Increasing apprenticeship completion rates: end-point assessment and the role of employers

The number of apprentices successfully completing their apprenticeships is currently just over half (54%). Low completion rates are a feature of apprenticeships, but little research has been undertaken looking at how the move to end point assessment (EPA) has affected completion rates.

The Gatsby Charitable Foundation commissioned the technical education consultancy Think to undertake research with employers and providers to understand the role that the EPA plays in non-completions. The research team conducted a data review and structured interviews with both providers and employers based on 15 apprenticeship standards. The report’s findings and recommendations focused on: attitudes to the EPA; the relationships between EPA and mandatory and non-mandatory qualifications; the design and use of apprenticeship standards; other barriers to entry and completion, and data and insight. 

The report found that:  

EPA is generally well supported and valued by both employers and apprentices. The independent status of end-point assessment organisations and their assessors appears to be particularly valued by employers. 

However, in some cases the value of the EPA is undermined by the existence of mandatory qualifications within the apprenticeship, and in these cases, there is often unnecessary duplication in the assessment burden, which was a cause of frustration. 

Maths and English requirements were reported by employers to be the single biggest barrier not only to completion but also to entry. While they were generally happy to include maths and English content when it was required for the occupation, they expressed resentment for having to do something they felt “should be done in school”. 
Where apprenticeships were being used with staff who were already competent in the role, sometime to gain additional industry credentials, the EPA was not valued and this led to lower completion rates.  

The report suggests a number of ways that the assessment and certification of apprenticeships could be improved resulting in higher completion rates.  

Daniel Sandford Smith, Director of Programmes said: “Getting the assessment of apprenticeships right is critical for the success of the apprenticeship programme. It is encouraging that so many of the employers recognised the importance of a rigorous independent assessment process. It is a significant challenge to reliably assess the occupational competence of apprentices at scale but this report shows that getting this right would not only ensure that the programme is providing good value for money but would also  ensure that apprentices get the recognition they deserve, and that employers reap the benefits of a highly-skilled workforce.”  

Download the full report here

Is end-point assessment a barrier to apprenticeship completions? by James Farr, Director, Think