Since the government overhauled the apprenticeship system in 2017, many employers have focused their attention on managing the financial implications of the new apprenticeship Levy. Yet, this isn’t the only element of the new system that requires immediate attention.
With the introduction of the new apprenticeship standards qualifications, all apprentices in England must take a formal assessment at the end of their apprenticeship – known as the End Point assessment. This can include multiple choice online tests, practical observations, job-related projects, professional discussions, or another form of formal testing.
Importantly, the organisation that delivers this assessment must be completely independent, and cannot have had any involvement in the delivery of training. Furthermore, the End Point Assessment can only be carried out by companies that are listed on the government’s Register of Apprenticeship Assessment Organisations. The cost is either covered by the organisation’s Levy fund or, if the organisation does not pay into the Levy, through government funding.
Selecting the right End Point Assessment organisation at the beginning of the apprenticeship is very important. While it’s likely that many training providers will recommend a particular organisation to their clients, employers must recognise that this is their own choice to make. The assessor that your training provider recommends may not be the right option for your business, so employers need to make a clear and considered decision as to which assessor they engage with.
There are several areas that employers need to consider when deciding who to appoint. For example: do they have access to assessors who can reach each of your locations to conduct the assessments in a timely manner, and the scale to meet your future needs? Will their technology solution provide your business with the visibility you’d like, alongside mitigating risk and ensuring complete compliance with the government guidelines? Do they have the required governance in place to guarantee the ongoing quality of their assessment practices? Do they understand your business and can they ensure your apprentices will have a positive experience?
Preparing for the future of work
ManpowerGroup is one of the few organisations that has been accredited by the Education and Skills Funding Agency as an Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation within the retail sector. Delivering 500,000+ assessments each year in the UK, they are ideally placed to ensure a smooth and expertly delivered End Point Assessment process for the retail sector. Their UK-wide reach and robust end-to-end process means they can manage all elements of the End Point Assessment – including scheduling, invigilation, access to technology, and more.
We have a substantial pool of qualified, industry-aligned assessors and invigilators ready for deployment, so we can deliver End Point Assessments across the length and breadth of the country. We’ve also invested in a bespoke technology platform and dedicated support, compliance and governance functions to provide ongoing guidance and assistance, and to ensure our assessments continue to be delivered in line with legislative and quality standards.
At a time when technological change is accelerating and skills needs are changing faster than ever before, apprenticeships allow individuals to access successful careers for the long-term. Importantly, they also allow organisations to prepare for the future. Today’s apprentices are tomorrow’s managers and leaders, and we’re proud to deliver a critical component in the apprenticeship journey, through positive and rewarding End Point Assessments.
Further qualifications will be added to our portfolio of assessment services during 2018. To find out more about ManpowerGroup’s expertise in End Point Assessments, please contact [email protected].
This article first appeared in the eighth edition of The Human Age Newspaper.
