Mini guide to choosing an Apprenticeship Provider - Employers will help you as the employer through the process of finding a training provider to provide you with an apprenticeship scheme. It covers key questions to ask, what to expect and how the whole process runs, start to end. If you would like any more information please don't hesitate to contact us via phone: 0121 707 0550 or email: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk

1. Mini-Guide to Choosing an
Apprenticeship Training Provider
There are so many training providers offering NVQs /QCF’s and Apprenticeship Schemes these days.
So how do you go about deciding which one offers what your organisation needs?
It is well worth investing some time to explore prospective training providers what they can offer.
You will want to make sure that they understand the needs of care sector employers and how to work
with adult learners in the workplace.
Step One
Do your research
- Knowledge is key.
Look around the market, read blogs,
journals, reviews and look at
companies in your local area who
have had/or are running an
Apprenticeship scheme and call on
your network of contacts for advice,
guidance and understanding.
Step Two
Ask Key Questions
- Asking questions is always one of the
most important steps. All good
recruitment providers will realise that
you will have lots of questions before
even starting the process so don’t be
afraid to ask even if you think it’s silly.
Below are some examples of things you
need to ask/consider:

2. Key Questions:

How is their Apprenticeship programme delivered? Is it college, centre or work-place based? Do
they offer group sessions on knowledge and understanding or skills development? Or, do they use a
distance learning package - workbook based? (Flexible ways of delivering a programme mean that
your organisation’s needs can be more easily met.)

Are they prepared to negotiate to meet employer or learner needs?

How will progress be monitored to spot problems or encourage achievement? Who is responsible
for doing this?

What are the timescales for the programme? How long do their learners normally take to achieve a
full care qualifications? (Rates vary widely, but there is a judgement to be made here. Effective
programmes reduce the time taken to complete an award, but it is equally important learners
have time to develop and demonstrate the required knowledge and skills.)

Who will be delivering the programme? Who are the tutors for any taught aspects and what is their
experience or qualifications? Similarly who are the assessors and what is their experience?
(You want to be sure that tutors and assessors understand your type of setting and the kind of
work your learners do.)

How is assessment done? What do the training providers provide and what is expected from the
employer? How much will extra assessment add to the cost?

For vocational qualification, is assessment on-site? Do they use holistic methods (assessing several
competences involved in one task) or do they proceed on a unit by unit basis? What use do they
make of observation? (Holistic models of assessment, making good use of observational evidence
tend to be very effective in encouraging learner achievement, so it is important to check this out.)

Consider the age and preferred learning style of the learner and the potential routes available e.g.
how much needs to be at work or in private study time?

How do they ensure quality? What kind of feedback or grading do they get from External Verifiers
or Inspectors? ( It is helpful to get an idea of how outside experts view the quality of the
programme.)

How much will it cost and how is payment organised? Is it payable in stages or is it all up-front?
(Many providers require payment to be made up-front, placing the risk for learner
non-completion with the employer. This may or may not be negotiable, with some training providers willing to accept stage payments.)

What is the training provider’s track record of learner achievement for care awards?

3. Step Three
Ask for the Names
of at Least Two
References
Ask to be put in touch with organisations
similar to your own that have had staff
on that particular programme.
Contact these organisations and ask
them how well they felt that the training
provided met their needs. You might
also like to ask what, if any, issues or
problems arose, how they were resolved
and how well learners achieved.
Most importantly, ask if they would use
that training provider again.
Step Four
Draw Up a List of
Your Requirements
Send a list of requirements to the
training provider that you think will
best meet your needs, asking for a
statement of what they could offer,
when they could offer it, what
contribution you would be expected
to make (for example, by providing
In-House Assessors or releasing staff
for centre-based learning),
and what it would cost per learner,
including the time resources for a
member of your staff.

4. Step Five
Consider their
response &
negotiate
If the provider insists on something
that you disagree with and think is
very important, then look for a
different provider. For example, If the
training provider says that most of
the assessment meetings must
happen at college or training centre,
and you believe they should happen
in the workplace, then stick to what
you believe.
Step One
Agree Terms &
Review Progress
Once you are satisfied with what is
being offered, agree terms specifying
all the relevant details of what has
been agreed between you and when
the progress of the training provider
will be reviewed.
For more information on our Apprenticeships
And to gain further information & to secure your funding...
Please contact our Apprenticeship Team on: 0121 707 055 or 0121 708 0021
E-Mail: info@pathwaygroup.co.uk