We do a lot of Hospitality Team Member EPA s, and it’s easy to see why. The Hospitality Team Member Apprenticeship Standard offers a versatile learning program that could lead any apprentice into an amazing career in the hospitality sector.

We also get a lot of questions from our Employers about what’s involved in the Hospitality Team Member EPA. This guide will detail each End-Point Assessment activity and let you know what you and your apprentice can expect.

On Demand Test

The On Demand Test for the Hospitality Team Member EPA will be a multiple choice test that covers the core and specialist knowledge that all Hospitality Team Members will need to know. The apprentice will be given 90 minutes to complete the test.

Questions in the On Demand Test will be scenario-based, asking for a course of action or solution to a situation/problem based on real-life workplace activity. The Test is designed to allow the apprentice to demonstrate joined-up thinking and reasoning. The Test will also be created against the Apprenticeship Standard, ensuring all knowledge elements of the Standard are touched upon.

The first half of the Test will cover core knowledge. The second half will cover their specialist function. Both parts of the test will have equal weighting, and the apprentice will need to pass both sections in order to pass the Test overall.

Questions for the On Demand Test will be sourced from question banks created by TQUK against the Apprenticeship Standard to ensure all standards are covered. They will be written using the language, tone and style expected for a Level 2 apprenticeship.

Mocks

Before the On Demand Test, the apprentice will have the opportunity to do a mock multiple choice question test. TQUK has a bank of test questions that can be used to populate this test. The mock test will be in the same format as the On Demand Test, and so it will allow the apprentice to get a sense of the kinds of questions they will be asked and to get a feel for how the assessment will be conducted.

Tips

• Make sure your apprentice takes enough time to review all the core and specialist knowledge before the test
• Ensure they take the mock test to prepare them for the real assessment
• Provide any support to the apprentice they require, including reviewing material
• Check out how our multiple choice questions are created

Practical Observation

The Practical Observation will take two hours. In some cases, it may be split into two one-hour Observations to cover preparation and service. This assessment activity is designed primarily to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and behaviours in a real-world work environment.

During this assessment, the End-Point Assessor will observe the apprentice during the normal course of their duties in a hospitality environment. The apprentice should be free to move from one area of the establishment to the other. They must demonstrate all the relevant core and specialist abilities during the Observation.

The Observation will be conducted at a time that reflects typical working conditions and avoids seasonal periods of low-level trading.

Before the Observation is scheduled, you must draw up a two-week working schedule to present to the End-Point Assessor that includes levels of business. This will allow the End-Point Assessor to pick a suitable time to conduct the Observation.

For certain specialist functions (food production and housekeeping), external customer interaction may be limited. Apprentices enrolled in these specialist functions must demonstrate competence whilst interacting with internal customers.

Tips

• Ensure your apprentice knows the time, date and location of the Observation
• You may wish to conduct a mock Observation with the apprentice in order to prepare them for the assessment
• Ensure your apprentice reviews all the latest industry terminology so that they know what they’re talking about
• Submit your two-week working schedule to the End-Point Assessor so that they can schedule a suitable time for the Observation

Business Project

The Business Project will be an 800 to 1,200-word report proposing a solution to a business-related problem that the apprentice thinks will make an improvement to your organisation. In order to write the report, the apprentice will need to gather and review information so that they can present an informed proposal to management.

The Project is an opportunity for the apprentice to demonstrate their ability to think through and plan a project which demonstrates their business understanding. It will primarily test their knowledge and skills.

At the first meeting with you and the End-Point Assessor, the apprentice will submit a 200 to 300-word initial proposal for discussion and approval. (If for any reason the proposal is not approved at this meeting, a revised proposal should be sent to you and End-Point Assessor within one week).

The Project should demonstrate how the apprentice has:

• Understood the context of the business
• Maintained up-to-date knowledge of trends and developments in the hospitality industry
• Identified the need for the Project (ie related to customer feedback, cost efficiency, the reputation of the business, increasing market share, increased productivity, etc)
• Gathered and reviewed information
• Developed realistic business recommendations

The apprentice should be given sufficient time to research and write the proposal document. They should also be provided with facilities to conduct this work with the appropriate IT applications. This space must be away from their everyday work.

The Business Project will support the Professional Discussion, so the apprentice will need to submit the final report to the End-Point Assessor 7 days in advance of the Professional Discussion.

Tips

• Ensure that the apprentice submits the Business Project 7 days in advance of the Professional Discussion
• Ensure that you have all the appropriate facilities and equipment required for the apprentice to complete the Project
• Provide any support to your apprentice they require
• Discuss any concerns your apprentice may have in order to guide them towards a project direction

Professional Discussion

The Professional Discussion will be a 40-minute structured discussion between the apprentice and the End-Point Assessor and will take place in a quiet room, away from the apprentice’s everyday duties. During the Discussion, the End-Point Assessor will ask the apprentice a series of prepared questions, and the apprentice will provide answers. The Discussion will also include a 10-minute presentation of the apprentice’s Business Project followed by a short Q&A section. All other assessment activities of the Hospitality Team Member EPA must be completed before the Professional Discussion takes place.

The Professional Discussion will be prepared and led by the End-Point Assessor. You will need to attend the meeting to support the apprentice and confirm information.

During the Discussion, the End-Point Assessor will ask the apprentice questions relating to:

• Any learning, development and continuous assessment
• Coverage of the Apprenticeship Standard
• Personal development and reflection

The apprentice will be informed of the format of the Discussion five days in advance and will need to bring supporting materials with them to demonstrate their competence. The Discussion will be structured to bring out the best of the apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours.

The Professional Discussion will recognise areas that have already been covered in the Practical Observation and Business Project so that over-assessment does not occur.

Tips

• Ensure that the apprentice brings all necessary supporting material with them to the Discussion
• Encourage the apprentice to discuss any concerns with the End-Point Assessor
• Encourage the apprentice to review their past work to ensure they are fully prepared
• Consider conducting a mock Professional Discussion to prepare the apprentice for the experience of the assessment
• The Professional Discussion may be conducted using technology, such as video conferencing software, as long as a fair and accurate assessment can be maintained

Grading

Apprentices can either receive a Pass or Distinction for their Hospitality Team Member EPA. All assessment activities will be structured so as to give the apprentice the opportunity to receive a Distinction. For an explanation of which standards will be assessed by which assessment activities, please see the full Apprenticeship Standard.

Section A	Grade	Score (Pass=1, Distinction =3)
Practical Observation
Business Project
Total Section A:

 

Section B	Grade	Score (Pass=1, Distinction=2)
On Demand Test
Professional discussion
Total Section B:

If any assessment activity is failed, it must be retaken. All assessment activities must be passed for the apprentice to complete the apprenticeship. The final grade for the Hospitality Team Member EPA will be calculated as follows:

Total score	Overall grade
4-8	Pass
9+	Distinction

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With the right preparation, your apprentice can achieve great things in their Hospitality Team Member EPA. You may also want to consider how your apprentices can best prepare for their End-Point Assessment, as well as how to get into the ideal EPA mindset. Share this info with your apprentice to help them out!

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See you around The Hive!