Opinion Piece: Which Standards Need Reform Next?

With the new assessment model slowly taking shape, it's worth examining where reform efforts should focus next; which apprenticeship standards should be prioritised for reform?

Digital Standards: Addressing the Gaps

As we know from our industry update in the August newsletter, many of the digital standards are already undergoing revision, we’re excited to be at the forefront of the changes and can’t wait to see what the revised standards look like.

From my point of view there’s a big Software shaped hole in the list of standards undergoing revision. With so many digital standards being reformed I was surprised to not see Software Developer (Level 4) and Software Development Technician (Level 3) also undergoing reform. Neither standard has been revised since 2021, and a recurring observation from employers and training providers concerns the limited differentiation between these two levels. Hopefully it won’t be long until these revisions commence.

Beyond Our Digital Standards

There are several of our other standards that, in my opinion, are in dire need of reform:

• The HR Support standard doesn't follow current assessment approaches that Skills England has developed for more recent end-point assessments. With its scoring system and the ability for apprentices to carry criteria over between assessment methods, this standard is completely at odds with others we offer, and I'm looking forward to seeing it brought into alignment.

  
  

• Despite being revised in 2022, the Learning and Development standards at both Level 3 and Level 5 have assessment plans that already feel outdated, I hope they’re not too far down the priority list for reform!

The Broader Picture

Beyond the specific standards that we offer, I would like to see Skills England prioritise those standards that have unnecessarily complex assessment structures; many standards currently require three or even four separate assessment methods during end-point assessment. Each additional assessment method adds to the apprentice’s mental load, and it gets to the point where they might struggle with assessment navigation rather than competency. Not to mention the burden on the assessment organisation for development and delivery resources. The sooner these standards are revised the better.

The Path Ahead

Skills England will undoubtedly have a reform roadmap for addressing these challenges. Once the new assessment plans currently under consultation have been agreed, we hope they will move at pace to bring consistency across the board. The apprenticeship system's strength lies in its responsiveness to industry needs, and swift action on standards requiring attention will ensure apprentices continue to receive high-quality preparation for contemporary workplace demands.