The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) formally began its role on 3 April with the broad remit to monitor the design, delivery, end point assessment (EPA) and quality assurance of apprenticeships, including standards and assessment plans.
Two documents were also released in parallel – the Strategic Guidance to the Institute for Apprenticeships and the Apprenticeships Accountability Statement. The former is to provide the high level guidance to the IfA around the fundamental reforms taking place. The latter sets out the responsibilities of each organisation with a role to play in the reformed apprenticeship system. This includes assessment bodies, providers and employers as well as other organisations such as Ofsted and Ofqual.
There’s a key phrase in the Strategic Guidance (Standards Policy p18) that does need highlighting:
“Only include mandatory qualifications under certain circumstances. As the EPA will provide definitive evidence of whether the apprentice has acquired full competence, qualifications should not generally need to be included within an apprenticeship standard. Qualifications can be included if they are: a) a regulatory/mandatory requirement in the occupational area to which the standard relates; b) required for professional registration; or c) is used as a hard sift when applying for jobs in the occupation related to the standard.”
It needs highlighting because a recent report from Lorna Unwin, Professor Emerita (Vocational Education) at the UCL Institute of Education, London sought to compare this non-qualification English approach with other countries. This wasn’t without difficulty as apprenticeships have evolved in different countries to fit the historical, cultural, economic and political drivers in the past, currently and to some degree, the future.
The research points to no single country solely relying on EPA alone, whilst removing the mandatory need for a qualification or similar outcome is non-existent. In the seven countries examined (1 North American, 6 European) all have nationally recognised and validated forms of accreditation in the form of certificates or diplomas and all have practical end tests to confirm competence. Equal weight is given to evidence derived from the workplace and the off-the-job setting. Employers and learners accept and trust this approach.
So why do we want to remove the tangible, physical evidence of behavioural, skills and knowledge achievement at work via recognised and robust qualifications, gained throughout the apprenticeship in favour of a single EPA model? Why when employers see them as a currency that can be quantified, traded and cashed in and apprentices themselves are against the removal of qualifications from apprenticeship programmes?
Recent attendance at an All Party Parliamentary Group for Apprenticeships had views from 5 apprentices from different sectors all bemoaning the fact that most new standards have no qualifications within them. “Where is the motivation in becoming an apprentice if you don’t get a qualification as part of the apprenticeship?” was the call from the floor. “What happens if you leave before the end of the time – you’ve got nothing to show for it”.
Why also are we looking to potentially restrict the gaining of workplace relevant qualifications from a key, non-academic development route for young and old alike when we’re entering a period of uncertainty in economic, education and employment contexts?
The attraction of an apprenticeship is the chance to work, get paid for that work and gain one or more qualifications related to that work. These qualifications are always seen as worthwhile, relevant and transferable within, and in some cases across, sector. In some cases the achievement of these qualifications is a true success for previously disadvantaged learners.
The new apprenticeships world has removed the qualification element in all but exceptional cases. What we need to be careful of is that we don’t inadvertently remove the motivation or desire for economically productive, practically minded individuals becoming apprentices because there are no qualifications to be gained. We also need to be careful we don’t scare potential learners away by having an end testing regime that brings back bad memories of failed school exams.
We need apprenticeships that prove competence and recognise the knowledge, skills and behaviours gained throughout their employment. We need to ensure the progression through the workforce of competent, knowledgeable and qualification rich individuals to meet the needs of the somewhat uncertain, and potentially turbulent, economic times ahead. The achievement of a qualification or qualifications, in the workplace, within an apprenticeship, without prejudice and without the pressure of formal end testing is the least we can provide to the learners, their employers and ultimately the country.
