Feedback on learners:

As the employer/training provider, it is important that you can keep track of exactly where your apprentices are up to. We will discuss with you the timeframe in which you would ideally like your apprentices to achieve and will set them realistic targets based on this.

We will then provide you with comprehensive feedback and information to enable you see when and how much your apprentices are accessing the course, whether they are meeting the targets set, how much progress they are making, and readiness for the exam(s).

Recruitment: IA & Diag recruit, no less than level 1, not entry level:

It is important when recruiting apprentices that you take into account their current skill level in functional skills. As you know, Maths and English are a requirement of every apprenticeship, and no matter what their skills and experience are in the vocational aspect of the job, they will not complete the apprenticeship if they are unable to demonstrate competency in Maths and English. While it is possible to raise apprentices to the correct level, it is important that the gap is not too wide as this is both time-consuming and demotivating for students. For example, raising a student from entry level 1 to level 2 is the equivalent of teaching a child all the way from reception class to leaving school with adequate GCSE’s. In these instances, it is beneficial for both the student and the employer that the student revisits functional skills before reapplying for the position.

We can provide comprehensive initial assessments and diagnostics to ensure students are working at an appropriate level and offer guidance on time scales about completing before they are even offered the position.

Front Loading is a must don’t start:

We strongly recommend that you front load functional skills with all apprentices.

When working with apprentices, the functional skills element tends to be the one that they dread the most and while it is important that they are enjoying their new role in the workplace and learning everything this involves, now is a great time to get functional skills out of the way. From experience, we have found that the initial period when students are engaged and keen to learn and impress is a great opportunity to get functional skills ticked off. This leaves the remaining months for them to become completely absorbed in the vocational aspect of their training without any added distractions. It is important to remember that the apprenticeship cannot be completed without the functional skills qualifications and this often leaves companies with many students dragging on for months after their expected end date!

Grammar & Punctuation can be big:

All companies have in-house experts who can train, coach and mentor in all aspects of your business however, functional skills may not be high on their list of priorities or even abilities. Right from the beginning functional skills expertise is imperative as some students present with what we call a “spiky profile”. What this means is that while they are demonstrating a good level of knowledge in some areas, they have weaknesses in others. It is important to understand exactly where these weaknesses are as some are easier to overcome than others. A good example of this with the English qualification is punctuation and grammar. Some students, particularly those with English as an additional language can find this a difficult barrier to overcome and one which may be better to address before they commence their apprenticeship. All our tutors have vast experience supporting students from all over the world and of all ages and abilities. We also work with a number of students with additional learning needs and have a “can do” attitude towards helping all students achieve.

Functional skills can be a huge barrier for some whether this is in relation to higher education where again functional skills in one or both areas is critical; progressing within the workplace;  starting an apprenticeship or job either for the first time or having a career change further down the line, some people don’t understand the relevance of these to their chosen career path. Having to undertake these qualifications, especially with more qualified or mature apprentices, can be met with resistance. Again our tutors are trained to deal with this in a sensitive manner and treat each student as an individual ensuring work and targets set are age/stage appropriate.

Need expert intervention on spiky profile, some particular areas of weakness worse than others.

Need expert teachers:

Functional skills are what we do best. All our tutors have over 15 years experience and qualifications ranging from level 3 all the way up to level 7. They have extensive knowledge of both the curriculum and the various awarding body exam platforms. They are all competent at delivering support via a variety of different methods and have worked with individuals and both small and large groups of students ranging from home schooled children; those wanting to progress into higher education; long term unemployed; employees progressing both within and to external job vacancies or careers to apprentices.

Get student buy in:

It is important to get “buy in” from your apprentices from the beginning to ensure they are aware of what is expected of them and the level of work necessary to achieve, and while it is reasonable to expect them to commit some time in an evening to study, it is important that they are allocated some time during the working week to access their course/s. We recommend two mornings or afternoons per week for between 1-12 weeks*.

*This would be dependant on the level the apprentice is currently working at.