Four apprentices from Severn Trent have now graduated on the Level 3 Water Process Technician Standard. This has taken the total number of achievements on end-point assessments carried out by the Energy & Utilities Independent Assessment Service (EUIAS), across three apprenticeship standards, to 185. This builds on the commitment, determination and resilience of employers within the energy and utilities sector, who commenced apprenticeships on the new standards as early as 2014.
The EUIAS was established to deliver rigorous and robust apprenticeship end-point assessment services specifically to the sector. This innovative Service gained the support of employers across the four nations of the UK. The result is an independent assessment service which not only meets government quality standards but also secures qualified apprentices who can competently do the job they have trained for.
In partnership with Energy & Utility Skills, sector employers also helped develop 11 new ‘Trailblazer’ standards in England across gas, water, power and waste industries. EUIAS provides end-point assessment for nine of those standards and the apprentices from each are helping to address skills shortages. It also delivered end-point assessment services for the first achiever and the first female engineer achiever at level 2 on the English apprenticeship standards.
The EUIAS is the first assessment organisation in the sector to achieve this, so 185 is an encouraging start in terms of a number of apprentices to complete in a sector that is strategically important to the UK economy. In addition, there are over 2,000 candidates who have commenced an apprenticeship within energy and utilities.
These numbers give us reason to celebrate and as more apprentices proceed towards their end-point assessment, we will maintain our high standards to keep quality at the heart of the Service.
Looking to the future (and putting Brexit to one side), a number of other matters remain, in the shape of existing policy and new recommendations, which could radically affect how we operate as a sector.
How closely will the Industrial Strategy White Paper’s key themes, particularly people and infrastructure, translate to a policy environment that supports workforce and social mobility?
How will the Strategy’s local industrial strategies interplay with our call for a UK-wide joined up approach to workforce renewal and skills? Employers in our sector often are transnational and whilst they are adjusting positively to the levy introduction, there is a need for alignment between the four nations. How will the devolution of skills assist sector employers?
So as 2017 draws to an end, we have reason to be optimistic as a result of our collective determination to raise the bar on the quality of apprenticeships. With one shared vision, together we will continue making a difference for the benefit of apprentices, the sector and UK productivity.