Brent Managers Apprentice guide V4

APPRENTICE MANAGERS GUIDE

What you need to know about managing an apprentice.

This document is designed to:

 Give you an understanding of what an apprenticeship is.
 Let you know what the apprentices have to do and the support they will require from you
 Let you know the support available for you and expectations from you as an apprentice manager.

What is an Apprenticeship?

An Apprenticeship delivers the skills needed in the workforce. They are designed around the needs of the
organisation, and provide a real solution to addressing skill shortages, whilst delivering tangible benefits
such as increased productivity and staff retention.
Due to the implementation of the apprentice levy on the 1st of April 2017, all Apprenticeship training costs
are now paid for centrally, by Brent’s Apprenticeship levy Account also known as the Digital account or
DAS.

 An apprenticeship is no longer for the 16-24 age group. Anyone over 16 can now complete an
apprenticeship,

 Are you any member of staff can now complete an apprenticeship. You could use the apprenticeship
to train current members of staff, to update their current skill set, which is called upskilling.

 Did you know that there are over 500 apprenticeships from L2 up to L7, which is a master’s degree
depending on the apprenticeship?

The Apprentice
Managers must be confident that the potential Apprentice has the learning potential/capacity, motivation
and aptitude to achieve all of the mandatory outcomes of the Apprenticeship Standard.

All Apprenticeships must include the following components:

 Knowledge
 Skills
 Behaviour

All components of the standard must be completed to enable an apprenticeship completion.
This apprenticeship is delivered by work-based learning, with an End-point assessment (EPA) at the end of
the apprenticeship. The EPA is carried out independently and normally by the industry affiliated with the
qualification.

Any training can be delivered in various ways either, in the work place, at a training location i.e. college,
university or online. Sometimes there will be mixed blended learning, which is a combination of the above.
A tutor /coach will be in regular contact with the apprentices, and regular meetings will be arranged, for the
tutor /coach to meet with the apprentice and the manager to ensure there is a joined up approach to the
learning. This gives everyone a better experience with the apprenticeship programme, as everyone has a
part in its success. Any meeting should be agreed, with the line manager and the apprentice and should be
booked in advance so all can attend.

Knowledge – off the job learning

Knowledge units are the element required to demonstrate achievement of the technical skills, knowledge
and understanding of theoretical concepts and knowledge and understanding of the industry and its
relevance to the skill, trade or occupation to which the apprenticeship relates.

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Skills - on the job learning

Competency based training is training that is designed to allow a learner to demonstrate their ability to carry
out tasks in line with the qualification requirements of the apprenticeship.
These units are specific to the learner’s job role and will be selected with the learner and their manager
collaboratively from the skill scan completed at induction. An assessor will observe the learner on the job
undertaking his/her daily tasks. The learner will also be expected to collect evidence agreed with the
assessor to demonstrate their competence in undertaking specific job roles/tasks.
Types of evidence will include observations, professional discussions, questioning candidates, the learner’s
reflective accounts and product evidence. Witness testimonies can also be submitted from managers where
appropriate and required.

Behaviours
All apprentices are under the same terms & conditions on their contract as any other Brent member of staff.
As such all apprentices are expected to behave as any other member of staff in Brent, the only difference is
the 20% of the job training time which will also need to be monitored to ensure that the work is being
completed and all training is being attended.
If there are any behaviour issues, these must be managed as per the Brent HR policies.
https://lbdigitalservices.sharepoint.com/sites/intranet/resources/HR/pp

Functional Skills

Apprentices must complete or have completed one of the English transferable skills qualifications and the
Mathematical transferable skills qualifications listed below in order to successfully complete their
Apprenticeship:

• Functional Skills qualification in Maths/English at appropriate level
• Keys Skills qualification in Communication or Application of Numbers achieved previously or as part of

the Apprenticeship
• GSCE, AS or A level in English and Maths

If they do not have these qualifications as part of their evidence, they will be tested upon induction to
identify their current level of ability. Diagnostic testing will then take place to identify specific areas where
development is required. An individual learning plan should then be created, to ensure teaching and
guidance is given to enable the apprentice to be able to take these tests.
Please note apprentices that do not pass the English & Maths level required by the apprenticeship
standard, will not be able to complete their apprenticeship.

Review Process

Reviews are an important part of the learning process and need to be carried out on a regular basis as
defined by the funding provider and the Education Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). These should be carried
out by the assessor every 6-8 weeks. As well as being able to track a learner’s progress and ensure they
are hitting their targets, the reviews also allow the learner to voice any concerns about the program,
whether they may need more support, or need to be undertaking different work within the team to obtain the
correct evidence etc. As the Manager, it is essential that you are part of this process in order to address any
issues, and support the learner in the planning of assessments or any target setting that is required as part
of their apprenticeship training.

Reviews must be recorded and documents signed by the learner, Manager and assessor. The review must:

• Identify the progress made to date and between reviews for each learning module
• Reflect on progress towards the learning goals

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• Review the Individual Learning Plan (ILP)
• Set realistic but challenging and measureable targets to be achieved for the next

review

Regular meetings between the assessor and manager will need to be setup for the duration of the
apprenticeship.

Induction

There are two types of formal induction with an Apprentice at Brent.

The Brent induction
The Brent induction would be where we explain what an apprenticeship at Brent looks like:

• The Apprentice employment contract i.e. contracted hours, Probation period, Holiday etc
• Health & safety is every one’s responsibility, fire evacuation route & meeting point, First aiders list

etc.
• Brent behaviours – time keeping, sickness and lateness expectations i.e. please call at least an hour

before your scheduled start time if you are not going to be in the office, or call ahead if you are
running late, to manage people’s expectations. Always speak to your line manager and do not text
etc. This is also an expected behaviour on a training or study day.
• Brent code of Conduct is presented and briefly discussed.
• HR policies & procedures – the apprentice is requested to review theses after the induction, as part
of their initial training.
• The apprenticeship expectations turn up for work and training; complete any coursework in the
allocated time. Use the study time wisely.
• 20% off the job training, what that can look like.

There is an email sent to the Apprentice upon completion of the Brent induction, which includes the
following:

 The code of conduct
 HR policies & Procedures
 Supervision Guidelines on one to one meetings
 Fire assembly point
 Apprenticeship Agreement to reviewed signed by the apprentice & Manager and returned to the

[email protected]

Including links to the following webpages:

 Brent intranet site homepage
 Hornbill – IT service Desk etc
 Oracle – Pay, Holiday, Sickness etc
 Learning & development – access to other courses that can complement their role or apprenticeship.

The Training provider induction
The training provider, college or university arranges the second induction. In this induction, the apprentice
is introduced to the apprenticeship-learning programme. There may be a skills scan to test their current
knowledge and skills. As well as testing on their level of English & Maths.
There will be a number of forms to fill out, to ensure ESFA compliance. The apprentice needs to attend this
meeting equipped with a copy of their GCSE’s in English & Maths, proof of address, passport or another
form of Photo ID or birth certificate.

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The Apprenticeship approach at Brent
A joined up approach between the Manager, Trainer/ Coach and the apprentice, will ensure a successful
Apprenticeship programme for all. Everyone needs to be engaged at every level of the apprenticeship
programme to ensure the success for the apprentice and Brent.

Apprentice

Apprenticeship
support

Manager Trainer / Coach

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Collecting Evidence

Work place activities provide the most natural form of evidence to prove competence. However, this is not
always possible.

Evidence can be generated from a variety of sources, examples include:

• Observation by the Manager or Work-based Assessor
• Skills test
• Projects/assignments
• Work records
• Photographs
• Audio/video recordings
• Witness testimonies

Knowledge evidence – what you know and understand about your occupational area and the way in which
you apply it to your job
• Oral questioning
• Written question banks
• Written statements/assignments
• Professional discussion

Assessors are ‘occupationally competent’ so they have a thorough knowledge of the industrial and
occupational sector in which they assess.

The assessor will determine whether a learner’s performance meets the required standard. They will check
evidence for:

• Authenticity - is the evidence the learner’s
• Validity - is the evidence appropriate and relevant to the standards being assessed
• Sufficiency - is there enough evidence to demonstrate competence
• Currency - ensure the evidence prove that skills, experience and knowledge are up to date and

relevant.

In order to ensure that each assessor conducts accurate and consistent assessments an IQA is appointed
and quality and compliance checks are completed throughout the learner’s time on programme. The EQA
appointed by the Awarding Body ensures that standards are being applied uniformly and consistently
across all approved centres.

Timescales
Each programme should take a fixed amount of time to complete. This is reliant on the learner’s
commitment to the programme, attendance and training that they receive.
Please see delivery plan for a detailed description of how your apprenticeship will be delivered. All
apprenticeships are a minimum of 372 days and can take up to 60 months to complete depending on the
apprenticeship and any prior learning.

Training time

This is a statutory requirement of an apprenticeship with the 20% of the job training built into the
apprenticeship training.

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This could be training provided by the training provider, college or university one day a week, and could
include block training or soft skills training. The list below can also feed into the 20% expected training.

20% training can be made up of two elements:

On the Job hours – These are work based activities through which learning could take place, which
could include
• Attend Company Induction
• Observe demonstration of colleague carrying out a task
• 1:1 coaching/mentoring
• Site Visits (to other offices, depots etc.)
• Read a blog, book, manual etc. as directed by Manager or Assessor
• Additional training
• Job Shadowing
• Attending staff meetings & briefing sessions
Off the Job hours – These are structured learning activities related to your role and can cover both
knowledge and competency requirements of selected qualifications, which could include
• Attending a training course related to the job
• E-learning
• Feedback one to one meetings
• Assessment
• Completion of Employee Rights & Responsibilities
• Workbooks
• Career discussions
• Questioning
• Progress review meetings

As a guide, an Apprenticeship would normally require a minimum of 7 hours of “off the job” activity to be
undertaken each week or 329 hours per year, on a 36 hour a week contract. These hours need to be
recorded, dated and signed in a learner’s portfolio. It is vital that the line manager supports the apprentice to
ensure that opportunities are provided for this to take place.

Apprenticeship Learning Agreement

Link to be added

Useful links

What is a quality apprenticeship?
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/quality/what-is-a-quality-apprenticeship/

Quality Strategy
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/quality/the-quality-strategy/

End point assessments
https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/quality/end-point-assessment-reasonable-adjustments-
guidance/

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