The consultancy, which developed APEL, says that there is a real need to provide information about the level 3 award, not just for candidates but also for training providers and awarding bodies.
Chris Gill, business development manager for Duo Consulting, said, 'The APEL route has been in the national qualification framework for 12 months now, but as its developer we deal with constant queries. We would like to make clear that it is not the easy route and that it is a true level 3 award.
'Some people also seem to be under the misapprehension that it is only valid for five years - this is not the case,' he added.
Mr Gill said that take-up for the qualification has been slow in the past year but is building gradually. He would like to see more funding routes opened up to make APEL accessible to a wider range of candidates.
'The APEL qualification was and still is the fast-track way of gaining a level 3 in early years or play work, but it was never developed to be the easy route,' he said. 'I have attended many exhibitions over the past 12 months to explain the process and I am surprised at the number of people who undervalue APEL, because it was not available to them when they originally trained. While it is possible to achieve the award in eight to 12 weeks, many of these candidates have the benefit of years of experience.'
Duo Consulting's APEL helpline is open from Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, on 0151 334 0330. A full training manual along with leaflets and booklets are available. It can also provide free consultations on a one-to-one basis with nurseries to gauge their staff members' eligibility for the course.
