, ID authentication requirements and send copies of certificates, for example in maths and English, well in advance of the test date. The onus is on the EPAO to ensure each apprentice is eligible; if they get it wrong it might invalidate the whole EPA.

Some assessment plans specify a fixed time between different parts of the EPA, so it’s essential to plan well ahead with the apprentice’s employer to ensure work commitments can fit in around the tests. It’s not uncommon for practical skills tests to last six hours; one even runs over 2.5 days. Some EPAOs have set up regional testing hubs, which could be some distance away, so the apprentice may need help with travel arrangements.

Find out if the EPAO has any practice tests or guidance on preparation. EPAOs I spoke to this summer are producing guidance for the apprentice, the provider and the employer. If electronic testing forms part of the assessment, check now that your CBT equipment is compatible, find out if remote tests must be recorded and that your kit is up to the job.

Communication

EPAO websites are in their infancy and some are yet to go live. Some EPAOs have not dealt with colleges and training providers before so may not use familiar terms. However, it is a government stipulation that an EPAO “promotes itself to employers to support informed employer choice”. The apprentice may also receive direct communication from the EPAO, in which case it is important the provider information is consistent.

Knowing what to expect of your EPAO is key. The completion of your apprentices’ studies is in their hands; they will apply for the certificate for the apprentice, assuming they pass the EPA. They are responsible for the internal quality-assurance of the process but they are also subject to external scrutiny from EQA.

In short, EPAOs are working incredibly hard to be ready for the expected gold rush next summer, but providers need to do their homework now to put in place a process that takes account of the complex requirements of end-point assessment.

Sallyann Baldry is apprenticeships consultant at the Federation of Awarding Bodies

Liverpool FC catering team deliver a masterclass in stadium catering

Liverpool Football Club’s executive head chef and catering team have given aspiring chefs from Hugh Baird College a masterclass in stadium catering and hospitality.

The group of students from the college’s L20 hotel school met with the club’s top chef, Chris Marshall, and hospitality manager John Hollywood, who offered up some advice on working front of house.

A tour of Anfield’s catering facilities was followed by a Q&A session where students found out about the club’s behind-the-scenes workings, as well as the skills that are required to cater on a large scale.

LFC’s catering team also paid a visit to the college the following day, to help students prepare and deliver a dining experience to paying guests.

“To have a tour of the Anfield facilities and then to work with their teams and receive one-to-one advice from them has given me an invaluable insight into the sporting catering industry at one of the biggest football clubs in the world,” said student Averyll Green.

The LFC catering department is currently helping colleges across Merseyside and St Helen’s to give students a chance to work alongside the club’s top chefs.

Apprentice becomes youngest ever person to report on BBC News at 10

An apprentice has made history at the BBC by becoming the youngest ever person to report on the News at 10.

Twenty-year-old Izin Akhabau (pictured right) was among the first ever group of digital journalism apprentices taken on at BBC News in 2015, and has now presented a report on spoken-word poetry.

The apprentice scheme attracted over 3,000 applicants, and just 10 were selected for the 18-month course, which culminates in a diploma accredited by the National Council for the Training of Journalists and allows participants to work in departments including BBC Politics, Newsnight and BBC News.

“It has been amazing to work with the team from the Six and Ten, and learn a new skillset,” said Ms Akahabau, who received training at the City of Wolverhampton College during her apprenticeship. “In the future, there are so many things I want to learn how to do, including coming back to work at the BBC full-time.”

The BBC took on another 22 apprentices in October, and 10 have started at local radio stations, and 12 at network news.

“Izin’s story was superb,” said Paul Royall, editor of BBC News at Six and Ten. “She reported with flair and imagination and brought an original story to the Ten. We hope to see her again.”

Stonemasons carve paving stones to commemorate Bath’s World War 1 soliders

Stonemasonry students have taken part in a stone-carving project honouring local men who served in World War 1.

The four level three students from Bath College carved commemorative paving stones honouring the last surviving combat soldier of WW1 in any country, John “Harry” Patch, as well as William George Chivers and Herbert Charles Windell, who all grew up together in Bath’s Combe Down Village.

The stones will be placed around the area’s new Mulberry Park housing development, where each street is named after the men and marked with the commemorative stones.

The ceremony to unveil the first paving stones was attended by relatives of Mr Chivers, as well as college students, representatives of Combe Down Heritage Society, the Royal British Legion, Bath and north-east Somerset council and local MP Wera Hobhouse.

“It’s my way of paying respect to those who fought in World War I, especially coming up to Armistice Day,” said Jonny Stoker, a student who helped carve the stones. “I’m looking forward to visiting the site and seeing all the stones laid together in situ. I think that will give me a massive sense of achievement.”

Top British-Asian apprentices and their employers recognised at annual Asian Apprenticeship Awards

More than 500 people descended on Birmingham’s Edgbaston Cricket Ground for an annual awards ceremony celebrating the best apprentices from the British Asian community and their employers, reports Samantha King.

Now in their second year, the Asian Apprenticeship Awards brought together apprentices, employers and representatives from across the FE sector to raise the profile of apprenticeships among those from a British Asian background.

Eight apprentices from sectors including medical, social care, construction and retail were presented with awards, with the overall ‘apprentice of the year award’ given to Naila Bibi, an apprentice at Aspire Housing.

Naila Bibi

The winning apprentices were judged on their ability to demonstrate how much they had learned from taking on an apprenticeship, as well as their overall enthusiasm and work ethic, with the apprentice of the year selected by judges on the night.

Founder Safaraz Ali explained in a recent piece for FE Week that the awards were started because “low apprenticeship take-up is more significant among British Asians than in other BAME communities”.

It wasn’t all about the apprentices however, and awards were on offer for ‘small’ and ‘large employer of the year’, ‘learning provider of the year’, ‘school or academy of the year’ and ‘overall contribution to apprenticeships’.

Sue Husband, director of the National Apprenticeship Service and a former head of education for McDonald’s UK, was presented the prize for overall contribution for her role as a leader and influencer in the sector.

Sue Husband

“To be recognised for the contribution I have made to apprenticeships in England is humbling. Making a difference to the lives of apprentices, of all ages and from all backgrounds, is something I love being part of,” she said.

Alongside the winners, guests of honour included broadcaster and journalist Suzi Mann, comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli and keynote speaker Charlie Mullins, who became Britain’s first millionaire plumber after taking up an apprenticeship after leaving school aged 15.

 

Staff member hailed as a ‘food hero’ at the Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards

A member of staff from Chesterfield College has been hailed as a hero at the fifth annual Chesterfield Food and Drink Awards.

Paul Maude, the college’s hospitality and catering career pathway leader, was presented the ‘food hero’ award by a former student, for his dedication both to the hospitality industry and his learners, organising work placements for them at venues like Wembley Stadium and Jamie Oliver’s restaurants.

Mr Maude, who himself studied at Chesterfield College and helps organise catering for the awards, once made a hazelnut meringue for Princess Diana, and has served food to guests including Joan Collins and fashion designer Zandra Rhodes.

“I love what I do and it is an honour to have received the award,” he said, “definitely a highlight in my career.”

The Food and Drink awards were set up to recognise the best of catering and hospitality in Chesterfield, including categories such as ‘best pub of the year’, ‘the family friendly award’, ‘best customer service’ and ‘young chef of the year’.

Pictured: (L-R) Event host Mich Turner MBE, Food Hero Paul and his former student Adam Yeomans

Third FE college in six months rated Ofsted outstanding

A third general FE college has been rated ‘outstanding’ in the space of six months.

Fareham College was recognised as grade one in all headline fields except adult learning programmes which was found to be ‘good’.

The ‘outstanding’-overall report – up from its previous ‘good’ rating – is due to be published by Ofsted tomorrow, but the college shared it with FE Week a day in advance.

The sector had faced a 14-month wait for Ofsted to rate a general FE college ‘outstanding’ – but this changed with two published in the space of two weeks in June.

These went to Dudley College and Grimsby Institute Group.

News of this third grade one will be widely welcomed, and principal, Nigel Duncan, said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the outstanding Ofsted result.

“Our dedicated team of academic and support staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure we are driving the best technical and professional education in the South.”

He added that every member of staff, no matter what role they play in the organisation, along with students and their employer partners “gave their all during the inspection”.

“Staff performance is consistently outstanding and student behaviour exemplary – what more could a principal ask for? I am so proud to lead such an amazing organisation,” he added.

The report recognises that “excellent and well-established” partnerships with employers, particularly supporting specialist engineering subjects, and that these “meet local, regional and national needs very well”.

This special relationship with employers provides “exceptional” opportunities for work experience and for learners “to learn using specialist engineering equipment and technical resources”.

“Particularly effective” performance management of teachers’ results was also praised, while governors’ diligence with securing the college’s financial health was recognised.

The report recognised governors’ wide range of industry experience and skills, and how they “provide excellent support and challenge to the senior leadership team”.

Students and apprentices were said to “make very good progress” in achieving their qualifications, and in gaining excellent technical and professional skills.

Fareham College, in Hampshire, is a large general further education college that taught over 3,000 learners last year. It was allocated over £4million by the Education and Skills Funding agency for 2016/17.

It opened a second campus in Lee-on-the Solent, in collaboration with large regional employers, which provides technical and professional training in a range of engineering specialisms such as automotive, marine, aeronautics and motor sports.

The new Ofsted report was also full of praise for the teachers.

It said: “Practical teaching for students on study programmes and for apprentices is of very high quality and closely aligns to apprentices’ workplace roles and responsibilities. Teachers are highly experienced in their vocational subjects and they use their skills and enthusiasm to inspire students and apprentices to progress and achieve.”

SPONSORED: JTL is recruiting trade and training professionals

What happens when you combine a booming construction industry, a shortage of skilled trade professionals and a fall in net migration from the European Union?

You get rapid growth in the demand for apprenticeships – and JTL is leading the way in providing high quality training and development for the next generation of electricians, plumbers and heating engineers.

“We now work with approximately 3,000 businesses and train more apprentices than anyone else in the building services engineering sector,” says Julie Asher-Smith, JTL’s Human Resources Director, “and the need for apprentices is set to expand further with the Government’s target of delivering a million new homes by the end of the decade. It’s an exciting challenge and we’re building our training teams throughout the country to help us meet it.”

We’re building our training teams throughout the country

Other factors are also driving investment in apprenticeship training. Apprenticeships are increasingly seen as an attractive alternative to university, offering young people the chance to earn while gaining a valuable qualification, without taking on the burden of student debt. Apprenticeships also represent good value for money, with the government suggesting that every pound invested in level 2 apprenticeships returns £26 to the UK economy. More than that, surveys show that employers report benefits in productivity, competition and employee retention from taking on apprentices.

JTL has played a key role in raising the profile of apprenticeships in the UK, not just by challenging negative perceptions of their value and relevance, but by creating one of the most innovative and supportive training environments in the building services engineering sector. Their high quality, work-based training programmes are funded by the government and offer qualifications across four trades – electrical, plumbing, heating and ventilation, and mechanical engineering.

Each apprenticeship takes up to four years to complete, combining college education with on-the-job training and experience designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to deliver real value to local businesses. “Eighty nine percent of employers say apprentices make their business more productive,” says Julie Asher-Smith. “And as for apprentices themselves, eighty five percent of them stay in employment upon completing their apprenticeships, and two thirds stay with the same employer. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.”

Growing demand for its services means that JTL is looking for a range of qualified trade and training professionals to strengthen its teams across the UK. The people who join JTL are typically experienced plumbers, electricians or heating and ventilation engineers who have practical experience of mentoring and developing trainees – or a real desire to develop those skills as part of a supportive team. Some involvement in government training schemes and National Vocational Qualifications is desirable, of course, and everyone on the team must have relevant industry experience and an up-to-date knowledge of industry working practices and techniques relevant to the building services engineering environment.

There are multiple roles at JTL – including Training Officers, Tutors and Assessors – but they all focus on engaging with young apprentices and creating a blended learning environment that brings out the best in them, both technically and personally. That takes more than a good technical knowledge in a specific trade discipline; it requires first-class communication skills, the ability to set rigorous standards of performance and the willingness to mentor, guide and inspire apprentices at every level of their development.

We try hard to create a team that’s as diverse as the communities we serve

Having the opportunity to influence the future of vocational training is just one of the advantages of being part of JTL. The company has also created a unique working environment that offers a combination of flexibility, ongoing development and some of the most attractive benefits in the sector.

“Many of our training and assessment professionals are based from home, which offers them a level of autonomy and control that few other organisations can match,” says Julie Asher-Smith. “They get to blend real independence with the confidence that comes from being part of a well-resourced and supportive team that can help them achieve the best outcomes for both themselves and our apprentices.”

There is a strong emphasis on continuing professional development as well. The company has held Investors in People status since 1995 and works hard to ensure that every member of the team has the training they need to perform well in their particular roles. This includes one-to-one coaching, specially tailored courses and the open sharing of ideas, knowledge and experience with the JTL community itself.

Diversity is another important aspect of JTL’s vision. It has been at the forefront of attempts to expand the reach of apprenticeships by tackling barriers that have made it hard for underrepresented groups to pursue a career in the sector – for example, by launching its “ambassador” programme to encourage more women and diversity into the building services engineering sector. That ethos informs its recruitment objectives too, says Julie Asher-Smith: “We want the best professionals on our team and try hard to create a team that’s as diverse as the communities we serve. So we don’t just welcome applications from all sections of society, we actively encourage them.”

In addition, JTL offers a comprehensive range of benefits designed to recognise and reward the contribution of its team members. Along with competitive salaries, they can expect a personal pension, BUPA, life insurance, occupationally relevant training and even financial support in pursuit of relevant professional qualifications.

“As an organisation, we can only ever be as good as the people who work for us,” says Julie Asher-Smith. “That’s why we’ve tried so hard to create an environment that values their talent, encourages their creativity and gives them the resources to make a real difference to the industry and the lives of the young people they support.”

For more information on our career opportunities, click here.

Movers and Shakers: Edition 224

Your weekly guide to who’s new and who’s leaving

Delroy Beverley, Chairman, Yorkshire, North East and Humberside regional board, CMI

Start date: October 2017
Previous job: Executive director of Nottingham City Homes
Interesting fact: Delroy was the first BAME chairman of an international business school in Europe.

____________________________________________

Stella Raphael-Reeves, Deputy principal, East Coast College

Start date: November 2017
Previous job: Director of curriculum at Birmingham Metropolitan College
Interesting fact: Stella is a yoga and dance instructor, with a keen interest in wellbeing.

____________________________________________

Anne Tyrrell, CEO, DN Colleges Group

Start date: November 2017
Previous job: Principal and CEO at North Lindsey College
Interesting fact: Anne has written and had published two books on 20th-century fashion.

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Peter Doherty, Chief operating officer, DN Colleges Group

Start date: November 2017
Previous job: Executive director of finance and corporate services at North Lindsey College
Interesting fact: In his youth Peter played guitar in a band – badly.

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Mick Lochran, Principal, North Lindsey College

Start date: November 2017
Previous job: Deputy principal at North Lindsey College
Interesting fact: Mick is a Scunthorpe United season ticket holder, and played football for Scunthorpe boys.

 

If you want to let us know of any new faces at the top of your college, training provider or awarding organisation please let us know by emailing news@feweek.co.uk