Employer Engagement in Apprenticeships Policy

Overview and Purpose

1. Apprenticeships at Northeastern University London (the University) are based on a systematic and planned engagement with employers at every stage in apprenticeship development and delivery. This Policy sets out how the University works with employers, their potential apprentices (learners), schools, teachers, parents and alumni to promote the benefits of apprenticeships and raise awareness and engagement. The approach is based on a history of working closely with employers at Northeastern University (NU) and the success of the University in working with employers in placements, sponsorship and involvement in its programmes.
2. The Director for Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships has overall responsibility for managing relationships with employers and has the ability to act independently and take decisions. The employer engagement plan draws on research and investigation into the marketplace and consultations with employers.
3. The University’s aim in working with its employers is to meet the following targets:
   1. To achieve satisfaction rates from employers of above 80% for each apprenticeship and across the programmes in total and demonstrate year-on-year improvement.
   2. To achieve 90% average scores for quality of teaching and learning.
   3. To derive 70% of our year-on-year starts from existing employers.
   4. To be known for high-quality service –diagnostics, information and advice, helping employers address their business needs through the skills solutions that are jointly agreed.
4. These targets will be monitored and reviewed by the Work Related Learning Management Board quarterly.
5. This procedure coordinates the University’s engagement activities with employers across the University through the end-to-end apprenticeship journey:
   1. Conduct a robust assessment of prior learning, skills and experience against the apprenticeship standard to ensure that the University is not funding learning outcomes that the learner has already demonstrated.
   2. Confirm whether the learner has the necessary English and maths to achieve their apprenticeship.
   3. Organise any additional learning support needed to enable the learner to successfully complete all elements of their apprenticeship including English and maths if required.
   4. Create an Individual Training Plan (ITP) for each learner to ensure that they can achieve their apprenticeship and demonstrate competency in their role.

About this Process

Performance Measures

Mandatory Operational and Funding Rules Procedures

The Employer Voice – Programme and Curriculum Development

6. It is a principle of apprenticeship development at the University that employer consultation and engagement inform decisions on the range of apprenticeships that the University offers and the design of the curriculum that is delivered. As part of the formal process of programme development, Programme Director (PD) and the Business Development Manager (BDM) must arrange and deliver employer engagement and consultation to inform the design, schedule, mode and content of planned programmes.
7. To ensure that employer engagement has informed development of the University’s apprenticeships, PDs must meet the requirements set out in AQF4 Programme and Course Approval and Modification. This includes meeting the following requirements regarding the role of employer engagement in curriculum design:
   1. Programme approval documentation requires the PD to include the outcomes of their employer consultation and engagement and must demonstrate how this has informed the programme submitted for approval.
   2. The method of employer engagement and consultation is for the PD and BDM to decide, but as far as possible this must include a representative sample of employers from the subsector and occupation concerned. This may be an ongoing relationship with a sector or industry group, a one-off or series of consultation events, or a series of one-to-one discussions with existing or new employer clients.
   3. Wherever similar content or programmes exist, the PD must identify a group of students or learners with whom to consult. Programme approval must demonstrate feedback from other programmes delivered by the University which has informed development of content, mode and schedule, and in particular where this relates to planned off the job learning.
   4. The PD must also work with the BDM to demonstrate that there is interest and commitment from employers for delivery of the programme for the start date proposed and identify unique selling points about the programme proposed compared to other competitor apprenticeships. Programme approval documentation must include the proposed employer engagement events or other promotional strategy to deliver the numbers predicted.
   5. The PD must include a programme map of proposed contents compared to the published KSB and End-Point Assessment (EPA) plan for the apprenticeship submitted. This must include the proposed off the job learning hours (OTJL) for each course, assessment or activity. Where the planned delivery does not meet the minimum requirements of an apprenticeship, course mapping in the submission must set out the activities needed in the apprenticeship led by employers to ensure that the OTJL is achieved.
8. The PD must deliver programme approval documentation in full by the timelines required for the University Approval Panel. Failure to submit completed documentation will mean that the programme will not be put forward for approval until this is in place.
9. The PD, the Marketing Team and the BDM must note that it is a breach of apprenticeship branding and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) Funding Rules to promote an apprenticeship as ‘available’ before it has been approved as ready for delivery by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE).

Promotion

10. A requirement of programme approval is that Find Apprenticeship Training, the University website, and the University’s homepage are updated with the latest apprenticeship offer within 48 hours of programme approval, including those where the start date is set in the future or is yet to be set. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships and Marketing Team must action this.
11. Programme Approval documentation must include a draft text and promotional information about the apprenticeship including the planned start date of programmes and a contact number for further discussions.
12. The purpose of the University’s promotional strategy for apprenticeships, alongside expanding its client base, is to ensure that learners and employers understand how apprenticeships work in practice and understand how the apprenticeship can benefit business and individuals. It is also the University’s responsibility to support employers and learners to understand their own responsibilities in an apprenticeship.
13. All staff must ensure that only University documentation is provided to employers. The University website pages for employers and learners must include information on the University’s apprenticeship programmes and who to contact to discuss programmes in more detail. The BDM and the must ensure that basic information and FAQs about how apprenticeships operate are up to date and that learner and employer responsibilities are clear.
14. Employers must be able to contact a nominated lead for each programme. Typically, this will be the BDM or the PD.
15. The University’s apprenticeship promotions must provide relevant information for employers and separately for learners. The BDM and the Apprenticeship Team (AT), in particular, are responsible for providing feedback to the Marketing Team where additional information, amendments or deletions will improve the clarity and relevance of materials.
16. The BDM and the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships are responsible for ensuring that web information, published collateral and social media, and other employer or learner materials comply with both the ESFA Apprenticeship branding guidelines and contain accurate and up-to-date information about the apprenticeship programmes. The Marketing Team must ensure compliance with the apprenticeship communication toolkit on GOV.UK.
17. The Marketing Team is responsible for ensuring that a social media and web campaign is agreed with the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships, the BDM and the PD prior to and during each apprenticeship as part of the launch plan, and that the University engages actively in National Apprenticeship Week, promoting apprenticeships to employers and students, Alumni, suppliers and partners.
18. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships, the BDM, and the PD, through the Marketing Team, are responsible for ensuring that the social media campaign incorporating LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and other routes, as appropriate, are updated regularly with good news and publicity about apprenticeships to support government’s apprenticeship campaigns. This includes organising a full calendar of activities annually for National Apprenticeship Week, involving employers and their learners.
19. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships and the University’s Quality Team are responsible for coordinating learner and employer feedback in line with the AQF10 Student Voice. This feedback must be included in the course and Annual Programme Review (APR) written by the PD. The PD is responsible for identifying case study opportunities at each Apprenticeship Team meeting.
20. In addition to the activities of the Apprenticeship Team, the University will also ensure that apprenticeships are promoted through all University events where the opportunity exists to talk to employers or employees, and it will also talk to employees or individuals who may become future learners.
21. The University will showcase its apprenticeship programmes through newsletters and proactive communications sent to placement employers and alumni.

Engagement

22. The University’s employer engagement strategy targets specific sectors through tailored marketing, promotion and events scheduled during the year. This is supported by the Engagement Plan and marketing schedule.
23. The University will engage the wider University community in the support and promotion of apprenticeships. This will include:
    1. Incorporating apprenticeships into outreach work to increase engagement and progression of underrepresented groups in higher education.
    2. Using its Widening Participation programme to attract individuals who wish to study and work regardless of their personal circumstances and background.
    3. Using school links and work with local schools, raising aspirations and attainment from years 7 to 13 to consider apprenticeships as a target destination.
    4. Work with teachers, parents and other education partnerships to raise awareness of the opportunities presented by an apprenticeship, for those leaving school imminently or for jobs, promotions and progression far into the future.
    5. In the University’s careers advice and guidance to current students, it will be explained that the opportunity to continue learning through an apprenticeship in their first role after graduation is possible and, where relevant, direct students to apprenticeship vacancies.
    6. Promote apprenticeships to University placement employers, through the Careers team. Placement managers in particular will be briefed thoroughly to talk about and engage placement employers in the University’s apprenticeship programmes.
24. The University will target the University Alumni network and their current organisations, their professional bodies, networks; in particular those working in sectors matching current and future strategies for apprenticeship expansion and growth.

The Employer End-to-End Journey

Initial Contact

25. All the University’s website, apprenticeship documentation, social media and other access routes provide clear telephone and email contacts and an online contact form directly into the AT. This is managed by the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships. The PD, the BDM and any staff member receiving an enquiry must ensure that all potential customer contacts are either, where this is appropriate, forwarded to the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships to respond, or where it is more appropriate for this to be handled directly, the CRM must be updated with full contact details within one working day.
26. All staff responding to or handling an employer enquiry must collect the basic details required by the Initial Contact Form, and they must set out the basic information which employers need to know about an apprenticeship and employer responsibilities as set out in the body of the form. This information must be collected from all employers, whether they are an existing client of the University or not.
27. The BDM is responsible for monitoring the CRM and distributing the Initial Contact Pack to first-contact employers via email once the CRM is updated.
28. The BDM is responsible for all follow-up second and subsequent contacts with employers. Where visits are arranged the BDM must ensure that employers complete and sign the Employer Declaration, confirming basic details about the employer and their organisation, and in particular their funding source. The BDM must also ensure that employers understand basic eligibility criteria for learners, and their core responsibilities as a learner employer. The employer declaration must be forwarded to the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships.
29. The BDM must open an employer file and retain the declaration as part of the employer’s Evidence Pack.
30. All staff must note that at the time of publication of this policy, the University offers apprenticeship support to both levy and non levy paying employers.
31. The BDM must ensure that the CRM is updated following every employer visit or contact.
32. The BDM is responsible for distributing the employer/learner pipeline report to the Programme Director at the end of each month, summarising the status of employer engagement and interest in their apprenticeship programmes.

Pre-Programme

Training Needs Analysis

33. After the initial contact has been made, the BDM is responsible for undertaking a formal Training Needs Analysis (TNA) with each employer to understand the business needs and priorities and to identify the skills gaps and opportunities where investment in skills, including an apprenticeship, can offer measurable benefit to the employer.
34. The TNA is an open discussion with the employer about the business and skills issues, both current and future, that they are experiencing. The BDM must ensure that these are clearly recorded in the TNA and that the discussions demonstrate the options discussed with the employer, including apprenticeships where relevant for meeting these needs.
35. The University, though its own delivery and its partners, can offer a wide range of training skills solutions for employers. This first stage of the TNA must clarify to both the BDM and the employer whether apprenticeships or the University services do represent the right option for the employer and why this is the case.
36. Where the University services are not the best solution for the employer or as outlined above, the University is unable to support the employer, the BDM must work with the employer to source a provider partner who can.
37. The TNA must also be used by the BDM to set out the options available to the employer and explain where an apprenticeship appears to be a good match to the occupations and skills needed. This includes providing an overview of the content indicative price, duration and start times for any provision options, and a reiteration of apprenticeship eligibility and responsibilities.
38. This second stage will also confirm any particular needs for the employer that may affect curriculum or design of the apprenticeship that can be incorporated into the final programme offer, for example, start dates or a particular focus on hands-on experience or a particular area of content needed. This must all be recorded by the BDM as part of the Training Needs Analysis.
39. Where there is a strong match between the employer’s skills gaps and the apprenticeship KSB map, the BDM should explain how the apprenticeship will work in practice, using the course maps to explain content, arrangements for EPA and the OffTJL commitment required for the apprenticeship. The TNA must record all options considered and any bespoke elements needed in the apprenticeship, alongside the mapping of the full occupational content of the Apprenticeship to the roles in the employer’s organisation. Action to address gaps must be agreed and included as actions for the employer in the Employer Specification and contract.
40. The BDM must confirm likely volumes of learners and how these will be selected, i.e., via internal recruitment or external advertisement. The BDM must then explain learner recruitment requirements to the employer, and record issues, options, preferred solutions and responsibilities.
41. Employers must also complete and return the Health and Safety Assessment and Declaration. When onsite, the BDM must countersign to confirm that core safety arrangements are in place.

Supporting Learner Recruitment

42. The University supports and advises employers on learner recruitment. The BDM is responsible for ensuring that the Employer Apprentice Recruitment Pack is discussed with the employer to ensure that the employer understands the minimum eligibility requirements for a learner and that these must be built into the recruitment and/or selection process.
43. The BDM must work with the employer and confirm key dates for the recruitment and selection of their learners to ensure that this process takes place, including their notice period, in good time, allowing apprenticeship application documentation and pre-induction processes to take place before the planned apprenticeship start date.
44. The BDM is responsible for uploading employer vacancies into the Find Apprenticeship Training portal on behalf of the employer. The BDM may also support the employer to brief their staff face-to-face or via a live webinar.
45. The BDM must ensure that the employer signs the Employer Apprenticeship Specification to confirm their understanding that a place cannot be reserved for any learner until the basic eligibility apprenticeship checks have been passed, nor confirmed until the Initial Needs Assessment (INA) has been assessed. This is because even an eligible learner may not have sufficient learning left to meet the minimum 12 months apprenticeship duration if they have extensive prior learning experience. This confirmation of eligibility to start is the responsibility of the BDM. Only official confirmation from the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships can confirm that a learner is eligible for a place. Where employers are recruiting significant volumes of learners, i.e. more than five, the University may offer bespoke support to its employers to recruit their learners on a case by case basis. There is additional advice on recruiting or selecting learners for employers in the Employer Apprentice Recruitment Pack, and for potential learners in the Becoming an Apprentice Guide.

The Employer Apprenticeship Specification

46. Once the requirements of each employer have been identified and options discussed through the TNA, including arrangements for recruitment and selection, the BDM is responsible for summarising the employer’s programme in the Employer Specification. It is essential that employers sign and date this specification and return it to the BDM if they wish to proceed with their apprenticeship programme.
47. The BDM must not intimate at any point that an apprenticeship programme is guaranteed for any learner. This commitment cannot be made until the learner has completed their INA and their application process is complete.
48. The BDM must confirm that the specification is correctly completed, signed and dated. Where this is not the case, the BDM is responsible for liaising with the employer until the specification is correctly completed. Once completed this must be forwarded to the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships.
49. As part of the Specification, employers will need to choose their End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO). The BDM must ensure that the employer is aware of the available EPAOs and the prices and services offered.
50. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships must store the specification, signed declarations, and initial contact form within the employer Evidence Pack.

Wider Progression Partnerships

51. The University works with a network of providers offering complementary provision in the sectors that it is targeting. With these partners, the University can offer employers a range of skills options at all levels. This includes apprenticeships from L2 to L7 to enable employees at all levels to progress to higher level apprenticeships on completion of their current programme, where this maps to their role. The University also offers a range of cross-cutting apprenticeships to complement its own specialist apprenticeships through this partnership.
52. Where the eligibility or TNA indicates that another programme would be more suitable, or that the skills need is at a higher or lower level than those that the University currently provides, the BDM must work with one of the University’s partners, or find an alternative, to offer a solution to the employer. Employers must still be recorded on the CRM and remain part of the BDM’s prospect list.

Information, Briefings and Documentation

53. In many cases the corporate negotiations with a prospective employer will be conducted by their HR team, and line managers will not be involved in the discussions about apprenticeship employer responsibilities and the day to day practical aspects of apprenticeship delivery.
54. The BDM must ensure that as learners are selected, their line manager details are collected and forwarded to the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships. The BDM will ensure that the line manager receives the Apprenticeship Line Manager Handbook and is invited to the induction and their details are loaded onto the CRM or the apprenticeship management system.
55. All employer documentation will be sent out by the BDM. The Getting Started as an Apprenticeship Line Manager Pack will be sent out no later than one month before the induction.
56. The BDM and the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships must ensure that all mandatory documentation requiring an employer signature is completed and returned within the timelines agreed – Initial Needs Assessment, contract, the Apprenticeship Agreement, Commitment Statement, and Employer and Apprentice declarations. BDM must chase immediately any documentation if a return deadline is missed and to escalate the matter to the BDM to chase.
57. BDMs are responsible for the quality and timeliness of employer documentation and must escalate missing documents to their contact at the employer.
58. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships must ensure that, no later than two weeks before induction, each learner and employer Evidence Pack is complete. Where this is not the case, the BDM must be informed, and immediate chasing must take place with the employer. No learner must start their programme without the full set of compliant documents in place. This is the responsibility of the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships, who has the final decision on a learner’s start date.

On The Programme

59. At this point, the BDM and the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships cease to be the most important day to day contact with the employer and the learner, and this is passed to the course team and, in particular, to the Business Relations Manager (BRM) and learner’s Success Manager (SM). NOTE: the BRM in exceptional circumstances may act as an SM where appropriate.
60. The BDM retains an overall relationship manager role with the employer.

Induction

61. All employer line managers will be invited to and encouraged to attend their learner’s induction as an essential part of the apprenticeship process. The induction will provide a clear overview of the content and schedule of the apprenticeship delivery, tri-partite reviews and assignments, to enable employers to plan to meet their OffTJL and to understand their responsibilities.
62. Dates for tri-partite reviews will be set, and line manager and learner will meet their University SM.
63. Every effort must be made to ensure that line managers attend with their learner. The BRM must follow up those who do not attend and provide the webcast as an alternative.

Tri-Partite Reviews

64. Every eight weeks, employers will be expected to attend the three-way progress review sessions with their learner. These exist to enable all parties to form a shared view of progress, establish a trajectory to a predicted grade, and agree any actions needed to improve this trajectory.
65. The tri-partite review can take place face to face or via Zoom. The BRM is responsible for booking all tri-partite reviews and sending the dates to the learner and their Line Manager.
66. The BRM must ensure that their employers are aware of times and content of the tri-partite reviews, and that these are mandatory. If the line manager does not attend, the tri-partite review in its full form cannot take place. The SM must escalate jointly to the PD and the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships to address with the employer where this is a persistent occurrence.
67. The tri-partite review must work through the tri-partite review standard agenda items in the meetings and record the key points and outcomes. All parties must offer and consider evidence of progress made against the initial benchmark and review and record training that has taken place on and off the job, using the learner’s own learning log, University VLE or online learning records and the employer’s own records. This must form the judgement evidence on whether the learner is on plan to achieve their predicted outcome, and parties understands agree how to exceed this. Any issues or barriers to achievement must be discussed and actions documented.
68. The tri-partite review is also the opportunity for wider discussions including collecting feedback about the apprenticeship from employers. This formal feedback session is part of the University’s collection of satisfaction data and will be requested termly and annually.
69. The SM must collect employer evidence and views of progress and record these as part of the tri-partite review. The PD, as part of AT, must review action plans arising.

The Employers Voice – Satisfaction Surveys

70. The BRM must ensure that all employers complete the feedback survey before each tri-partite review, and again at year end. Results must be analysed and distributed to the PD and the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships, and form part of the programme review and KPI monitoring at the Work Related Learning Management Board (WRLMB). These are also monitored by University’s Academic Board.
71. This information must be used by each PD to monitor success and be included in the APR alongside other metrics used to manage the apprenticeship programme. Learner feedback will be sought at the end of each course using an Apprenticeship Course Satisfaction Survey and a representative will join the Learner Voice Committee.
72. Teaching and learning staff must receive their apprenticeship performance data and feedback from employers and learners as it occurs and this must be summarised in their performance reviews, alongside any peer observations or OTLA feedback. Action plans must be put in place by the PD when these are needed to address feedback.
73. As a core KPI, satisfaction data provided by the Operations and Quality Assurance Manager must be included in AT meetings, and the analysis of risk and performance included in the AMR. Apprenticeship Programme Improvement Plans (APIP) must be created and executed, and the PD must demonstrate in the AMR how employer feedback has changed their programme.
74. The results of each survey will be shared by the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships with the BRM, who will distribute the findings and conclusions to employers at the tri-partite review. In the case of specific feedback requiring a response, the BDM and PD must discuss options for action direct with the employer and agree a resolution. Decisions responding to feedback must not be made without consultation.
75. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships and the BRM must take every opportunity to encourage 100% feedback and engagement with both the public ESFA and University internal surveys. The BDM must explain the importance of both to quality improvement. The University survey is intended to identify good practice, identify trends and provide evidence for the quality and delivery of the programme. The feedback collected is intended to:
    1. Ensure the curriculum is up to date and learning methods are effective.
    2. Enhance student experience.
    3. Promote efficiency and improve operational running of the programme for learners and employers.

Annual Contract Review

76. The BDM, BRM and other colleagues, where relevant, will attend an Annual Contract Review with each employer, using all the data collected on performance and satisfaction and about the progress of the apprenticeships and their contribution to the employer’s objectives. This provides a formal opportunity to:
    1. Review the programme impact against the issues identified in their TNA.
    2. Consider the overall progress of their apprenticeship programme(s).
    3. Consider any risks or barriers identified that may impinge on success.
    4. Confirm levy spend and review future skills needs and planned apprenticeships.

General Communications  

77. The Employer Handbook and Apprentice Handbook provide further details of processes, procedures and support available. Links to the Complaints Procedure for Students and the Complaints Procedure for Employers are included.
78. The University website includes an online enquiry form, email and phone contact details, and an FAQ for regular use and the web page clearly labelled as apprenticeships. The SM is responsible for the website, email and online format, and for tracking enquiries and complaints and operates a two- working day turnaround.
79. If a faculty member cannot attend a planned session, the PD must inform the SM, who will arrange cover staff or make the decision to reschedule the session. The SM will inform the learners and their line manager. The PD must ensure that all rescheduled sessions take place.

Relationship Management

80. The BDM remains the key point of contact for employers for queries, issues and support, and must retain employer communication channels (emails, phone, face to face meetings) to form part of the annual programme review.
81. The BDM must use the standard meeting template to capture review information and update the CRM. BDMs are accountable for assessing and monitoring regular feedback from employers, looking for individual or wide trends considering other performance indicators including complaints, queries and feedback to improve support for each employer.

Issues and Complaints

82. The BDM is the single point of contact for any employer with issues or concerns arising during the apprenticeship. The process to be followed is set out in the Employer Complaints Policy.
83. BDMs must keep the CRM updated.
84. The employer can also take their complaint to the Education and Skill Funding Agency. The ESFA Apprenticeship helpline can be contacted on 0800 015 0400 or by email.

Monitoring, Review and Programme/Organisational Improvement

85. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships is accountable for the quality and improvement of apprenticeships at the University. They must review the data for all programme KPIs and compliance to identify good practice and issues and risks to programme success. PD’s are accountable for this cycle at individual programme level, and for implementing improvements arising from the overall quality cycle governed by the WRLMB.
86. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships is responsible for recommending improvements to any aspect of the apprenticeship programme and in particular for:
    1. Exceeding employer expectations and experience.
    2. Exceeding learner expectations and experience.
    3. Improving efficiencies and removing burden from staff, employers and learners.
    4. Improving programme performance and outcomes.
87. Continuous improvement to ensure outstanding service levels for the University’s customers, that is the learner’s employers, is key to everything it does. The data collected from employer activity during the apprenticeship must be used by the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships in termly AT meetings and by the Work Related Learning Management Board (WRLMB) to review overall progress against the KPIs.
88. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships is accountable for compliance during the on-programme delivery phase. The Apprenticeship Team must risk assess and RAG rate at individual and programme level:
    1. Employer pipeline and feedback from the TNA and its impact on programme curriculum and mode.
    2. INA quality and compliance.
    3. Progress towards trajectory/EPA success and grade outcomes.
    4. Absence record.
    5. OffTJL progress.
    6. Achievement and progression by demographic groups.
    7. Satisfaction and feedback.
    8. Complaints.
    9. Tri-partite review quality and consistency.
89. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships must use the feedback from employers in their APIP, to be updated after each Work Related Learning Programmes Committee.
90. The WRLMB governs the apprenticeship programme. It meets termly and receives data, reports and feedback from the PD and the Operations and Quality Assurance Manager on overall performance and quality, and RAG rated issues from the APIP. The WRLMB reports and escalates impact on the University’s reputation and resources to Academic Board, which has oversight of all programmes approved by the University, and Northeastern London Board.
91. The Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships is accountable for the success of the University’s employer engagement and apprenticeship programmes. The apprenticeship performance management tool must be used to track monthly data on apprenticeship success. Dashboards are available to every PD and will be supplied to the AMD to monitor access, retention, progression, and completion. Data on learner satisfaction surveys, the National Student Survey (NSS), the Graduate Outcomes, and national and international league tables are monitored by the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships, who is accountable to Northeastern London Board for overall apprenticeship programme success. This information feeds into both academic and professional services improvement.
92. The APR will be used to scrutinise apprenticeships against criteria on academic quality, the number of learners progressing, learner and employer satisfaction, staff performance (Student Survey), academic attainment, and employment success. Action Plans are developed in response to survey outcomes to ensure that issues are addressed, and improvements are made to apprenticeships.
93. Programmes are monitored and risk assessed by the WRLMB. Any problems are escalated to Academic Board by the Director of Business and Partnership Development & Apprenticeships. A full report on the quality of all programmes is presented to Academic Board and Northeastern London Board annually.

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