How to choose the best apprenticeship training provider

If you have business based across the country, you’ll need to find a national provider. Ensure your chosen provider has the infrastructure required to deliver apprenticeships on a national scale consistently. This means the provider can scale its training provision to meet your needs as a business.

Request examples of training materials to get an understanding of the quality of learner resources, a vital aspect of any successful programme.

A good mark of quality is a provider with an in-house Curriculum Team including sector-specific experts. An internal team will increase accountability and therefore programme quality, and ensure resources are bespoke. Learner reviews and feedback on third party websites offer good insight into provision quality.

Look for providers with a proven track record in your sector working with clients similar to your company. Seek client case studies and testimonials on the provider’s website and on third party review sites.

Understanding the provider’s relationships with clients like your business is a good way of forecasting the success of your future programme. Any evidence of a provider engaging with the wider sector through campaigns or working groups are a good sign of a proactive partner.

Look for awards and accreditations, measures of excellence from an independent third party. Sector-specific accreditations are a useful indicator of the quality of provision within your specific industry. Awards give you an understanding of how the provider compares to other providers and are signs of excellence and innovation.

Certain awards will indicate levels of excellence recognised in the wider training industry beyond apprenticeships. Evidence of clients with award-winning programmes and learners will highlight a proactive training provider that could add extra value to your programme through award nominations.

Choosing a Training Provider with considerable experience delivering training in your industry is important. Every industry is unique, and an experienced provider will have an intricate knowledge of the sector-specific training requirements. For example a hospitality apprenticeship provider will have in depth understanding of the hospitality industry.

Find a provider that has worked with all sizes of employer, from smaller companies with a few apprentices to large brands with thousands. This is evidence of the provider’s ability to scale their provision and a greater insight into all areas of your sector.

Requesting yearly learner completions in your sector from potential providers can be a good indicator of experience.

Understand the extra services offered by the provider beyond the delivery of training, such as apprentice recruitment or a client-focused marketing team. These services should be included within training costs, adding extra value to a provider’s offering.

An array of additional services means a fully-managed programme and support and guidance at every step.