In the last week of April, IMI assessed four apprentices at Arriva’s Edmonton, London bus depot. Another assessment of bus and coach apprentices at S&B Automotive Academy is planned to take place this month, according to Barry Williams, IMI end point assessment manager – south.
Unlike traditional apprenticeships, whose ‘VRQ’ system consisted of repeated bands of classroom learning, workshop practice and then assessment with trailblazers’ end point assessments are ‘synoptic’: that means that they cover the entire three years’ scope of work of the Level 3 course.
For bus and coach technicians, the end-point assessment itself consists of two 90 minute-online knowledge tests and a one-day practical skills test and a one-hour competency-based professional discussion.
Lloyd Mason, training consultant and former Arriva engineering development manager, says: “The aim is to raise standards and produce highly-skilled apprentices as demanded by the industry. I believe the new bus and coach and HGV apprenticeship end-point assessments (EPAs) will help to improve skills. The apprentices that succeed will be better prepared for the engineering challenges in current and emerging technologies.”
Last month, IMI also carried out its first end point assessment for the heavy goods vehicle technician trailblazer, of three apprentices at Easton & Otley College (Norfolk). However, in that case, it is not the only registered assessor: City and Guilds is also registered. And for the new LCV technician apprenticeship, originally approved in 2015, assessors include not only IMI, but also City and Guilds, EAL and Autoexel.