Overview
We provide information on the following Apprenticeships:
The new QCF
Following consultation in 2009 we can confirm that we will continue to offer S/NVQs when the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) is implemented. SVQs will be placed on the Scottish Credit and Level Framework.
The NVQs and SVQs are based on the Customer Service National Occupational Standards (NOS) and these have now been revised and were approved by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) in January 2010. All of the Units for the NVQs have now been entered on the QCF and, from these, the Awarding Bodies are developing new Customer Service NVQs. In Scotland the process should be completed by the end of March 2010.
The new S/NVQs will go live on 1 August 2010 and the current NVQs and SVQs will expire on 31 July 2010.
We will also be updating the Customer Service Apprenticeships during May and June, and will incorporate the new customer service NVQ and SVQ qualifications by 1 August 2010. In England new Technical Certificates will be developed where appropriate.
Awarding Bodies and the Institute will give employers and centres time to see the new qualifications and Modern Apprenticeships in a series of implementation workshops which will run from April to June 2010. In these wrokshops you will be able to see what the new qualifications look like and discuss how the Modern Apprenticeships will change.
Apprenticeships are planned, work-based programmes of training, learning and assessment for anyone aged 16 or over who is not in full-time education. They allow individuals to combine paid employment with the opportunity to receive training, learn new skills and gain a nationally recognised qualification.
There is no fixed timeframe for the completion of an apprenticeship as the framework for each one varies considerably in content and size, but typically an apprenticeship will take between one and four years to complete.
Customer Service Apprenticeships
There are eight Customer Service Apprenticeships in the UK:
Level 2
- Apprenticeship in Customer Service – England
- Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service – Scotland (under development)
- Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service — Wales
- Customer Service Apprenticeship NI – Northern Ireland
Level 3
- Apprenticeship in Customer Service – England
- Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service — Scotland
- Modern Apprenticeship in Customer Service — Wales
- Customer Service Apprenticeship NI – Northern Ireland
Contact Centre Apprenticeships
There are seven Contact Centre Apprenticeships in the UK:
Level 2
- Apprenticeship in Contact Centres — England
- Foundation Modern Apprenticeship in Contact Centres — Wales
- Apprenticeship in Contact Centre Operations NI — Northern Ireland
Level 3
- Advanced Apprenticeship in Contact Centres — England
- Contact Centre Professionals Modern Apprenticeship — Scotland
- Modern Apprenticeship in Contact Centres — Wales
- Apprenticeship NI in Contact Centre Operations — Northern Ireland
ICS is responsible for the management, development and maintenance for all the Customer Service and Contact Centre Apprenticeships throughout the UK.
Apprenticeships in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In England and Wales off-the-job training, normally on a day-release basis with a local training provider, is funded either by the employer or wholly or in part by government funding agencies, i.e. the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) in England, the Welsh Assembly Government Department for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills (DCELLS) in Wales and the Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DELNI).
The apprenticeship frameworks in England and Wales contain the following elements:
• An appropriate work-based qualification such as a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) at either Level 2 or Level 3
• Key Skills qualifications, e.g. communication, using information technology, problem-solving
• A technical qualification such as a BTEC or City & Guilds relating to the specific apprenticeship
• Employment Rights and Responsibilities
• Other qualifications or requirements as specified by the particular occupation.
For training providers in England and Wales who deliver Customer Service Apprenticeships or Contact Centre Apprenticeships we provide a wide range of information and resources, including the current frameworks, and all necessary documents for certification.
If you are an individual looking for an apprenticeship, or an employer who is considering whether apprenticeships might be the right solution for your organisation, please visit the Apprenticeships website to find out more.
Apprenticeships in Scotland
The responsibility for the National Training Programmes (NTP) in Scotland transferred from Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to Skills Development Scotland (SDS) on 1 April 2008. The NTP consists of four national programmes including Modern Apprenticeships. SDS may provide partial funding for Modern Apprenticeships while some employers provide funding.
The Modern Apprenticeship framework is made up of:
• A Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) at Level 3
• Core Skills
• Industry specific training.
Visit the SDS website to see how you can benefit from becoming a Modern Apprentice and to find details of how employers can become involved.
For training providers in Scotland who deliver Customer Service Apprenticeships or Contact Centre Apprenticeships we offer a wide range of information and resources, including the current frameworks and all necessary documents for registration and certification.
Apprenticeships in Northern Ireland
The Department of Employment and Learning in Northern Ireland (DELNI) issues Apprenticeship certificates in Northern Ireland.