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More apprentices are completing their training programmes, and finishing them more quickly, when they have been carefully screened and tested for selection and given taster courses at school, according to an Ofsted report launched today. 

The report, Learning from the best: examples of best practice from providers of apprenticeships in underperforming vocational areas, looked at how to raise completion rates and better meet the needs of young people and employers. 

Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, launching the report, said: 
'One of the keys to a successful apprenticeship is careful assessment and selection of the candidates to ensure they are well suited to the training on offer. 

After this, careful induction and tailored learning plans help ensure there is high quality learning provision in the workplace.  Very importantly, successful apprenticeships focus early on developing key skills, including literacy and numeracy. 

The value of a good apprenticeship cannot be underestimated. I urge all employers and training providers to use this report and the examples of best practice it contains. It is a practical guide designed to help providers and employers support apprentices with stretching and realistic training, setting them on their way to highly successful careers.' 

In 2005 fewer than half of trainees were completing their apprenticeships. This rose to over 70% last year but in some vocational areas, such as motor vehicle, retail and hospitality, there were slower rates of improvement. The report identifies reasons for this and why other historically underperforming areas, including care and construction, have improved to the national average. 

The report highlights the importance of support from mentors, preferably former apprentices themselves, and the need for regular progress monitoring by assessors in the workplace. 

Good use of management information in planning assessors’ work led to higher success rates, as did giving young people more tailored individual learning plans and monitoring targets set for learners and employers. Having the same assessor or training officer throughout training made an important difference. Flexible training, designed to meet employers’ needs, was also crucial. 

The report notes that employers have become more focused on the need for their apprentices to secure key skills. Among case studies in the report showing the impact of better literacy and numeracy training is an example of apprentices in retail setting up, writing and producing a newsletter for fellow staff in their employer’s premises. 

In another example, a mobile phone company found that key skills training helped improve numeracy sufficiently for trainees to be given responsibility for calculating mobile phone tariffs. 

One employer in the hospitality industry offered school children experience in a commercial training kitchen, on a 10 week ‘ Junior Chef Academy ’ Saturday morning course, giving them a good understanding of what it would be like to work in the industry. 

A retail employer devised an individual learning plan to capture the results of their learners’ assessment, previous experience and their own needs.  One learner said: ‘I keep a copy of my learning plan with me and refer to it regularly. It helps me know where I am and what I still need to do.’ 

A national supermarket found that literacy training was essential to complete safe food handling courses.  They also provided enjoyable off-the-job training by subject experts in specialist areas such as bakery, fish and meat. 

A national hospitality provider improved success rates in a single year by bringing training in house and making sure training reflected their needs. 

One motor vehicle engineering firm used a wall covered in paper as an inexpensive way to teach how engine power trains work, sticking cut out components on the wall.  A learner said: ‘I learnt so much the time flew by. It worked really well and we all really enjoyed it.’ 

A set of ‘maths cards’ developed for training in children’s care allowed one learner to create her own number games for children in her nursery. This proved successful in breaking down barriers to learning numeracy. 

A retail provider designed training paperwork to capture discussion and targets set. A single-page learner assessment review was completed for every assessor’s visit showing progress and any danger of slipping behind targets.  One learner said: ‘I keep my assessment pinned up next to my desk. I look at it every time I have a spare minute. I love the overall percentage mark. It makes me focus and I get a real buzz from seeing the figure rise every two weeks when my assessor visits.’ 

A learning support tutor worked with advanced carpentry apprentices throughout their course. She liaised with other construction staff and became very knowledgeable in several trades, giving her learners confidence and raising aspirations.  One learner said: ‘I was a failure at school. My teachers had given up on me and never expected me to amount to much. I am so proud to have passed so many qualifications and proved them wrong.’ 

A care provider with a strong focus on timely completion of apprenticeships identified learners who were close to completing their apprenticeship on a display board in the main centre. Assessors and managers monitored them closely to ensure they completed successfully and sent reminder letters to help motivate them: One learner said: ‘I feel in control of my training and assessment because of the support that I get from my assessor. I should finish several weeks early.’

Full Ofsted press release and links