‘L2 apprenticeships have the power to boost recruitment’
Tad Chapman, head of End-point Assessment at Active IQ
Friday, February 4, 2022
At awarding body Active IQ, Tad Chapman explains how the new Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard can provide a gateway for more trainees to enter the sector and how his organisation's end-point assessment services are supporting them.
Apprenticeships can be the perfect route for many individuals to embark on a career in the early years sector. Learning on the job enables them to put into practice the theory they are studying while hands-on engagement and day-to-day work rapidly build skills and confidence.
Until recently, the most common entry point for early years apprentices was at Level 3 as they trained to be early years educators. This more senior role includes a supervisory element which some learners find daunting, especially if just out of school or with less life experience.
But now the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner standard is a more accessible way to enter the profession. Establishing a firm foundation on which to build a career pathway, this Level 2 standard brings early years training within reach for many learners.
Meanwhile, for early years employers, this more accessible Level 2 standard is an effective recruitment tool, attracting those seeking a more manageable entry point for their career.
It trains individuals to work and interact directly with children on a day-to-day basis, supporting planning and delivery of activities, purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes within the ethos of the setting. Apprentices learn how to deliver the EYFS requirements set by government for the learning, development and care of children from birth to five.
With this in mind we are offering end-point assessment services to those undertaking the Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification and recognise that for many people, this offers the best foundation and entry point for their career.
‘As the End-point Assessment (EPA) organisation for this Standard we have developed a comprehensive set of resources designed to complement in-person training. We also stay in close contact with apprentices’ training providers, to keep everyone nicely on track, and are on hand to ensure learners are absolutely ready to meet the criteria in their assessments at the end of their programme.
Active IQ includes additional safeguarding training to ensure learners develop this valuable insight from very early on in their career.
Comprehensive resources are made available at no extra cost enabling apprentices to gain the Active IQ Level 2 Award in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults alongside their Early Years Practitioner qualification.
Find out more here
