Welcome to the Workplace Mentor Hub!

Mentors are responsible for guiding apprentices through their learning journey, setting clear expectations, and providing constructive feedback. A fundamental aspect of this role is becoming thoroughly familiar with the apprenticeship standard relevant to your apprentice's programme. This standard outlines the Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours (KSBs) that apprentices must demonstrate to successfully complete their apprenticeship. 

By understanding the apprenticeship standard, you can:

1. Align workplace activities with the required KSBs 

2. Identify gaps in the apprentice's experience and create opportunities to address them 

3. Provide more targeted and effective feedback 

4. Better support the apprentice in building their portfolio of evidence

Your responsibilities include regular one-to-one meetings, offering guidance on workplace tasks and projects, and helping apprentices navigate the organisational culture. Mentors should also advocate for their apprentices, ensuring they have access to appropriate learning opportunities and resources that align with the apprenticeship standard. It is crucial for mentors to maintain a balance between providing support and encouraging independence, gradually empowering apprentices to take ownership of their development while ensuring they meet all the requirements of their apprenticeship standard. 

Remember, your familiarity with the apprenticeship standard is key to effectively guiding your apprentice towards successful completion of their programme and future career success. 

Mentors help apprentices develop essential skills, including problem-solving, decision-making, and effective communication, which are critical for their success in the workplace. This involves identifying opportunities for skill application, providing challenging assignments, and offering guidance on how to approach complex tasks. Mentors should also focus on developing soft skills such as time management, teamwork, and adaptability. By sharing their own experiences and best practices, mentors can provide valuable insights that help apprentices build a well-rounded skill set aligned with industry standards and organisational needs. 

Regular check-ins and Progress Reviews enable mentors to assess apprentices' development, celebrate achievements, and address any challenges that may arise. This involves setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals, tracking progress against these goals, and adjusting learning plans as needed. Mentors should use these sessions to provide specific, actionable feedback that helps apprentices understand their strengths and areas for improvement. It is also important to document progress and maintain records that can be used during formal reviews and assessments. 

Mentors create a safe and encouraging environment where apprentices feel comfortable sharing their concerns and seeking guidance. This involves building trust through open communication, demonstrating empathy, and maintaining confidentiality. Mentors should encourage apprentices to take calculated risks and view mistakes as learning opportunities. By fostering a growth mindset and resilience, mentors help apprentices develop the confidence to tackle challenges and innovate in their roles. Creating this supportive atmosphere also involves recognising and celebrating apprentices' achievements, both big and small. 

Workplace Mentors work closely with Academic Mentors to ensure a holistic approach to the apprentice's development, aligning workplace experiences with academic learning. This collaboration involves regular communication to discuss the apprentice's progress, identify areas where workplace experiences can reinforce academic concepts, and address any gaps in learning. Workplace Mentors should familiarise themselves with the apprenticeship curriculum and assessment criteria, ensuring that on-the-job training complements and enhances academic studies. This partnership also involves participating in joint reviews, contributing to assessment processes, and working together to provide comprehensive support throughout the apprenticeship journey. 

As a Workplace Mentor, your role extends beyond professional development to encompass personal growth and well-being. Apprentices often face unique pressures as they balance work, study, and personal life. Your empathetic approach can make a significant difference in their ability to thrive in this demanding environment. 

Key aspects of emotional and personal support include: 

1. Active listening: create a safe space for apprentices to express their concerns, fears, and aspirations. Practice active listening without judgment, showing that you value their thoughts and feelings.

2. Stress management: help apprentices develop effective strategies for managing workplace stress. This might involve teaching time management techniques, mindfulness practices, or guiding them towards appropriate resources within the organisation.

3. Work-life balance: encourage apprentices to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Share your own experiences and strategies for managing competing demands and setting boundaries.

4. Building resilience: help apprentices develop resilience by reframing setbacks as learning opportunities. Encourage a growth mindset that views challenges as chances for personal and professional development.

5. Confidence building: boost apprentices' self-confidence by recognising their achievements, providing constructive feedback, and encouraging them to take on stretch assignments that showcase their abilities.

6. Career guidance: offer insights into long-term career planning, helping apprentices align their personal goals with professional opportunities within the organisation or industry.

7. Cultural integration: support apprentices in navigating workplace culture and politics, helping them build positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.

By fostering a culture of mentorship that includes this crucial emotional and personal support, you empower apprentices to become not just skilled professionals, but well-rounded, confident individuals ready to make meaningful contributions to their organisations. This holistic approach to mentoring creates a dynamic learning environment that supports the growth and success of all apprentices across our programmes. 

Throughout the apprenticeship, including during the Gateway period and in preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA), you should:

• Regularly review the apprentice's progress against the apprenticeship standard

• Provide opportunities for the apprentice to apply their learning and develop their skills

• Offer constructive feedback and guidance on areas for improvement

• Help the apprentice understand the EPA process and what will be expected of them

• Continue to support the apprentice's development of their portfolio of evidence

By understanding and fulfilling these responsibilities, you will play a vital role in ensuring your apprentice is well-prepared for their Gateway, EPA, and ultimately, their future career success. 

Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) are the key learning objectives for apprenticeships, and are outlined in the apprenticeship standard by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE). To complete their apprenticeship successfully, apprentices must demonstrate competency in each KSB through comprehensive evidence, evaluated during the End Point Assessment (EPA). 

Example: Senior Leader Apprenticeship KSBs 

Knowledge: 

• Organisational strategy and strategic planning 
• Financial management and business modelling 

Skills: 

• Leading and managing organisational change 
• Developing and implementing corporate vision and values 

Behaviours: 

• Adaptability in complex situations 
• Collaborative decision-making and stakeholder management 

Role of Workplace Mentors 

Workplace Mentors can support apprentices by: 

• Identifying opportunities: help apprentices find situations to apply their KSBs
• Providing guidance: advise on tasks that align with specific KSBs
• Encouraging reflection: prompt apprentices to reflect on their experiences
• Facilitating evidence collection: assist in documenting achievements
• Offering feedback: provide constructive feedback on progress
• Preparing for the EPA: help apprentices articulate their competencies during the assessment

By focusing on these areas, you can significantly enhance your apprentice's ability to demonstrate their KSBs and succeed in their apprenticeship. 

Off-the-job (OTJ) training encompasses a range of structured learning activities that apprentices engage in during their contracted working hours, designed to develop the essential Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours (KSBs) outlined in their specific apprenticeship standard. As a fundamental component of the apprenticeship program, employers are contractually bound to allocate dedicated time for OTJ training, which typically amounts to 20% of the apprentice's total working hours. To ensure compliance with regulatory standards, apprentices are required to maintain meticulous documentation of their OTJ activities, adhering to the stringent requirements set forth by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA), the governmental body entrusted with overseeing apprenticeship funding and maintaining quality standards across the programme. 

Role of Workplace Mentors 

Workplace Mentors play a crucial role in facilitating effective OTJ training by: 

1. Advocating for and protecting the apprentice's allocated OTJ time, ensuring it meets the required 20% of working hours
2. Ensuring that apprentices log their OTJ training activities promptly on OneFile; this practice is essential for tracking the required 20% of contracted hours dedicated to OTJ training
3. Collaborating with line managers to balance the apprentice's workload, allowing for seamless integration of OTJ activities
4. Identifying and creating relevant OTJ learning opportunities within the workplace that align with the apprentice's KSBs
5. Regularly reviewing the apprentice's progress in OTJ training and providing constructive feedback
   

By fulfilling these responsibilities, Workplace Mentors significantly contribute to the apprentice's successful completion of OTJ requirements and overall apprenticeship journey. 

The Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) mandates that apprentices demonstrate general competency in English and mathematics at Level 2 (equivalent to GCSE) before undertaking their End Point Assessment (EPA). For apprentices who haven't achieved this level, the ESFA funds Functional Skills qualifications to be completed concurrently with their apprenticeship. The University is responsible for collecting evidence of this competency. If an apprentice cannot provide certified evidence within 6 weeks of enrolling on the programme, they will be automatically registered for Functional Skills assessments. This ensures that all apprentices have the necessary foundational skills to succeed in their apprenticeship and future career.

Role of Workplace Mentors

Workplace Mentors can support their apprentices with Functional Skills by identifying opportunities to apply English and mathematics in real-world work scenarios, encouraging regular practice, providing resources for self-study, and offering moral support and motivation throughout the assessment process. Additionally, mentors can allocate dedicated time for apprentices to prepare for and take their Functional Skills exams, ensuring they have the necessary support to develop these essential skills within the context of their professional environment.

Progress Reviews, also known as Tripartite Reviews, are mandatory meetings stipulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to be conducted at least every 12 weeks throughout the apprenticeship training period. These crucial sessions bring together the apprentice, their Workplace Mentor, and the Academic Mentor. The primary purpose of these reviews is to comprehensively assess the apprentice's progress against their individualised Training Plan, ensuring alignment with the apprenticeship standards. These meetings provide a valuable opportunity to identify areas for development, celebrate achievements, and determine any additional support needed to facilitate the apprentice's success.

Role of Workplace Mentors

The active participation of Workplace Mentors in Progress Reviews is essential for providing comprehensive support to apprentices and ensuring their success throughout the apprenticeship journey. Workplace Mentors must attend Progress Reviews to ensure apprentices receive comprehensive support throughout their apprenticeship. They should also:

• Offer feedback about the apprentice's on-the-job performance
• Check OneFile to confirm that the apprentice is up to date with off-the-job (OTJ) training logs and portfolio tasks
• Use Progress Reviews as an opportunity to discuss and find solutions for challenges and obstacles faced by apprentices, fostering open and constructive dialogue
• Engage in dialogue that helps both the apprentice and the organisation derive maximum practical benefits from the Degree Apprenticeship
• Contribute insights into the apprentice's progress, actively participate in setting realistic goals, and identify specific areas for development
• Actively engage in the review process to ensure appropriate measures are put in place to support the apprentice's success and address any areas needing improvement
• Enhance the apprentice's development and increase their likelihood of successfully completing the apprenticeship programme through consistent involvement in Progress Reviews

A Portfolio is a comprehensive digital collection of an apprentice's work, encompassing both on-the-job and off-the-job (OTJ) activities. Its primary purpose is to demonstrate proficiency across all Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours (KSBs) outlined in the apprenticeship standard. The University utilises the OneFile online platform to compile an ePortfolio throughout the apprenticeship's Planned Practical Period. This portfolio must be finalised and submitted during the Gateway period and forms a crucial part of the End Point Assessment (EPA).

Role of Workplace Mentors

1. Evidence identification: help apprentices recognise suitable activities, both on- and off-the-job, that can serve as evidence in their portfolio
2. Encourage timely documentation: remind apprentices to maintain appropriate digital records and log their work as it is completed; this approach helps build the portfolio systematically, preventing a last-minute rush to gather evidence
3. Facilitate diverse experiences: play a crucial role in providing apprentices access to specialised work areas they might not encounter in their regular roles, especially when KSBs require specific or unique experiences
4. Quality assurance: guide apprentices in selecting high-quality evidence that clearly demonstrates their competence in relation to the KSBs

By actively supporting the portfolio development process, Workplace Mentors significantly contribute to the apprentice's ability to showcase their skills and knowledge effectively, ultimately enhancing their chances of success in the EPA.

Gateway marks the conclusion of the Planned Practical Period, where the University and employer collaboratively determine an apprentice's readiness for the End Point Assessment (EPA). The EPA is an official, independent evaluation designed to verify that the apprentice has successfully demonstrated all required Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours (KSBs). This assessment is conducted by an End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) or, in some cases, by the University when mandated as the assessor.

Role of Workplace Mentors

1. Portfolio completion: guide apprentices in completing their Portfolio work appropriately and on time for Gateway submission
2. Confidence building: provide encouragement and support to boost the apprentice's confidence in showcasing their skills and knowledge
3. Timeline management: help apprentices manage their time effectively, ensuring all necessary components are completed before Gateway

By fulfilling these roles, Workplace Mentors significantly contribute to the apprentice's smooth and confident progression through Gateway and EPA. This support is instrumental in helping apprentices successfully complete their apprenticeship and obtain their degree credentials, marking the culmination of their hard work and dedication.