The EPA is designed to enable Apprentices and demonstrate that they are fully conversant in the skills, knowledge and behaviours expected of individuals at this level. It is also designed to provide assessors with a holistic view of the apprentice's capability, and to allow them to assess to what extent the apprentice meets or exceeds the apprenticeship standard.
Having completed a minimum 12 months on programme training, the apprentice will have presented a Portfolio of evidence which typically contains 8 discrete pieces of evidence, mapped against the KSBs. They will also have completed 2 scenario demonstrations, which will be carried out over a total assessment time of 90 minutes, this will be supplemented with questioning to underpin the apprentices’ reasoning. A professional interview will then take place which explores what has been produced in the portfolio, along with how it has been produced.
Once the Employer has decided to use Academy4PM for the EPA for their learner, the employer will be required to complete and submit the Academy4PM EPA Application Form. This will activate the EPA process and initiates the EPA for the apprentice.
The EPA requires the submission of the Portfolio of Evidence by the apprentice to Academy4PM between 1 week and 1 month prior to the EPA date in electronic form. If the apprentice wishes to submit a full paper-based copy of the documents, 3 copies will be need to be provided. Delivery dates are agreed in advance between the employer (or their representative) and us.
The Portfolio of Evidence is reviewed by our IQA for completeness. The assessor, once selected and any identified conflicts of interest have been resolved, will review the portfolio during this period. The Assessor will generate questions for the Professional Discussion based on the portfolio.
The assessor will be an individual who demonstrates:
The Academy4PM assessor will have the final decision on grading.
The EPA Delivery Day will consist of 2 Scenario Demonstrations, lasting a total of 90 minutes, which will be supplemented by questioning by the assessor, and a Professional Discussion which will last a minimum of 1 hour.
Once the Assessor has concluded the Apprentice’s Professional Discussion, the Assessor will review and finalise their marks and provide the Academy4PM with an overall grading recommendation.
All EPA assessment methods must be passed for the EPA to be passed overall.
Grades from individual assessment methods will be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA as a whole:
If the apprentice does not achieve initial EPA, detailed feedback on criteria for improvement will be provided to the Apprentice (via Employer) by the Assessor with the end result.
If the Apprentice feels that they can address the areas for improvement identified and feels confident that a quick re-submission would be beneficial, the Employer may request Academy4PM to undertake a re-assessment of the Apprentice based on the previous submission. This must be undertaken within three months of the initial assessment. In this case, the Assessor will only focus on the areas where the apprentice required improvement.
The Assessor is provided by the Academy4PM and will be undertaken via video conferencing facilities. Any re-assessment after 3 months will require a new EPA to be undertaken with a new assessor.
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