Making Apprenticeships Work

Making Apprenticeships Work – A reflection on practice

How to ensure a quality experience for apprentices and employers

The ISB’s latest report, Making Apprenticeships Work: A reflection on practice, includes several recommendations to support the adoption of a quality framework for apprenticeships.

This is the second iteration for Making Apprenticeships Work, a report first published by the ISB in October 2015 when the apprenticeship reforms were first introduced and the levy consultation process was taking place.

Through a series of case studies and action plans, the group has revisited how to ensure a quality experience for apprentices and employers, using and adapting the quality framework apprenticeship model it first created in 2015.

The ISB recognises that we are still a long way from a system that is fully functional and truly employer-responsive and the report aims to:

bring the focus back to what makes a quality apprenticeship
use the proposed quality framework to ensure the wider systematic approach to addressing and measuring quality.

What do businesses have to say about employing apprentices?

See the benefits that apprenticeships bring to businesses, the challenges experienced with delivery and what typically happens to apprentices after they finish their programme.

How we can help

Develop an apprenticeship programme that meets commercial needs

Working at the forefront of the UK apprenticeship reforms, we are well placed to advise on how to make apprenticeships work for your business.

From mapping your people strategy and potential apprenticeships, through to helping you develop apprenticeship delivery programmes and choosing an end-point assessment organisation – we provide guidance throughout.

If you decide you would like to outsource your apprenticeship training, we can also help you develop partnerships with training providers assessed against our quality benchmark.

Let us help you with your apprenticeship programme >

Review your apprenticeship programmes to build a more qualified workforce

Working closely with employers, we make sure apprenticeship programmes build a more qualified and better-trained workforce. By working across a large number of industries and business functions, we have the breadth to help you meet your organisational skills challenges and apprenticeship targets.

From corporates and big retailers to public sector organisations, we help a range of businesses review their apprenticeship strategy across a number of functions, such as HR, IT, operations, support services, leadership and management and customer service.

Find out more about the range of apprenticeships we offer >

Understand the funding rules and ensure compliance with regulatory bodies

With extensive experience advising on compliance and regulatory body requirements, we can help you and your colleagues understand the funding rules and advise on what you can and can’t spend on your levy. We ensure you’re fully compliant with ESFA rules, including contracting with providers, evidencing the 20% off-the-job learning and gateway declaration.

Let us help you understand apprenticeship funding >

Plan the delivery of apprenticeships

Apprenticeships are often delivered with the support of a college or provider, however, employers can also apply to be on the Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers (RoATP) and deliver an apprenticeship programme independently. Let us help you determine which delivery method is best suited to your business needs by reviewing your capacity to deliver the training required across your chosen job roles and make recommendations accordingly.

Let us help you plan for apprenticeship delivery >