Ben James

Break in Learning but still working

Edited

According to the Break in Learning rules, "[the apprentice] could still be working but has agreed with their employer and provider to take a break in their learning."

If the apprentice is still working with the Employer, is it not entirely possible that they're going to be 'learning' on-the-job, and gaining knowledge, skills, and behaviours applicable to the Standard? How do people 'get around' this? Do you perform another skills scan (or variation) once they return?

Replies

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Martin West

What would be the reason for the BIL if they are still working for their employer?

The requirement is you must re-plan the delivery of any remaining training and / or assessment following a break, if required when the Apprentices returns from a BIL.

Ben James

I guess that's also my question to be honest, it was more of an abstract query than one regarding a specific scenario! We've always operated under the assumption that a Break in Learning implicitly meant a complete break from both college/university and the workplace, but the guidance seems to suggest otherwise. 

What if an apprentice missed a few weeks of the course and therefore had to wait to join the following cohort as there was no way for them to catch up? 

 

Ruth Canham-James

We had a handful go on a break during lockdown whilst still working, because they were just too busy to do their OTJ. We didn't do a new skills scan when they restarted as they wouldn't have been learning much of consequence, they were just doing things they already knew how to do.

Ben James

That's interesting! I suppose I would be a bit concerned that we wouldn't know if they'd done anything of consequence unless we re-assessed them once they came back, but it's horses-for-courses I guess. We're an HEI so we have some Police Officer apprentices for example who are pretty much always learning whilst on-the-job so we'd almost certainly have to re-assess them when they came back.