Anyone knowledgeable on apprenticeships?

[midnightl]

Hi all,

Will try to make this as short as possible, does anyone know where I may stand with this? I will try to be as vague as possible also as to not be outing as employer is aware.

I applied for and was taken on for an apprenticeship last year, in industry A. As part of the apprenticeship, I would gain an industry recognised qualification with an external awarding body.

The position I was taken on in was advertised as a hybrid role between departments, A&B, where B is related to A under the wider umbrella but 2 separate functions within the business. The apprenticeship is in A and does not cover B. Due to this I've struggled to progress within the apprenticeship due to not having the time/exposure to what needs to be covered for off the job hours and knowledge.

I've fallen behind in this, in addition to not having the set 20% of my working week dedicated to the study. Although being told to utilise it and block it out, I was given additional work and am held accountable for work not completed within my working time. When this was brought up, I was told as it is self development I may need to catch up in own time. Essentially I'm working part time for 2 functions in addition to an apprenticeship.

The work I complete is mainly admin/data entry with no correlation to the apprenticeship standard, when questioned on this I'm told it is not within the job role in the business to cover what the assessor needs me to. This puts pressure on the team as I'm not in an additional role as an apprentice.

The needs of the business have now changed and I've been asked to move into the unrelated department full time for next 4 months. I've resigned and am actively looking to carry on the apprenticeship elsewhere but I can't help but feel a bit miffed.

Anyone have experience with this?

TIA

No experience but this sounds like a shitty situation which has been handled badly by your employer. It must have been really frustrating for you. Are you able to transfer what you've achieved thus far with the qualification to another apprenticeship role?

You should have an independant supervisor. What have they said?

@Neriah

I do have an assessor, he has said I would be unable to carry on the apprenticeship if in the role within B. He has said I could transfer if I could find an employer willing.

It is very frustrating, my employer have admitted it was handled badly but have said nothing can be done other than moving into B for time being.

It just feels like a massive waste of time as I've made little progress, whilst being paid less (although not apprentice wage) in return for a qualification I now do not have

Just to add, not sure if relevant. I'd spoken to my direct line manager, teams (within both departments) multiple times about how I was struggling. I was still being called out publicly for mistakes, and things not being actioned, on WhatsApp groups on my booked AL and email threads.

It had got to the point I was breaking down at work almost daily & having panic attacks at desk.

Im essentially giving a handover to each department daily and being expected to action things on days I was in other department. I'm being pulled in all different directions, being delegated tasks from 6-7 people with no clear prioritisation in addition to apprenticeship work. Being told I must handover work I'm not able to action on certain days to other team members despite this meaning handing work back and delegating to more senior colleagues which I was not comfortable with but being told I must manage the time & workload.

It's been a shit show to put it lightly, I'm working my notice but there has been a very clear shift in energy and they have ramped up with any minor mistakes being pulled up on publicly. I feel sick and want to leave but no job to go to and no company sick pay. Annual leave calendar runs from January so not enough accrued to leave.

Hopeful bump?

I am an Apprenticeship manager for an ITP. Your role does have to fit the K,S + B of the Standard otherwise you won't be able to evidence where you have met the criteria.
Part of the Training Agreement that the employer and yourself sign at Sign Up is that the role meets the Standard and that they will give you 20% OTJ per week. In addition you should have carried out a TNA at the start which is regularly reviewed with your Tutor, employer and yourself in a tripartite review every 12 weeks.

Thank you @twistyizzy

I would look at reporting the company to the ESFA or Ofsted as they are clearly not delivering an apprenticeship but I bet they were claiming the funding for it.

Ofsted wouldn't care. ESFA do audits anyway so it would be flagged if the OP hadn't had monthly Teaching + Learning and progress.
However it does sound like a poorly planned programme.

OP I think many of the apprenticeships are signed up when you can't meet all of the requirements of the job. Mine was going well until I had a new manager who was unable to assist me in many of my Moodle activities . As for 20% off the job lol what a laugh. All my work had been completed in the evenings and on weekends. A colleague is signing up for one this week and I know she won't be able to evidence half of what is required as she is not in the job role or department.

I've had numerous problems with my training provider not responding to calls or email.
I took a break in learning as I was off work for 2 months with my mental health and they ended my apprenticeship.

My manager has contacted them and asked if I can continue or transfer to another provider (my wish) this was before Xmas and still waiting for a response. In 2 years I had 2 meetings with my skills coach. I have one and a half modules left to cover and two assignments then obviously professional discussion and end point assessment. I don't want to give up now after all the work. But feel like my mental health has derailed me and the training partner won't accept this.

@twistyizzy

Thank you for your response. Would it be flagged if my off the job were behind also?

In regards to the monthly Teaching + Learning and progress, how is this measured usually?

I've always tried to keep the hours up but can mean really stretching what I'm doing to ensure it's different if you see what I mean?

@Babyblackbear78

That all sounds so difficult, I hope you are okay now? Sorry to hear that you were having to also deal with your mental health. Shitty to end if whilst you were off too.

Were you taken on as an apprentice or was it an opportunity that arose whilst you were employed already?

Yes, I think this is the issue. I'm also unable to evidence what's required. It's disheartening when on wider calls with other apprentices to not be able to contribute when everyone else seems to be covering it.

I have one and a half modules left to cover and two assignments then obviously professional discussion and end point assessment. I don't want to give up now after all the work. But feel like my mental health has derailed me and the training partner won't accept this

Do you mind if I ask what the apprenticeship is in? No worries if too outing or don't want to share :)

Im doing great now thanks, change of meds and I’m right as rain lol.
I’ve messaged you with some more details!

Yes, ESFA can check if OTJH are dropping and it is a major point of audit. Ofsted also judge on learner access to OTJH and, whilst it should be the responsibility of the employer, the provider will get hammered for it.
T+L is monitored by the provider on a monthly basis through attendance at sessions, deep dives into portfolios etc. If a provider is unable to evidence T+L every month then they have to pay back that month's payment to the ESFA.
A real issue for providers is that if apprentices don't attend monthly meetings/reviews then we get hammered and have to pay money back to ESFA so if a learner doesn't attend 2 meetings then we will quite often take them off programme unless they have requested a formal Break I'm Learming however a BIL can only be approved for eg long term sickness/maternity not just struggling with the role/programme. We are so constrained by funding rules that often we are unable to act in the best interests of the learner.