Apprenticeship standard achievement rate fails to maintain growth over 2020.
According to an article posted recently in FEWeek, the achievement rate for standards based apprenticeships failed to reach 60% this year, representing a slight decrease when compared to the year before.
Despite the difficulties of the last year, the achievement rate still grew by 11% between 2018/19 and 2019/20 years, from 46.9% – 58.7%. Meanwhile the achievement rate of frameworks did in fact fall, if only by 1%
Standards and frameworks are delivered in different ways, including differences in the way assessments of necessary knowledge and skills are conducted. Generally, (but not always) standards rely more upon related theory being taught and coached with a focus on developing knowledge, skills and behaviours over time to ensure learners are competent before an end point assessment, whereas frameworks prioritise assessments performed throughout the programme on a range of competencies.
Yet, however you look at it, having more than 40% of (standards) apprentices failing to complete their qualification is a concerning statistic and is likely to raise questions. Given the context (pandemic) it would be easy to write this off as a result of obstacles created through inability to work, or by being unable to benefit from face-to-face practical skills training – and without a doubt this will have been a major factor. Furthermore, redundancies in general have been high, and the industries where apprentices are most often found have been some of the hardest hit.
Could the lack of face-to-face training and coaching opportunities be partly responsible for the figures? Or is it that the online learning which did happen wasn’t engaging enough?
We can’t help but wonder what these numbers could have been if EdTech, along with blended learning strategies, had been fully adopted over the past decade. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – technology can no longer be viewed as an optional element of learning and development strategies, whether that be schools, colleges, universities, training providers or employers. Solutions are available to mitigate many, if not all, of the contingency risks we have witnessed over the past year, as well as improving engagement, attainment, administration and more.
As technology becomes more readily available, and more integrated with our everyday lives, it is no longer feasible to deny the need or importance of incorporating it into our everyday training.
If you have been affected by the restrictions over the last year, and are looking for a solution to maintain your Apprenticeships/L&D/CPD training in all eventualities – get in touch! We’d be happy to discuss your needs and provide you with workable solutions.