Five steps to an apprenticeship
Want to know more about the apprenticeship process and the steps you need to follow either to recruit an apprentice for your department or to consider undertaking an apprenticeship for your personal development?
Line managers
Consider apprenticeships as a way of filling skills gaps, widening the recruitment pool, improving retention and succession planning.
Staff
Consider an apprenticeship through PDR as part of their development or career planning. Agree plans with line manager.
1. Planning
Secure approval for an apprenticeship:
- ARC or approval to appoint for new recruits.
- Line manager support (including backfill arrangements) for existing staff.
Recruit an apprentice if filling a vacancy (apprenticeship providers can help with this).
Choose an apprenticeship Standard. HR advisers / LDC can help identify relevant Standards
2. Provision
Choose an apprenticeship provider.
- Check the IfA website to see which providers deliver your chosen standard.
- The provider must be on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers.
- Provision should be procured in line with the University’s own rules, ideally through a call-off contract or framework agreement.
Choose an end-point assessor. EPAs must be on the Register of End Point Assessment Organisations.
3. Set up
All apprentices must have a contract of employment (contracts do not change for existing members of staff).
All apprentices must sign an Apprenticeship Agreement which states the apprenticeship being undertaken.
A final price is negotiated between the University and the provider, taking into account the apprentice’s existing skills and preferred delivery method.
The contract must reflect agreements with provider and must be cleared with the central contracting team, including FP11 and signature process.
Pass apprenticeship details to LDC for adding to the University's levy account.
4. Progress
Apprentices are supported in following a learning plan agreed with their line manager and learning provider.
- 80% of learning is done on the job.
- 20% of learning is done off-the-job. The learning plan should set out what that means (eg college attendance, online learning, assignments) and how time will be recorded.
Mentors should be in place to support apprentices’ learning.
Apprentice, manager and learning provider agree formal progress-review points.
Departments notify LDC on StaffApprenticehips at warwick dot ac dot uk if there are any changes so that payments to the provider can be paused or halted promptly if necessary.
5. Achievement
Apprentice, manager and learning provider agree timing of the end-point assessment (NB at least the minimum duration as set out in the specific standard which will be a minimum of 12 months).
End-point assessment is arranged.
Assessment of achievement.
Celebrate success.