Staff Development Policy GLL Appendix

The University policy can be found:

https://media.www.kent.ac.uk/se/15768/staffdevepolicy.pdf

10.0 Appendix 1 – Apprentices

Reviewed April 2022

Next Review Date April 2023

Approved and signed by Dr Anthony Manning

Director and Dean of Global and Lifelong Learning

The University of Kent aims to provide its apprentices and staff with an excellent learning environment that supports a community of learning, teaching, research, and study.

The University is committed to the enhancement of its apprentice provision and experience through the professional development of its staff.

All apprenticeship staff will be supported and trained to meet the expectations of their role and responsibilities.

Staff and line managers are expected to encourage professional development in knowledge, expertise, skills, and performance relating to their specific responsibilities. 

This Appendix is applicable to all university staff engaged in the management, design, planning, and delivery of apprenticeship courses.

Employees of the University will be encouraged to request learning and development opportunities which they, or their line managers, believe will improve their effectiveness in or the performance of the organisation. These may take the form of:

• Accredited programmes leading to qualifications.
• Unaccredited training to help individuals develop specific skills relevant to their job (this may include project work, job shadowing opportunities, online courses, or webinars, external and Kent led training courses etc.).
• Statutory training which is required by the role (e.g., EDI, Safeguarding, Prevent, British Values, etc.).
• Sector-knowledge events (conferences etc.).
• Research activity, normally with a view to publication in appropriate peer reviewed journals and/or presentations at national and/or international conferences.
• Kent led training courses found on Staff Connect (e.g., Time Management, Presentation Skills, Note-Taking, Excel Spreadsheet training etc.).
• Training from Lifelong Learning to understand apprenticeships, processes, procedures and remain compliant with ESFA Funding Rules for Training Providers and OFSTED.
• Relevant training provided by sector experts such as Solvendis, Strategic Development Network and UVAC

All training shall be clearly recorded by colleagues and a central record retained by designated staff in Lifelong Learning.

Academic Staff should seek to improve their expertise in the discipline they are delivering and be up to date within the industry sector. They should also ensure they follow best practice in learning and teaching elements such as accessibility, EDI, and learning support, and fully integrate this into their syllabus and delivery. British values and prevent shall also be integrated where appropriate. Staff are expected to attend and engage with the termly Apprenticeship Forum. 

Line managers will:

• Discuss learning and development needs as part of the Reflect, Plan and Develop review (RPD). Individual development objectives should align with the organisational goals.
• Use Teaching, Learning and Assessment monitoring and other relevant means to identify the professional development needs of staff engaged in the support of learning and the delivery of teaching to students.
• Assist their staff to apply for professional development opportunities and where appropriate make representations to the university in their support; and
• Monitor that all colleagues are engaged in CPD and recording it as per policy; and
• Attend regular meetings with the Business Development and Relationship Manager to ensure that the Division is aware of any employer, customer and organisational needs and to arrange any training for staff as an outcome of these requirements.

All staff are expected to:

• Fully engage in the university and Lifelong Learning processes and procedures.
• Proactively engage in a continual cycle of reflective practice and actively seek to enhance their performance by engaging in professional development.
• Maintain a standard of performance that is commensurate with expectations of their role and responsibilities; and
• Where recommended by their line manager access or attend, and fully participate in identified staff development activities; and
• Keep up to date with ESFA and OFSTED amendments to previous rules and standards.
• Partake in any training offered by the University to ensure that learning objectives are tailored to meet employee, customer and organisational needs.

They will be supported to:

Continuously engage in professional development relating to teaching and/or training skills both within the institution and externally. For lecturers this could take the form of specific subject content through relevant teaching bodies or Advance HE provision; for Apprenticeship Advisors, this could take the form of an internal quality assurance process, which would highlight training opportunities and would contribute to subjects delivered within our bespoke training sessions held by an external training organisation.

• Gain an understanding of how apprenticeship standards are developed, and the role played by The Institute for Apprenticeships, Trailblazers, Employers, Training Providers, End Point Assessment (EPA) Organisations (EPAO) and Quality Assurance organisations (AQA).
• Understand the format, level and expectations encompassed with their apprenticeship standard and the standard’s assessment plan.
• Understand the assessment process for apprentices including the requirements and expectations of the Gateway and End Point Assessment.
• Explore the pedagogy that supports apprenticeship learning, including the use of blended learning: the skills required to facilitate learning online, the development of learning material for distance learning, online tutorial support, and how to manage an interactive virtual learning environment.
• Develop courses that encompass the employers needs and the industry requirements.
• Develop the skills required to map an academic course of study to the expectations of an apprenticeship standard.
• Align an apprenticeship experience to the expectations of a professional body to gain accreditation after the end point assessment, (details of professional bodies associated with an apprenticeship standard are listed in the apprenticeship End Point Assessment Plan).
• Recognise the importance of maintaining a close relationship with employers to ensure that the admission process for apprentices follow the regulations as set out in the, ESFA, Apprenticeship Funding Rules for Training Providers, including the accurate accreditation of prior learning and experience.
• Conduct regular review meetings with apprentices to assess and record their progress, examine, and map the apprentice’s developing knowledge, skills and behaviours to their work-based employment, review previously set objectives, encourage the apprentice to reflect on their learning and set new objectives.
• Enhance the apprenticeship experience and understand the division of responsibilities between employers and training providers; and
• Be aware of the expectation of support from the employer with the provision of time, normally 20% of the apprenticeship experience allocated to off the job learning.