Organisations working in protective services looking to make the most of their apprenticeship levy contributions will now have help from one of the UK’s leading awarding organisations.
Highfield Qualifications has been approved by the government to provide end-point assessment (EPA) services for the new Custody and Detention Officer Standard, and will be offering employers a full range of assessment services to help them achieve the most from their apprenticeship levy payments.
The introduction of the apprenticeship levy in 2017 means larger employers have to pay into a central fund that must be used for apprenticeship training, while smaller employers can claim 90 per cent of their apprenticeship costs from the government.
The changes also mean new apprenticeship standards like those in security now use EPA instead of continuous assessment, requiring individual apprentices to have their work and competence assessed towards the end of their learning against criteria established by groups of employers known as ‘trailblazers’.
Jason Sprenger, Highfield Chief Executive, said, ‘Many employers are coming to terms with the introduction of the new apprenticeship standards and in particular the apprenticeship levy, so we understand that it is a complex and changing training environment for many.
Highfield’s approach has been to do the hard work, so employers don’t have to. With our recognition as an end-point assessment organisation, we are in a position to provide specific assessment services for those businesses already taking on apprentices or considering it.
He added, ‘Apprentices are great for business and can provide a welcome boost to staff development and productivity when it is most needed, but it’s vital that organisations understand from day one how to make sure the changes are of benefit to them and their employees’.