FEATURE
Apprenticeship changes to create funding bands and new standards
THERE were almost 900,000 funded apprenticeships in 2015-2016’s academic year, and the Government has set a target of 3 million new apprenticeships by 2020.
There are two diff erent types of apprenticeship schemes: frameworks and standards. Apprenticeship frameworks are being progressively phased out, and replaced by the newer apprenticeship standards.
The aim is that all new apprentices undertake standards. However, as standards for a number of occupational areas are still in development, some old-style frameworks are still current and available for candidates. This includes apprenticeships for those working in the waste and resource management sector:
Level 4 – Sustainable Resource Operations & Management
Level 2 & Level 3 – Sustainable Resource Management
There has been no change to the content or the delivery requirements of the frameworks.
Frameworks are primarily qualifi cation-focused. The main aim at the end of a framework is to have achieved a competency-based qualifi cation, such as an NVQ, and a technical qualifi cation, such as a BTEC. In a framework, apprentices are assessed throughout their apprenticeship.
The following Trailblazer Apprenticeships are currently in development:
Waste Management and Recycling – Resource Operative Level 2 – likely to be available from Spring 2018
Metal Recycling General Operative Level 2 – draft standard submitted in August 2017 for review and approval (consultation closed 11 September 2017)
An apprenticeship standard is only available for delivery when both the standard and the assessment plan have been approved and a funding band (core government contribution) has been assigned to the standard.
One of the key diff erences between the old frameworks and the new standards is the inclusion of an End Point Assessment (EPA) process, which could take the form of an exam, skills assessment and/or a professional interview.
CHRIS JAMES CEO at WAMITAB, has over 30 years’ experience in vocational education as a Principal Lecturer, Chief Examiner, External Verifi er and Moderator with high profi le education and awarding organisations. WAMITAB provides an end-to-end solution - from operative to management level qualifi cations in resource management and recycling, cleaning, street cleansing, facilities management and parking.
www.wamitab.org.uk 28 SHM November, 2017 @WAMITAB
The EPA is individual for each standard, and is designed by the Trailblazer Development group working with industry stakeholders, to ensure the content and format best refl ects what is required by employers in the sector.
A list of all the apprenticeship programmes that are currently available – both frameworks and standards – can be found via the
gov.uk website.
Apprenticeship Funding in England
The new apprenticeship funding system will be made up of 15 funding bands, with the upper limits of these bands ranging from £1,500 to £27,000 covering apprenticeships from intermediate, which is the fi rst level of apprenticeship through to advanced, higher and degree apprenticeships.
All existing apprenticeship frameworks and standards have been placed within one of the 15 funding bands, and new standards will be placed in a funding band as they become ready for use by employers. From May 2017 apprenticeship frameworks and standards are funded in the same way.
Apprenticeship levy funds may be used to pay for the training and assessment for employers paying the levy (up to the upper limit of the funding band). This group of employers is those with an annual pay bill of over £3m, estimated to be around 2% of UK employers.
Funding is available for those employers who do not pay the levy; they are required to pay 10% of the cost of training and assessment with the government contributing the remaining 90% (up to the upper limit of the funding band).
Employers and training providers are able to negotiate a price for training and assessment; there is no minimum or set fee associated with apprenticeship delivery. Training and assessment costs above the upper limit of the funding band have to be paid for separately by the employer (levy paying employers cannot use levy funds).
Accessing Training
A further big change eff ective from May 2017 is that apprenticeships (standards or frameworks) can only be delivered by training providers who are on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP).
The approved list of providers is managed by the Educations and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and can be accessed via the
gov.uk website. This list is separate to the Register of Training Organisations (RoTO), which providers must apply for to be eligible to compete to deliver funded training opportunities.
Apprenticeships are a devolved policy.
This means that authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales manage their own apprenticeship programmes, including how funding is spent on apprenticeship training.
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