20% Off-The-Job
There are multiple benefits to employing an Apprentice within any business, whether a new recruit or upskilling current staff.
Menu
20% Off-the-job training
20% off the job training is mandatory for all English apprenticeships.
“Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement for an English apprenticeship. It is training received by the apprentice during the apprentice’s regular working hours to achieve the knowledge, skills, and behaviours of the approved apprenticeship the learner is completing. By regular working hours, we mean paid hours excluding overtime.
“It is not on-the-job training which is training received by the apprentice for the sole purpose of enabling the apprentice to perform the work for which they have been employed. By this, we mean training that does not specifically link to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship.”
Our Apprenticeship Programmes
We create bespoke apprenticeship programmes that tie into your business needs and objectives, designed to complement existing internal training schemes and add real value to the growth and development of your business.
-
Leader in Adult Care Apprenticeship
-
Early Years Educator Apprenticeship
-
Customer Service Practitioner Apprenticeship
-
Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship
-
Lead Practitioner in Adult Care Apprenticeship
-
Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship
-
Level 1 Award in Caring for Children
-
Level 1 Award in Introduction to Health and Social Care and Children's and Young People's Settings
-
Lead Adult Care Worker Apprenticeship
-
Level 2 Certificate in Introducing Caring for Children and Young People
-
Business Administrator Apprenticeship
-
Level 1 Award in Retail Knowledge
Each Apprenticeship programme has its own Standard linked to a specific occupation – these are rigorous, challenging and require the Apprentice to undertake a minimum of one year’s training followed by an End-Point Assessment (EPA).
Planning off-the-job-training
Ref: Apprenticeship off-the-job training, Policy background and examples, version 3, September 2019. Section 2: Policy Background, outcome 10, page 5.
We work closely with employers at the beginning of the apprenticeship to ensure a tailored learning programme and offer support in identifying possible opportunities for the 20% off the job training to be captured. A 20% off the job plan will be created for each learner based on the identified tasks and activities and note any support required in their journey.
Off-the-job training must:
- Be relevant to the apprenticeship programme.
- Be separate from the regular day-to-day job role and working environment.
- Focus on developing new knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
- Take place during regular paid working hours.
Examples of Off-the-job learning
- Mandatory training such as Safeguarding and First Aid
- All workshops and webinars relating to the apprenticeship programme (excluding
- Functional skills)
- Being coached and/or mentored in relation to developing skills in their job role
- The apprentice’s supervisions/monthly reviews/annual appraisals/ handovers (excluding progress reviews or on-programme assessment needed for the apprenticeship)
- Team meetings or inhouse staff updates and training
- Shadowing another member of staff in understanding the setting’s policies/procedures and relevant forms that are relevant to the service, e.g., Health &
- Safety/Risk assessments/Communication
- Attending conferences/reading relevant publications, including our in-house magazines
- Any external training days, including short courses
- Practical training and practice (being shadowed/observed by another staff member and receiving feedback about performance)
- Learning support and Reflective accounts of learning and new work experiences.
- Time spent writing assessments/assignments/self-study
- Research new skills techniques and better understanding relating to job roles and sectors.
- Any e-learning
How much is 20% off the job training?
Off-the-job training is calculated from 20% of an apprentice’s time throughout their apprenticeship. So, for example, if an apprentice works a 37.5-hour week, then 7.5 hours (or roughly one day) at the minimum should be spent on activities that qualify as “off-the-job”.
Points to also consider:
- Learner statutory leave should not be calculated under the 20% of off-the-job training. It is only applicable to working hours.
20% is the minimum time required through the apprenticeship agreement. Employers may wish to increase off the job training time to develop their employees further or at a faster rate. - Any off the job training (evening industry events) that takes place outside of working hours must be paid in lieu or offset against regular working hours.
- Following an unsuccessful end-point assessment, extra training does not count towards the minimum 20%. A minimum of 20% time needs to be achieved before undertaking the end-point assessment.
- Recording off the job activity
Recording off-the-job training activities and making sure that they are valid and beneficial is essential. Learners can record their off the job activities and time spent on their e-portfolio system-On File.
Recording off the job activity
Recording off-the-job training activities and making sure that they are valid and beneficial is essential. Learners can record their off the job activities and time spent on their e-portfolio system-On File.
