Carlisle College is celebrating after one of its Apprentices became the first in the country to complete the Maintenance and Operations Engineering Technician End-Point Assessment remotely with awarding organisation, EAL.
As the specialist awarding organisation for industry, EAL is independent from Carlisle College and ensures that Apprentices are assessed consistently within the final stage of their Apprenticeship programmes.
The End-Point Assessment is designed to assess whether an apprentice has met the requirements of the apprenticeship programme and is fully competent in their specific job role. As the country continues to adapt and make changes due to the pandemic, End Point Assessments have had to move to remote methods to comply with social distancing measures.
Regan Smith, Engineering Technician Apprentice at Pirelli successfully completed his End Point Assessment remotely. Regan said: “It was a different experience than I am used to in terms of assessments, as it was live streamed to the awarding organisation rather than it being in person. It was quite intense at times. Both Carlisle College and my employer Pirelli have been supportive throughout the Apprenticeship programme. I am now employed full-time. I would recommend an Apprenticeship to anyone considering it, it’s a great opportunity allowing you to learn on the job, get paid and gain a qualification.
Annette Collins, Head of Customer Service Delivery, End-Point Assessment at EAL, said: “Remote End-point Assessment, from the most reputable industry specialist, is being deployed wherever possible, to ensure that the flow of highly qualified skills is available to the sector at the very moment it needs it most.
“EAL is utilising its experience and energy to minimise disruption to thousands of young people’s lives and ensure that their apprenticeships are not disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As part of the Enginuity group, EAL is investing in new ways of using digital technology to deliver in-demand skills and a raft of innovative enhancements to learners and industry.”
Carlisle College currently works with over 700 apprentices across 350 local leading businesses and has an extensive apprenticeship provision of more than 30 programmes including Business Administration, Construction, Customer Service, Engineering, Human Resources, IT and Motor Vehicle, ranging from Level 2 through to Degree Level.
Martin Norris, Business Development Manager at Carlisle College, said: “In these unprecedented times it is important that our Apprentices are able to achieve what they set out to do at the beginning of their Apprenticeship Journey and it is fantastic that we are able to celebrate their achievements after a such a challenging year. It also provides recognition to the local businesses and employers, such as Pirelli, who have continued to support their Apprentices throughout the pandemic.”
All those interested in applying for an Apprenticeship can find out more about the programmes on offer at Carlisle College and join the talent pool at carlisle.ac.uk.
If you feel that you could offer someone an Apprenticeship in your business, or you would like to upskill an existing member of staff, please visit carlisle.ac.uk for more information or contact apprenticeships@carlisle.ac.uk.
