As previously communicated, on the 21st October 2020, the IfATE published an amended version of the Assessment Plan for the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager standard, version 1.2. 

The new Assessment Plan (Version 1.2) can be found on IfATE website.

Support materials are live on Verve EPA. Updated Process training will be facilitated and dates will be offered to applicable centres over the next few weeks.

Verve EPA  now supports two concurrent standards, reflecting each assessment plan version:

  • Operations Departmental Manager (Legacy)
  • Operations / Departmental Manager (New 1.2) 

This updated version (New 1.2) applies to all Apprentices who started their apprenticeship programme on or after 20th October 2020. All Apprentices registered with TQUK on Verve EPA that have a start date of on or after 20th October 2020 will automatically be transferred to this new version of the assessment plan on the 12th January 2022.

If your Apprentices commenced with their apprenticeship programme on or after 20th October 2020 they will automatically be registered or transferred on to the New version of the assessment plan, version 1.2, against which they will be assessed. 

New Registrations 

With immediate effect, any new registrations made with TQUK must be on the Operations/Departmental Manager (New Version 1.2) Standard. Where an Apprentice has a start before 21st October 2020, they should be assessed against the Legacy standard plan, unless prior discussed with TQUK.

If you require support with this process, feel free to contact us at epasupport@tquk.org and a member of the team will be happy to help.

Exceptional Circumstances

Any Gateway submissions from the 12th January 2022, must be under the new version of the Assessment Plan (Version 1.2).

If you have an exceptional circumstance you wish to be considered for an Apprentice to remain on the Legacy standard after the 12th January 2022, please submit this request as soon as possible to epa@tquk.org, with your reasons for this. 

Exceptional circumstances for Apprentices to remain on the Legacy standard after the 12th January 2022 will be considered based upon the Apprentice start date and registration dates. All exceptional circumstances will be reviewed on a case by case basis and must be submitted and approved by TQUK by Friday 17th December 2021.

Questions & Answers

Question:   Which assessment plan will my Apprentice be assessed against?

Answer: If your Apprentice commenced with their apprenticeship programme pre 20th October 2020, they will be assessed against the Legacy assessment plan if they progress through Gateway before 12th January 2022. After this date, unless we are notified of an exceptional circumstance, Apprentices will be automatically transferred and assessed against the New version of the assessment plan, version 1.2.

Question: My Apprentice started their apprenticeship programme before 20th October 2020, can they opt to be assessed against the New version of the assessment plan, version 1.2?

Answer: All Apprentices registered against the Legacy version of the assessment plan are able to be transferred to the New version of the assessment plan (version 1.2) by simply using the Change of Circumstance process on VERVE. 

To confirm, whilst there has been a version change to the Assessment Plan, there has been no change to the Standard, should an Apprentice prefer to be assessed against the new Version. They will not be disadvantaged in changing their assessment plan version, we simply request that our Centres update their Registration in Verve EPA.

Please see our guidance document on Verve EPA titled, Change of Circumstance – Verve EPA Process Guidance.

Question– Will this change alter the fee TQUK charges for this standard?

Answer– No. The funding band allocation remains the same and upon review of the new assessment plan, we feel comfortable that we do not need to alter our EPA fee. Please visit our website for a full breakdown of costs for this standard.

How TQUK Can Help You

The new apprenticeship standards are designed to improve upon what’s gone before and help with the apprentice’s initial journey into their chosen career, before you know it, they’ll be on the road to success.

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