For more information, please contact the NAJ Education Team

End Point Assessment

End Point Assessment is the process apprenticeships will pass through to achieve recognition and accreditation of their apprenticeship. End Point Assessment of the L3 Jewellery, Silversmithing and Allied Trades, L2 Retailer and L3 Team Leader apprenticeships is offered through the NAJ's parent body, the British Allied Trades Federation. This means that the NAJ can draw on our extensive networks of industry members and associates as end point assessors, ensuring that employers have faith in the individuals making decisions regarding the standards reached by their apprentices.

The NAJ Myth-busting Guide to Jewellery Apprenticeships

This helpful myth-busting guide has been produced by the Education team to make sure your understanding of Apprenticeships in the UK is right up to date and you're informed as to where to go next.

The myth-busting guide is also supported by Babington, who provided information for NAJ members through a webinar (Summer 2020).

Apprenticeships are only for 16-18 year olds

This might have been true of apprenticeship schemes 30 years ago, but these days apprenticeships are open to all age groups, from 16 years to retirement!

Apprentices have to be new employees of my company or organisation

You can take on new employees and train them in their role using the available apprenticeship schemes but also use apprenticeship schemes to train and upskill your current staff.

So, you might wish to expand an existing staff member’s role into a new area; you might want to prepare them for career progression or promotion or perhaps use an apprenticeship to formalise/professionalise staff learning in a particular area.

Apprenticeships are best for developing ‘low-level’ skills and knowledge

Apprenticeships are available at all levels from Level 2 to Level 7.

To gauge what the levels mean: Level 2 is equivalent to GCSE and Level 7 is equivalent to a Masters degree.

So, in fact, staff can progress through and attain very high levels of specialist skills and knowledge through apprenticeship training programmes.

I can’t afford to recruit/train an apprentice

There’s lots of Government funding available for apprenticeships as it sees apprenticeships as a key approach for training up the workforce of the future.

A large company (over £3m payroll) pays the total cost of the apprenticeship training through its apprenticeship levy. When the levy runs out, the Government will pay 75%, and the company needs to pay the remaining 25%.

Small companies that don’t pay the apprenticeship levy pay 5% of the cost of apprenticeship training, and the Government pays the remaining 95%. In some Council areas apprenticeship levy transfer schemes are in place – if bigger companies cannot spend their apprenticeship levy, they may be prepared to transfer it to smaller companies to help them pay for apprenticeship training.

Apprenticeships take years to complete

Apprenticeships usually last between 13-36 months, although some apprenticeships can now be delivered in 8 months if the apprentice already has relevant prior experience. The length of an apprenticeship can depend on whether an apprentice is employed part-time or full-time, as well as the level and complexity of the apprenticeship training programme. For example, apprenticeships that require the development of a raft of technical skills, such as the Jewellery Manufacturing and Allied Trades Professional Apprenticeship, may take slightly longer.

Apprenticeships aren’t available in `professional’ areas

Apprenticeships are available in all areas, including accounting, marketing, leadership and management and HR, as well as retail, customer service and jewellery manufacture. Some apprenticeships incorporate professional qualifications that enable successful apprentices to join professional societies such as the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or the Chartered Management Institute.

Apprenticeships focus on developing technical skill

Apprenticeships also focus on developing key knowledge and behaviours; at the end of their programme apprentices will be able to undertake their daily tasks more effectively and also have more understanding of the context of their job (e.g. why it is done as it is and how it impacts on other job roles and the broader business). They will have developed the appropriate soft skills and behaviours – interpersonal skills, team skills, numeracy etc.

I can’t spare my apprentice to attend college or day release once a week

Each apprenticeship has a set number of `off-the-job’ learning hours that must be completed. However, this time does not necessarily need to be spent away from the business on `day release’. The set hours can include coaching and mentoring by the line manager, work-based projects, peer discussion and independent research and reading, as well as webinars/online tutorials, off-site workshops, case studies, tasks, assignments and preparation for End Point Assessment (EPA).

An apprenticeship isn’t a rigorous training for the job

It’s extremely rigorous! Apprentices will receive high-quality training from industry and sector-specific experts, as well as one-to-one coaching and support from the apprenticeship training provider. Once they’ve achieved all elements of the apprenticeship, and the training provider and employer agree that they’re ready, the apprentice will be put forward for EPA. Depending on the particular apprenticeship, EPA might include an online test, professional discussion, production of a portfolio of work and a workplace observation.