The Standard
The apprenticeship standard lays out requirements for apprentices on the Level 4 Software Developer apprenticeship. The standard defines criteria to meet in order to pass in each of the two assessment methods. These criteria relate to a collection of Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours to fulfil.
Assessment methods
There are two assessment methods for the apprenticeship:
For a detailed breakdown of each of these, see the End-point Assessment page. In short, the portfolio is a collection of documentation of what an apprentice has worked on in the 9 - 12 months leading up to Gateway; and the final project is a piece of work completed in the late stage of the apprenticeship. Each assessment method has its own set of criteria.
Both assessment methods are accompanied by a 60 minute discussion with an assessor. This is where an apprentice can give detail on how they've met the criteria. They will be asked questions relating to the crtieria and give answers which demonstrate their Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours.
Throughout the apprenticeship
For the first 12 months of an apprenticeship (which includes the 12 week full-time training with FAC), an apprentice is not eligible to enter EPA Gateway. During this time, their key focus should be building a portfolio which meets the required Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. The portfolio focuses on the work they are doing with their employer and should be documentation of real projects rather than work completed during the training, or other learning time. Contributing small amounts often keeps the portfolio up to date and removes the burden of writing up a lot of documentation just before Gateway.
As an apprentice gets closer to their 12 month mark, it's time to scope out the final project and decide something to work on that meets those KSBs.
During the apprenticeship, Founders and Coders will work with employers and apprentices to ensure that progress is being made towards EPA. We'll also ensure that an apprentice has the relevant qualifications to be eligible to enter EPA Gateway.