APPRENTICE PROCESS #3: Apprenticeship Roles – It Takes a Village

There’s a wide range of Apprenticeship Roles involved in preparing an Apprentice for the workplace; certainly more than might immediately meet the eye.

‘It takes a village’ is a phrase that refers to the collective effort required in raising a child. We also think it’s also a pretty good assessment of the collaborative work involved in raising an Apprentice to the level where they are skilled and experienced enough to make a productive contribution to their employer’s workflow.

Apprenticeships are far from solitary endeavours. Behind every successful Apprentice lies a vast network of Apprenticeship Roles – individuals and organisations who have played a unique and significant role in the creation, delivery, and validation of these vital learning pathways.

If you’d like guidance on the cost of hiring an Apprentice, check out this informative blog, while the timeline of decisions that need to be made and actions that need to be completed between now and the start of the next course (in September 2024) is detailed in this blog.

Table of contents

• Employer Roles
• Training Provider Roles
• End Point Assessment Organisation Roles
• Apprentice Roles
• Accreditation Body Roles
• Regulatory Body Roles
• The Role of Cutting Edge Technology

Employer Roles

The first organisation to take an active role is, of course, the employer, who understands the value of Apprentices and has made the decision to employ Apprentices in the first place. It all begins with the employer acknowledging they have the problem of a gap in their business that an Apprentice can solve.

The individuals within this organisation who will be involved include:

• Management Team – You’re thinking about the future of your business and you’ve hired the Apprentices who will meet the challenges of Fuel Transition head-on
• Competence Manager – They are responsible for ensuring everyone on-site has the training they require and the skills they need
• Apprenticeship Manager – They liaise with the learning providers and the senior management team to ensure the programme aligns with industry standards, hits business aims and supports Apprentices
• The Apprentices (Obviously): The successful applicants will become new employees, keen to begin a lifelong career in the Tank Storage sector
• Mentors – They provide invaluable hands-on guidance and real-world support to new employees, offering them a wealth of industry knowledge and practical insights on complex operations, safety protocols and best practices

For Apprenticeship delivery the Employer’s core responsibilities are:

• To provide the same employee benefits as for any new member of staff
• Plan the job training in collaboration with the Training Provider
• To stretch, challenge and develop the Apprentice utilising developmental projects
• Work with other stakeholders in the group to monitor and track progress
• Provide feedback to the Apprentice
• To set objectives and monitor progress

Training Provider Roles

There is a lot more to offering training than simply turning up on the day with some lesson notes, everyone we employ as a trainer has decades of experience that they bring with them into the classroom and onto the site. Then, behind them, there’s a small army of professionals who ensure that everything is in place from the central government funding to the coffee in the hot drinks machine.

• Trainers – Skilled and qualified professionals with decades of real-world experience
• Assessors – They evaluate and oversee the training and competency of personnel to ensure safe and efficient operations. They also carry out assessments against the relevant standards
• Internal Quality Assurers – Maintaining the quality of the performance and systems of the Training Providers and the Assessors
• Centre Managers – Liaising with clients and external bodies to ensure awarding body requirements are met and exceeded, while clients’ needs are also catered for
• Admin & Accounts – Keeping the lights on and the wheels turning, so we can continue to deliver the finest quality training for all learners, not just Apprentices
• Apprenticeship Coordinator – They liaise between employers, Apprentices and training institutions, ensuring seamless communication and the smooth execution of the program

The Training Provider’s core responsibilities are:

• Developing a delivery programme that meets the standards
• To ensure that the Apprentice and line manager are inducted
• Provision of all learning materials
• To work in partnership with the employer to support the Apprentice
• To ensure that the learning plan is focused on the individual needs of the Apprentice
• Ensure that concerns are raised from learning through ‘Safeguarding’ and ‘Prevent duties’
• Complete regular reviews, coordinating with the employer and the Apprentice

End Point Assessment Organisation Role (EPAO)

Validation of an Apprentice’s progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours required within the Apprenticeship standard is critical. At Reynolds Training, we value the partnership being developed with industry-leading End Point Assessment Organisation, SIAS. 

The role of the End point Assessor is multifaceted. As with all other stakeholders, the focus is on the Apprentice and it is independent of any training provision.

The EPAO’s responsibilities include:

• Early liaison with training provider and employer, ensuring the Apprentice is registered for End Point Assessment
• Provision of documentation to support the EPA process
• Support visits for training providers and employers, providing an assurance that all parties are working towards the same goal: Success for the Apprentice!
• Develop appropriate resources to support the EPA process
• Liaise with the employer as the Apprentice is passed through for EPA
• Ensure that the Apprentice is at ease with the EPA process, this is key and needs clear coordination with the employer and training provider
• Undertake End Point Assessment with the Apprentice (see note below)*
• Marking and grading of the EPA
• Conducting resits if the Apprentice has not made the grade on the initial assessment (in conjunction with the employer)

*End Point Assessment with the Apprentice involves three key assessment steps:

• Synoptic Assessment Test (SAT) and Practical Observation – Observing the Apprentice carrying out their job role in a working environment under normal conditions.
• Vocational Competence Discussion (VCD) – a structured discussion around the key elements of the Apprenticeship.
• Scenario Case Study – a written exam aimed at testing the Apprentice’s transferable knowledge.

The Role of the Apprentice

No acknowledgement of roles could be complete if we did not include the role of the central character: the Apprentice.

All of the other roles in the delivery chain are centred and coordinated around the needs of the Apprentice. However, it’s worth remembering that the ultimate success of the Apprentice does not lay solely with the people and bodies facilitating the training – it requires the Apprentice to take an active role in their own success, not least through:

• Attending all lessons / training sessions
• Completing work and associated assignments
• Recording their ‘Off the Job Training’ (OJT) – which has to meet the 20% rule and will have been planned in advance by the Training Provider and the Employer
• Attending scheduled reviews – These are important to measure the progress of the Apprentice and for setting objectives
• Their business role and how they impact the business

If you’d like to know more about any of these roles, here at Reynolds Training, don’t hesitate to get in touch by filling in the form below, or giving us a ring on the number at the bottom of the page.

As a dynamic, forward-looking and growing industry, we are committed to developing the next generation of talent. An Apprenticeship in the terminals industry will give you the chance to gain a professional qualification as part of an exciting and unique career.

Peter Davidson, Executive Director, TSA

Accreditation Body Roles

Accreditation from government bodies is crucial for all of our courses – which is why we are proud to confirm that our courses are accredited by all the necessary organisations. This serves as a seal of approval, signifying that our courses meet the rigorous standards set by the nation’s (and the world’s) most authoritative agencies.

Such accreditation not only assures the quality and relevance of the training but also breeds confidence among employers, Apprentices and the wider industry that the workers emerging from these programs possess the necessary skills, knowledge and competencies to excel in their new roles.

The bodies that we work with for our Apprenticeship include:

• ESFA – Education & Skills Funding Agency. This is a UK government agency that is responsible for funding education and skills for children, young people and adults. It was formed in 2017 by merging the Education Funding Agency and the Skills Funding Agency.
• IfATE – Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. This is a UK government agency that works with employers to develop, approve, review and revise Apprenticeships and technical qualifications, then oversee the quality and standards of those Apprenticeship programmes.
• Ofsted – The Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills. This is the UK government agency that inspects the quality of Apprenticeship provision at all levels, from level 2 to level 7. It works with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and the Office for Students (OfS).
• OfS – Office for Students This body works closely with Ofsted and the ESFA to ensure that Apprenticeships are meeting the needs of learners, employers and the economy.

Regulatory Body Roles

Earning the validation from internationally-recognised chartered organisations and educational awarding bodies carries an immense weight and importance. These organisations set the industry standards, safety protocols, and best practices. Validation from such authorities demonstrates that we, as the training provider, and the courses we offer, adhere to the highest industry benchmarks in safety, quality, and competence.

Bodies involved in the validation and regulation of our Apprenticeship include:

• Cogent Skills – This is the Skills Council for this sector. Cogent Skills works with us to develop, manage and assess our Apprenticeship standard to ensure it meets the needs of industry and learners.
• Skills Office Network – This is a training support service that works with employers and training providers such as ourselves, offering mentoring and support solutions to ensure we continue to deliver the highest-quality Apprenticeship programmes.
• IChemE – The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Provides the approval of Engineering Status for the Level 3 Diploma for a Bulk Storage Operator Technician Qualification that underpins the apprenticeship programme.  This demonstrates that we’ve met the rigorous standards of the Engineering Council and can, therefore, provide a route to professional recognition for Apprentices.
• GQA – This UK-based awarding body develops, approves and reviews qualifications across a range of disciplines and provided the Qualifying Framework for our Apprenticeship.
• External Quality Assurers – Confirming that Reynolds Training meets and exceeds the highest quality thresholds, to ensure that your investment in Apprentices and in us is well spent.
• IOSH – The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. IOSH is the chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 42,000 members in 100 countries, it’s the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation. They set standards, and support, develop and connect members with resources, guidance, events and training. IOSH campaigns on issues that affect millions of working people. They also approved some of the elements of training developed and delivered by ‘Reynolds’.
• ISO – The International Organisation for Standardisation. This is the global standard in management and operational quality. It offers guidance and best practices to ensure we deliver the highest-quality services, including all of our training courses and, of course, our Apprenticeships.

Reynolds Training and the Role of Cutting-Edge Technology

When all the power and expertise of those people and organisations come together, we know we can produce fully-trained, experienced Apprentices with valid, robust knowledge and experience, as well as the skills needed to keep learning and improving as we escalate through our future of fuel transition.

And you can see that the (relatively) small investment needed to train an Apprentice taps you into a pipeline of internationally-recognised accreditation and validation, as well as the deepest expertise and finest cutting-edge learning technology.

If you’d like to know more about the pioneering technology we’re developing, have a look at the web pages on our in-house hands-on training facility, the NCPM, or learn about the way we’re taking training into the next dimension with Virtual Reynolds. Then there’s our continuous competence platform, CALMcloud.

Tell us about YOUR training needs

So, to recap:

• It takes a village of people and organisations to produce a skilled Apprentice.
• There’s a range of Apprenticeship Roles at the Apprentice’s employer involved in the Apprenticeship.
• There’s a range of Apprenticeship Roles at the Training Provider involved in the Apprenticeship.
• There’s a range of Apprenticeship Roles at the national and international Accreditation Bodies involved in the Apprenticeship.
• There’s a range of Apprenticeship Roles at the country’s Regulatory Bodies involved in the Apprenticeship.
• Reynolds Training is always at the cutting edge of technology.

If you haven’t already, feel free to read part one of this three-part series, where we reveal how surprisingly affordable training an Apprentice can be – especially when you can expect to get a minimum 95% discount on training costs!

Then, you can go on to read the next blog in this series and learn about the Apprenticeship Timeline – a realistic assessment of just how long it takes from the moment you decide you need an Apprentice to the time they arrive at Reynolds Training for their first day.

Ask us about arranging Apprenticeships for your business, or we could create any customised training course to your precise specifications. Just get in touch by filling-in the contact form below: