As part of a funded apprenticeship, apprentices must spend at least 20% of their working hours on off-the-job training. It’s an idea that every employer who offers apprenticeships is familiar with—but many of the first images that come to mind are misconceptions.
When you hear the term ‘off-the-job training’, there’s a good chance you’re picturing a stuffy classroom full of slightly bored apprentices. However, there’s a great deal of flexibility in how off-the-job training is delivered and, as a result, opportunities to make it interesting and impactful.
What are the rules around off-the-job training?
The latest UK government guidance sets a minimum threshold of off-the-job training to be eligible for funding. This threshold is:
- 20% of a 30-hour working week
- Excluding statutory holidays of 5.6 weeks
- This results in 278 hours across a 12-month period
This training must be completed within normal working hours.
Other than these obligations, the definition of off-the-job training is broad and flexible. Government guidance describes it as any training delivered within usual working hours ‘for the purposes of achieving knowledge, skills and behaviours’ relevant to the apprenticeship.
There are some key tests to assess training as ‘off the job training’:
- Does it teach new knowledge, skills or behaviours?
- Is it relevant to the apprenticeship?
- Will it happen during normal working hours?
What does off-the-job training really look like?
With such a broad definition, there are numerous shapes that off-the-job training can take. Some of the most common activities include:
- Face-to-face training and workshops
- Online learning
- Revision
- Industry events and trade shows
- Shadowing
- Conducting research and reading
- Completing structured assignments and assessments
Crucially, all this off-the-job training needs to be recorded. Working with a specialist apprenticeship provider can help by bringing all training activities together in the same place with a complete audit trail and detailed reporting.
The power of blended training
While the nature of off-the-job training can be very flexible, it’s easy for apprentices to end up completing repetitive tasks across the course of their apprenticeship. That’s why a blended approach is so key, mixing formats and learning styles to keep off-the-job training fun, engaging and impactful.
Comprehensive training will take in a number of different formats, including 1-to-1 training, coaching, online learning, social learning, workshops and webinars. It can also be effective to give apprentices flexibility around how they complete off-the-job training, as well as tailoring progress through materials around how your apprentice is doing.
While the requirements for off-the-job training may seem intimidating, they don’t have to be. By giving your apprentices multiple ways to learn—from longer workshops to small, bite-sized sessions—this training can be integrated into the everyday routine and balanced against more traditional on-the-job training. As a result, you can give every apprentice the holistic support they need and just the right mix of experience and knowledge.
