We wrote a piece back in April 2017 with information on the new Apprenticeship standards; nearly a year on, we take another look at how the new standards are developing and how they are being received by industries. 
 
Even if you didn't read our previous blog, you may have heard that all the old style Apprenticeship Frameworks are slowly being replaced by the new Apprenticeship standards and you may be wondering what the fuss is all about? 
 
Below are 5 key things you should know about the Apprenticeship standards and why they have been a welcome change for both Employers and Training Providers alike. 
 
 
They have been written by employers 
 
In our last piece we wrote about how the new standards were being written by 'trailblazers', a group made up of employers operating within the relevant industry. This has worked extremely well with the new standards being well received in almost every case and training programmes being far more reflective of actual job roles and industry training requirements. They are also designed to more flexible. 
 
The trailblazers have drawn from their extensive experiences within each sector and created standards that are relevant, robust and offer a valid and valuable guide for employers, training providers and Apprentices alike. 
 
They incorporate a mixture of knowledge and skills 
 
The new Apprenticeship standards are designed not only to teach the necessary industry and job role knowledge but also to offer real world learning and experience. Most of the standards following the 'know it, show it, live it' format. Following this format, learners will gain knowledge and understanding of best practice within their industry and job role (know it), learn new skills and be able to implement them in their workplace (show it) and incorporate learnt behaviours into their day to day work (live it). 
 
After working with employers over the last year, we have observed a positive response to the changes with employers viewing the training being delivered as far more relevant to them and their ways of working. 
 
Functional Skills give the learning opportunity and extra boost 
 
Functional skills in Maths and English are incorporated into the standard where an individual has not already achieved these qualifications or the equivalent. Functional skills are a great way to further develop written and verbal skills as well as brushing up on maths. The qualifications are exactly what they say on the tin and are "functional" in nature, so learners will be given activities that they can and will use in real world scenarios. 
We know that employers value these competencies and having them incorporated into the Apprenticeship programme is an added bonus that offers the ability to develop the Maths and English skills they may not have had the opportunity to improve upon before. 
 
They can be tailored to suit your business 
 
Even with the standards having been written by industry leaders for the industry, the standards are still flexible enough to be bespoke to your business. The programmes can be tailored to incorporate elements of your own training programmes and can focus on areas of development you feel your teams really need as well as offering new ways of learning that take into account individual learning requirements. 
 
 
End-point assessment gives real value to the qualifications 
 
With the old Frameworks, learners produced a portfolio of evidence that was then audited by the awarding body in order to receive a "pass" and their completion certificates. With the new standards, learners have the opportunity to showcase their skills via a variety of methods which gives them a great opportunity to demonstrate what they have learnt. 
 
This is a great way for learners to achieve the grades they deserve (pass, merit or distinction) and employers to see the significant amount of progress their teams will make during their programmes. 
 
The changes within the Apprenticeship sector have been significant over the last year and have become far more tailored to employer and industry needs with a view to closing skills gaps whilst offering individuals a recognised and highly valued alternative route into employment. 
 
The changes have been welcomed by many and here at Fareport, we have seen a significant increase in employers investing in Apprenticeships. From SME's to big Corporates, many new companies are now jumping on board the apprenticeship train and benefitting from the significant value that Apprenticeships can add to the workplace. 
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