INTRODUCTION
The modern apprenticeship was introduced in 1993. It was different from what had gone before as it focused less on the time someone needed to be an apprentice and more on the achievement of a qualification which was then NVQ level 3 (equivalent to an A level). Apprentices were now counted as an employee and were paid a wage accordingly. The industry focus of apprenticeships also started to shift from manual-focussed jobs such as shipbuilding, plumbing and electrical work, to retail, business administration and engineering. Developments at the beginning of the 2000s saw apprenticeships change further with national frameworks put in place and in 2004 the upper age limit of 25 was removed. In 2012 minimum standards were introduced to ensure that apprenticeships lasted for at least a year, provided 30 hours of employment and had a dedicated amount of time for off-the-job learning.Footnote 1
In 2017 the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) was created. An arm's length body of the Department for Education, IFATE's purpose is to work with employers to develop and review technical qualifications and apprenticeships – all apprenticeships must be linked to an occupation. IFATE works with employers to approve occupational standards, of which there are currently in excess of 600. Each occupational standard must include a set of knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) which an apprentice needs to be able to demonstrate.Footnote 2
PAYING FOR IT
Apprenticeships are funded in part by the apprenticeship levy. The levy was introduced in 2017 and was created to help businesses take on more apprenticeships and invest in high quality training to develop a skilled workforce. The levy is paid mainly by employers who have a pay bill of over £3m. Those who pay the levy have a digital account through which they can access funds for investing in training for apprenticeships. Smaller businesses can also access the levy fund; they must pay a contribution of 5% of the training bill and the government will pay the rest. Levy funds can only be used for investing in high quality training to gain an apprenticeship qualification. They cannot be used to pay wages or to cover top-up qualifications. For those paying, the levy funds stay in their digital accounts for 24 months after which time they expire, but the money is not lost as it is used to fund apprenticeships elsewhere. For further details on the levy scheme and how the funds can be used see The Education Hub website.Footnote 3 Further useful links on the apprenticeship levy and how it works can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/news/key-facts-you-should-know-about-the-apprenticeship-levy and https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeship-funding
Employers can get involved with apprenticeships through registering and creating an account on the apprenticeship service.Footnote 4 This will allow an employer to access levy funds, advertise vacancies for apprentices, choose an apprenticeship training course and a provider, amongst other things. Those interested in completing apprenticeships can view all vacancies through the government portal ‘Find an apprenticeship’.Footnote 5 This connects potential apprentices with employers looking for apprentices.
POINT OF CONTACT
Most large and some medium-sized organisations have a central point, usually within HR, that manages all apprenticeships for the organisation. They are an excellent point of contact as they can give advice on how to go about searching for an apprentice for your department, what apprenticeships might be applicable given the skills you are looking for, and they will be able to share good practice on how to manage an apprenticeship for a successful outcome.
All of the information here covers apprenticeships for employers in England. If you are based in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales there are specific apprenticeship authorities that can give you guidance. Useful links to these authorities are below:
-
Apprenticeship authority in Scotland https://www.apprenticeships.scot/
-
Apprenticeship authority in Wales https://businesswales.gov.wales/skillsgateway/apprenticeships
-
Apprenticeship authority in Northern Ireland https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/apprenticeships
APPRENTICESHIPS AS A NEW PATH INTO THE PROFESSION
Back in 2017 CILIP, the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, began working with employers across sectors to design apprenticeships specific to libraries, information, knowledge and archives. The aim was to introduce a new, more accessible path into the profession, to widen the recruitment pool and provide access to a more diverse workforce. These employers formed groups known as trailblazer groups and their role was to design standards specific to the profession.
The Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship was the first to be developed and came online in 2019. To date over 100 apprentices have been through the apprenticeship and successfully completed it.
The Level 3 apprenticeship is the equivalent of an A level and is no easy undertaking. It covers a considerable breadth of knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs); in total 22 knowledge, 19 skill and 16 behaviour KSBs, which must be developed and illustrated by the apprentice in full in order to pass the apprenticeship. The learning takes place over a period of 12 to 18 months which consists of on-the-job training plus 20% off-the-job training. Employers work with training providers to facilitate and support the learning that needs to take place and the skills that need to be developed.
Once the training is complete the apprentice must enter the End Point Assessment (EPA) stage. This covers 12 weeks where the apprentice must design and complete a project to demonstrate the KSBs they have learned and acquired. The project must be written up in a project report, and a presentation must be made to an assessor. The live assessment with an assessor is split into two different sections:
• Assessment method one includes the presentation along with a question and answer session at the end designed not only to clarify aspects of the presentation but to ensure that all KSBs for this section are demonstrated fully
• Assessment method two consists of a 60-minute professional discussion which takes the form of a semi structured interview
Full details on the apprenticeship can be found in the EPA plan here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/media/2523/st0664_library-information-and-archive-services-assistant_revised-final.pdf
Organisations from many sectors have taken up the apprenticeship standard from health, local government and academia and a breakdown of the sectors can be found in Figure 1.
Apprenticeship take-up of Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant by sector. Note that in the hard-copy black and white journal the largest portion of the chart is Local government/public libraries then it's clockwise through: Central Gov; Academia; Creative and Design; and NHS
EMPLOYER FEEBACK
Employers have fed back that using the apprenticeship has enabled them to recruit in skills under very tight recruitment budgets, recruit locally therefore tapping into a more diverse recruitment pool, and bring in new blood with fresh perspectives. Others have commented that the practical elements and the structured approach of the apprenticeship has enabled them to recruit someone to the team who is able to contribute very quickly to its goals and also take up and deliver projects that there has previously not been the capacity for.
LEVEL 7
In addition to the Level 3 standard Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant, there is a Level 7 Archivist and Records Manager standard, which has been approved this year. Training for this will commence in October 2023. This programme is three years and is the equivalent of a master's degree. Full details on the programme can be found in the EPA plan here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/media/4902/st0904_archivist_records_manager_l7_ap-for-publication_15022021.pdf
There is also a Level 7 Library, Information and Knowledge Professional in development. It is hoped that this standard will be approved in 2024. Up to date information on this standard and its progress through development can be found here https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/library-information-and-knowledge-professional
ADVANTAGES
There are many advantages to this path into the profession for both employees and employers. When considering recruitment, the opportunity to recruit from local talent pools brings in a more diverse set of people, opening the opportunity for new perspectives and fresh ideas. In addition, as skills will be taught through the apprenticeship there is less focus on the job skills in the recruitment process and more on the person specification. This means there is better opportunity of gaining a good fit for the team and organisational culture.
Employers and apprentices have highlighted that the structured approach with dedicated time for learning ensures that apprentices are given time without having to worry about the job and can take up learning more effectively, thereby having a visible impact on the job in a shorter time. In addition, the practicality of the apprenticeship means that apprentices can start to actively contribute quickly in a busy working environment. Both of these points mean having an effective team member up and running and contributing in a shorter time than other routes.
PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION
The apprenticeships also have a direct follow-on route to professional registration. There is a conversion route for the Level 3 apprenticeship in Library, Information and Archive Services to ACLIP certification, whereby the candidate is able to use the work done for their apprenticeship to cover criteria 1 Personal Performance and criteria 2 Organisational Context. There is then a final criteria 3 – knowledge of the wider professional context which requires a supporting statement. Full details on the conversion route can be found on the CILIP website here: https://www.cilip.org.uk/page/Apprenticeship-conversion-to-ACLIP. There are also planned routes being confirmed at the time of writing for both Level 7 apprenticeships mentioned above.
LESSONS LEARNED
In terms of lessons learned, there are several good practice points that have been raised recently. In particular, some that came up time and again were around having a good understanding of what is expected on the apprenticeship and a close working relationship with the training provider.
Collated reflections from a recent piece of research I conductedFootnote 6 are below:
• Having two members of staff on the apprenticeship, both able to study at the same time, has been positive, as they are able to support each other. This has resulted in two work related projects being taken forward and implemented which has been of clear benefit for the library service.
• Having multiple apprenticeships running together provides the opportunity for development of a support network for those working through programmes together. Where this is not possible, providing mentors from those who have successfully completed apprenticeships or with experienced staff is also valuable.
• Employers need to work closely with training providers to provide rounded support for an apprentice. Regular meetings with the tutor ensure that any learning gaps can be spotted and covered, through opportunities during work, to develop a skill or behaviour or to experience another work area to develop the knowledge and understanding needed. Or through a field trip organised by the training provider to cover a gap. For example, the archive aspects of the apprenticeship are not always easily covered in the roles that an organisation has, but it is a requirement to cover KSBs related to this area. In response to working with employers and discovering this gap several training providers have organised field trips and developed other supporting learning material.
• Further echoes of the importance of a close working relationship between employers and training providers was noted with the mention of regular check points, which are needed to ensure learning is going as planned by several respondents. One training provider is credited with checking in every six to eight weeks throughout the whole training period with the employer. These check in discussions were both online and in person and were backed up with noted minutes and action points that could be referred to and followed up on.
• Another respondent notes that while learning is driven by the training provider, employer accountability is really important. An apprentice needs to have the time to learn with the training provider, the opportunity to develop the skills, knowledge and behaviour needed to succeed at the apprenticeship, and needs to be in a working environment that facilitates this.
• Being fully aware of what is required on the apprenticeship enables an employer to be able to provide every opportunity for the apprentice to develop the necessary knowledge, skills, and behaviours.
• When considering time off for study some employers go with a dedicated day per week off, as they find this easier to measure and manage. Others find their environments need a bit more flexibility and have looked creatively at how to cover the 20% time off for study, sometimes spreading it across a few days in the week.
• Having an apprenticeship contract with flexibility is another key aspect. Most contracts run for 12 months but there should be an allowance or opportunity to extend the contract in case of unexpected circumstances.
