Your apprentice’s journey
This diagram sets out the journey for your apprentice from their initial eligibility to the final award of their apprenticeship. This website will provide the context for your role in this journey.
1. Your apprentice’s starting point
The route to becoming an apprentice involves several steps prior to commencing training. All apprentices will complete an Initial Needs Assessment (INA) (Skills Scan) as part of their admissions process against the knowledge, skills and behaviour of the proposed apprenticeship standard. From this INA, an assessment of prior learning is made and documented, the apprentice’s starting point is identified, and additional support needs are recognised. As the employer, you have an important role to play at this stage and will be involved in these discussions with your apprentices. From this, the Individual Training Plan is drawn up with the Degree Apprenticeship Compliance and Support team and agreed upon and signed by all parties. The Apprenticeship Agreement must be signed by the employer and apprentice before the commencement of the apprenticeship.
All apprentices will complete an induction and then commence their on-programme learning. The apprentice will have a tripartite review every at least 12 weeks which will monitor their progress against the KSBs and ensure their ‘off the job’ requirements and support needs are being met. Progress with the academic requirements of their course is also required in accordance with University regulations and any programme-specific regulations identified in the programme specification. The final steps of the apprenticeship require employer confirmation that the apprentice is ready for their End Point Assessment (EPA) via the Gateway process. The gateway requirements are set out in the EPA plan. The apprenticeship certificate is issued on successful completion of the EPA. The award certificate is issued on successful completion of the degree component.
2. How to access Aptem
Our Apprenticeship Management system, Aptem is accessed for all your progress and compliance data https://herts.aptem.co.uk.
This system manages the apprenticeship programme from application through to End Point Assessment. You will be able to view your apprentice(s) progress throughout their learning journey, by supporting activities such as Progress Review Meetings, objective setting and viewing learner dashboards with details of progress being made. As the Employer Mentor, you will be expected to engage with Aptem and complete the relevant sections of the PRM for example.
For some helpful guidance videos to help with some of the functionality of the system please visit our YouTube playlist
If you or any of your colleagues require any assistance or you are a new user needing access to the system please get in touch with the Apprenticeship Team at degree-apprenticeships@herts.ac.uk
3. Introduction to Degree Apprenticeship team
There are many reasons why you may wish to contact the degree apprenticeship team, ranging from Compliance requirements/learner transfers / BILs/ attendance / additional support required for learners
Please contact the Apprenticeship Compliance and Support team at degree-apprenticeships@herts.ac.uk to discuss.
4. Induction – for learners
Apprentice’s Induction to the university will be in the first days of the learning programme. Apprentices will be given general information about being an apprentice at the University of Hertfordshire, with specific focus on:
- An introduction to the programme and the programme team on campus
- The university’s teaching and learning philosophy, and the commitment to apprentice’s achievement
- The on-campus and online resources will be introduced and explored with the apprentices
- Academic study skills and pastoral support
5. Induction – for mentors
Your role as a mentor
As the employer mentor, you will play a pivotal role in your apprentice’s progress in achieving the knowledge, skills and behaviours for their programme.
Your role is to develop your learner in the workplace and is essential to ensuring their success on the programme. You are representing the employer in the tri-partite Progress Review Meetings:
- Setting targets with the apprentice and employer liaison tutor
- Identifying learning opportunities to enable the apprentice to achieve those targets.
- Reviewing the apprentice’s progress by providing regular feedback to the apprentice on the achievement of the target knowledge, skills and behaviours.
- Providing coaching and mentoring support to your apprentice to enable integration of university and workplace learning.
- Working together with Employer Liaison Tutor (ELT) to support the progress and compliance of your apprentice.
- Signing off your apprentice as competent and ready for End Point Assessment.
You will be supported in your role by the Employer Liaison Tutor for your apprentice.
“A key role is providing a sounding board for ideas, signposting to the right departments, key staff who can support learning pieces and also some wisdom on how to manage competing demands and holding space for any anxieties – including when to take a break, step back and prioritise”.
– SLA Employer Mentor
6. Onboarding Meeting
Your ELT may request an early meeting with you and your learner within the first month of the programme. This is an ideal opportunity to run through any outstanding paperwork, clarify aims and objectives, and set up the first Progress Review Meeting.
Top Tip:
During one of your first meetings with your learner, why not ask them to share their timetable and keep you up to date on their assignments throughout their programme? This could be a great way to support and benefit each other!
7. What is an apprenticeship standard?
The apprenticeship standard sets out the nationally recognised knowledge, skills and behaviours required for occupational competence in the job role. Every apprentice will be working towards their specific standard developed by employer groups called trailblazers.
All standards define:
Knowledge: that an apprentice will need to acquire and apply in order to carry out the role effectively and become occupationally competent. The University of Hertfordshire, as the Training Provider, will provide the apprentice with taught academic elements of their apprenticeship qualification (off-the-job learning).
Skills: the range of skills and competencies that the apprentice needs to practice and acquire in order to do the job to a specified standard. These skills are largely acquired and practised in the workplace.
Behaviours: the behaviours the apprentices will need to demonstrate in order to become occupationally competent. These are largely acquired, developed and practised in the workplace.
To complete the apprenticeship, the apprentice must meet all of the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) identified in the standard to be considered occupationally competent. The employer is required to ‘sign off’ that these have been achieved prior to undertaking the End Point Assessment. Full details of the Apprenticeship Standards and Assessment Plans can be accessed via the IfATE website
8. Professional Statutory and Regulatory Body
Your apprenticeship may be recognised by a PSRB, or be linked to professional recognition by an accredited body. Your ELT will be able to provide any information required.