End Point Assessor Training.
With the success of the Apprenticeship programme gathering pace in our industry, the IAT put out a call to recruit more “End Point Assessors”, (EPAs). EPAs are needed to assess apprentices who are completing the very final stage of their apprenticeship. As our industry is very diverse in terms of the type of work and species we work with, there is a need for a bank of EPAs who are specialists in a variety of animal species. Having this range of specialists, and more than one per species, means End Point Assessments may be scheduled more quickly and, that one specialist is not covering the whole of the country!
To qualify as an EPA, a Level 3 Award in Teaching and Education, or an equivalent, is needed. Several people asked to be considered to become an EPA but didn’t hold the qualification. As there were sufficient numbers a five-day course was organised and held at the Francis Crick Institute at the start of November. The course was very well organised and well facilitated, with a good amount of resource materials and opportunity to practise what was being shown and discussed. Prior to the course I would have said well “taught”, but now having attended it I know that a good tutor facilitates learning, (Pedagogy Vs Andragogy)!
On one day during the week, others who already held a teaching award and those attending the course joined up. During the day a demonstration of ACE360, (the software used for the apprentice scheme), was given. As someone who goes cold at the thought of using such systems even I could follow it and, it seems a very intuitive system to use. We also had the opportunity to go through a case study to develop questions for the professional discussion an EPA would have with the apprentice at Level 3 and, to review videos used for remote assessment. Jock, along with two experienced assessors, also attended and were able to discuss first-hand experience and to answer questions would be EPAs had, which was very insightful and helpful.