What Are The Best Practices and Purpose of Apprenticeship Reviews?

Regular Apprenticeship Progress Reviews are important in supporting apprentices and employers successfully through to the completion of the apprenticeship.  When conducted well,  these meetings give apprentices the chance to reflect upon and take stock of their learning, assess what progress they have made, what skills, knowledge, and experience they have gained, and what still needs to be developed.  Being able to identify progress and distance travelled is highly motivating for the apprentice.

Apprenticeship Progress Reviews making sure employers are involved and engaged in the discussion helps you as a provider to manage the learning process well. For example, planning workplace learning opportunities at the right time or stage of the learning journey.

Crucially, the review discussion should lead to a new set of goals and actions, so the apprentice and employer are clear on the next steps of the apprentice’s journey.

Your role in facilitating the review discussion

A good provider will facilitate the review meeting encouraging all parties to contribute fully to the discussion.

Apprentices should be encouraged to reflect upon their own progress. Some apprentices are better at articulating this verbally; others gain more from writing it out themselves. It is at the providers’ discretion as to who completes the form. Still, the content of the form MUST reflect the conversation between the apprentice and tutor/assessor/training officer and the employer’s representative input.

It is good practice that an employer representative is a person who has a close working relationship with the apprentice, such as a supervisor, mentor, or course tutor, so they can speak knowledgeably and from an informed position about progress and help in agreeing realistic and achievable future goals.

Ideally, employer representatives should be involved in the APR discussion at the time of the review process. There are occasions when the employer cannot be there when the APR process is being undertaken. In these circumstances, it is essential that the review is shared and commented upon, then shared back with the provider, and most importantly, with the apprentice.

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