Course overview

- At the heart of the employee's apprenticeship is a three-way learning agreement (may also called a commitment statement) which outlines the mutual responsibilities of the apprentice, their employer, and the university. It emphasises both WBL and mentoring as a key requirement of the curriculum design.
- New apprentices should see this right at the start of the apprenticeship and may have signed the document themselves (though the signature might have been someone in HR, or your training department)
- Learning Agreements are needed to demonstrate commitment and are necessary to obtain funding, but they should be treated as a live document and an adaptable road map. The Apprenticeship course at Sheffield Hallam University provides explicit checkpoints and opportunities to review and update the learning milestones with the End Point Assessment in mind.

The following statements typify parts of a SHU Learning Agreement, but will be updated to reflect any changes to the funding rules or to achieve general improvements - you should refer to the actual Learning Agreement which will expand on the following types of commitments:

The Apprentice shall >

- - Attend training sessions, either on- or off-the-job, as and when required
  - Liaise with the Course Leader and the Employer, as applicable, in relation to any reviews, monitoring, or audits required for the Apprenticeship, including providing information for, and access to, all documentation relevant to the Apprenticeship on request

The Employer shall >

- - Provide a safe and supportive environment for the work-based elements of the Apprenticeship
  - Ensure that the Apprentice's roles at work allow him/her to gain the wider employment experience required by the university course and the Apprenticeship framework
  - Ensure that the Apprentice is given sufficient time to enable him/her to complete all elements of the work-based learning elements of the university course within his/her contracted working hours
  - Allow the Apprentice to attend all agreed off-the-job learning and shall continue to pay the Apprentice during such time, where it falls within normal working hours

The University shall >

- - Deliver the academic learning elements of the university course and establish and/or deliver on- and off-the-job learning to meet the needs of the Apprenticeship, the Apprentice and the employer
  - Monitor the Apprentice's progress in liaison with the employer, and the course leader shall keep the employer informed of the Apprentice's progress, including any disciplinary issues
  - Monitor the quality of learning delivery to ensure that it meets the required standards, including liaising with both the employer and the Apprentice

How is the Course Structured to support the journey to the End Point Assessment?

The course is delivered over 3 years. Apprentices attend on day-release to be taught alongside part-time and full-time students; however there will be additional workshop/visits for students and employers to assist with preparation for professional qualifications.

Information and support regarding the DA and CIAT and CIOB requirements will be provided in the WBL modules highlighted in the above table.

The End Point Assessment

The requirements of the End Point Assessment have been designed by a group of Employers at the outset. This End Point Assessment will be arranged by Sheffield Hallam University but undertaken by a third-party organisation (CIAT and CIOB).

The requirements for the Gateway Programme and the End Point Assessment are set out in Appendix 5, which should be regularly reviewed by all parties and share progress. It is recommended that up to date copies of the Learning Agreement and progress reviews are shared before each mentor meeting and discussed each time to help give your meetings purpose and structure and support the Apprentices progress towards the End Point Assessment.

The University offers a standard template for a three-way review which keeps all three parties engaged and updated on any issues using a Red-Amber -Green Approach, however this may be amended slightly by the tutor to reflect the pathway requirements (please see Appendix 3). This should not replace any of the Employers in-work appraisal processes but can look to combine these activities where appropriate. We recommend a discussion with the Apprentices HR lead and/or Training / Apprenticeship lead.

Apprentices will need to successfully complete and pass their BSc (Hons) degree before they are able to apply for the end point assessment. Apprentices without level 2 English and Maths will also need to achieve this level prior to taking the end-point assessment.

The decision as to when the apprentice is ready to take the end point assessment will be made by the apprentice’s supervisor and counsellor who must confirm that they have satisfied the APC competencies for their chosen pathway. It is the responsibility of the employer to appoint a supervisor (work-place mentor) and a Counsellor.

Three Way Reviews

There will be 4 three way reviews that take place through-out each academic year. The three-way-feedback forms that are to be completed by the apprentice, employer and Academic Adviser, are stored on the DA Blackboard site and are a requirement of the Degree Apprenticeship. The form is to help students make the most of these advice/feedback sessions, to prompt students to plan beforehand and reflect on the advice and discussion afterwards.

Work Based Learning Modules

What is work-based learning?

A relevant definition for WBL at SHU is ‘learning that takes place at, through, for and from work to meet the needs and aspirations of individuals and the organisations they work for’ (adapted from Nixon et al, 2006):

- learning at work - learning that takes place in the workplace
- learning through work - learning while working
- learning for work - learning how to do new or existing things better
- learning from work - ‘curriculum’ that grows from the experience of the learner, their work context and community of practice

Work Based Learning recognises that the workplace is a legitimate site of knowledge. Combined with the vocational nature of Apprenticeships, maximising a WBL focus is key to the successful interplay between academic and vocational learning. Within our courses we offer different types of Work Based Learning

Personal and professional development (PPD)

Modules to support and enable learners to reflect on current practice and develop action plans for continued PPD. Modules are structured, supported and assessed in ways which reflect the variety of experience and background of work-based learners as well as the needs of their sponsoring organisations. These modules help the learner develop self-analysis and reflective practice skills to underpin learning analysis and development planning, to support life-long learning, personal growth and development.

Modules can also be aligned to relevant organisation talent management frameworks, to help develop specific leadership competencies, management standards and organisational values. The use of psychometric tools can enable the learner to develop a baseline profile, which the learner can develop in other relevant modules. These modules are likely to provide strong support mechanisms in relation to the Apprentices progress towards the EPA. They can also be used to emphasise and integrate the role of the work based mentor.

Work-Based Project

Modules that allow learners to negotiate a contextual work-based project related to their role. The content of the module is formally agreed as part of the programme approval process. Projects will often be of a research and development nature. A project may be making the case for a change in practice, or alternatively the project might be concerned with the development of new product or procedures in a specific work context.

The project may be technical, and the programme design may seek to address specific learning outcomes, for example in relation to vocational themes, or professional and regulatory body requirements where those apply. The Project Modules also enable the student to bring together evidence of technical and professional learning and provide a vehicle for demonstrating that at the End Point Assessment.

20% Off The Job Training

A mandatory requirement of a Higher or Degree Apprenticeship is that the apprentice must achieve at least 20% of their employed time doing off the job training for the duration of the apprenticeship. It is important that apprentices are to keep a record of what and when any off the job training has taken place. There is no specified template for recording off the job training, although SHU may recommend a suitable template.

Off-the-job training must be within the apprentices contracted working hours but is undertaken in addition to the 'normal' day-to-day duties that broadens the apprentice's knowledge relevant to their apprenticeship. Training out of the apprentices contracted hours can only be counted if they get time in off in lieu for it. 20% is taken from the duration of the apprenticeship not over the academic year.

Off-the-job training does not include:

English and maths (up to level 2) which is funded separately,
Three Way Reviews or on-programme assessment needed for an apprenticeship framework or standard,
Training which takes place outside the apprentice’s paid working hours.

Example of how Off The Job Training hours are attributed:

Learning and Teaching

In an average week there is likely to be between six and 14 hours of formal classes, though this will vary, with lab sessions and field visits some weeks. For every hour in class, you will spend at least another two to three hours studying in your own time, reading around the topic/subject, in preparation for seminars or assessments.

Lectures:

All students on a module attend these together. A lecturer will introduce and explain key topics and ideas.

Seminars:

You will be taught in groups of 20-25. Seminars provide an opportunity for the exchange of ideas, asking questions and developing concepts that were introduced in the lecture.

Site Visits:

Throughout your course there may be teaching sessions that involve trips to local development sites, new buildings, and other places and events of interest. These will be arranged to supplement your classroom learning, and to emphasise that in being a building surveying professional you will be actively engaged in shaping the built environment.

Students experience and engage in a variety of learning activities as they progress through the course, progressively building their skills in digital fluency, careers readiness and substantive Building Surveying technical knowledge in a variety of ways, including online interactive study resources, classroom teaching, site visits, guest lectures by industry professionals, lab-based collaboration projects and 1:1 interaction with academic tutors, employability advisers and welfare support staff. We have designed a balanced mix of activities to enable knowledge acquisition; to ensure understanding and to develop students as Building Surveying professionals. The complexity increases year by year.

Our longstanding experience is that the most effective way to learn is through scenarios that authentically simulate aspects of professional practice. Thus the course features a variety of activities that see classroom learning being applied, in order to develop solutions to 'real world' design and construction challenges. Over the 3 years you will embark on at least three design projects located in or near to Sheffield.

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