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Apprentice FAQs for Existing Staff


What is an apprenticeship?

Please click here for the 'What is an Apprenticeship?' page.
 

I would like to consider employing an apprentice, what is the process?

Please refer to the Manager Guidance and contact Emma Bendle for an initial discussion.
 

Where are apprenticeships advertised?

Please click here for the Existing Employees page.
 

I am an existing employee and unsure about the qualifications on offer, how can I find out more?

Monthly awareness sessions are held in UHW, bi-monthly in UHL and we also attend St Davids, Barry and CRI Hospital. Please click here for available dates. If these are not convenient we can arrange for you to speak to the course provider directly. If you have a number of staff in your department who are interested, we can arrange an awareness session specifically for your area.
 

How long does an apprenticeship take to complete?

Apprenticeships take a minimum of twelve months to complete. The length of time will be dependent on the qualification undertaken.
 

How do I achieve an apprenticeship?

We can enrol staff at any point through the year, so as soon as you are ready and you have the support of your line manager. You will then have monthly assessor visits as you work towards your qualification through ongoing work-based learning, evidenced by a portfolio and continual assessments. Please click here for the application form.
 

What is an NVQ (National Vocational Qualification)?

NVQs are competency-based qualifications - this means they offer proof that you can do a job. NVQs are available in lots of different jobs, from administration to facilities. Many employers allow their staff to study for NVQs in work time. They're available in levels 1 to 5 so you can start at a level suitable for you and work your way up. National Vocational Qualifications are recognised throughout the UK and are achieved by recording what you do at work. They includes on-the-job training. 
 

What are QCFs (Qualifications & Credits Framework)?

You are employed to do a job and the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is the new framework for creating and accrediting qualifications. Qualifications that use the QCF rules are made up of units. This provides flexible ways to get a qualification. Each unit has a credit value which tells you how many credits are awarded when a unit is completed. The credit value also gives an indication of how long it will normally take you to prepare for a unit or qualification. One credit will usually take you 10 hours of learning. Units build up to qualifications. There are three different types of qualification in the QCF: Award, Certificate and Diploma. You can achieve an Award with 1 to 12 credits; for a Certificate you will need 13 – 36 credits and for a Diploma you will need at least 37 credits. Units and qualifications are each given a level according to their difficulty, from entry level to level 8. The title of a qualification will tell you its size and level. If a qualification includes a unit that you have already been awarded, you can use the unit you have already taken towards that qualification. Units awarded by different awarding organisations can be combined to build up qualifications.

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