Apprentice Journey

On programme

Apprentices take on a programme of training to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviours that are set out in the apprenticeship standard and required to pass end-point assessment. Apprentices have to achieve qualifications specified in the apprenticeship standard as well as English and maths.

Gateway

Before an apprentice can take an EPA, the employer, (after discussion with their apprentice and training provider) ‘signs off’ their apprentice as ready for EPA. This decision process is known as the ‘gateway' to End-Point Assessment.

Approximately three months before the anticipated gateway date, your YMCA EPA specialist will be in contact to confirm the apprentice’s gateway date and to ensure that all gateway requirements will be met. If possible, we will also confirm assessment dates and locations. If the apprentice is not ready to move through gateway, we will amend the anticipated gateway date.

Once agreed, the End-Point Assessor will be allocated, ensuring there are no conflicts of interest. At gateway, there will be a meeting between the employer, apprentice and End-Point Assessor, where all aspects of end-point assessment will be agreed.

End-point assessment

EPAs can only be taken a minimum of 12 months after the start date of an apprentice’s training and must be successfully completed before an apprenticeship completion certificate can be issued.

Our End-Point Assessors have relevant and current industry experience as well as assessment experience, meeting all the requirements published in the assessment plan.

Result and certification

All apprentice results will be added to our EPA management system after internal quality assurance. The final apprenticeship certificate will be claimed by us and will be sent directly to the employer from the Education and Skills Funding Agency.