This qualification is a competency qualification which is included in an appropriate qualification framework and has been approved by the advanced manufacturing and engineering sector employer groups which is made up a range of employers, providers and professional institutions.

The qualification focuses on the skills, knowledge and behaviours required to achieve the development phase requirements of a relevant apprenticeship standard. This arrangement ensures that when the learner completes the qualification they will have gained knowledge and practical experience of some of the situations that they could face within the occupational sector in which it is being delivered. It covers specific skills knowledge and behaviours of a range of engineering disciplines which have been developed in consultation with engineering industry specialists and training providers to ensure that it meets the needs of industry employers and learners.

Learners must be at least 16 years old. There are no formal entry requirements for this qualification; however centres should ensure that the learners have the potential to achieve this qualification. Learners must have the minimum levels of literacy and numeracy to complete the learning outcomes and the external assessment.

Centres should make learners with particular requirements aware of the content of the qualification and they should be given every opportunity to successfully complete the qualification. EAL will consider any reasonable suggestions for, and from, those with disabilities that would help them to achieve the learning outcomes without compromising the standards
required.

When used as part of an apprenticeship standard, apprentices must have achieved the requirements of the foundation phase of the apprenticeship in line with the apprenticeship standard they are working towards.

• Learners who are working towards a relevant apprenticeship standard
• Learners who are looking to advance to a higher level qualification/apprenticeship

Performance evidence must be a product of the apprentices work, such as items that have been produced or worked on, plans, charts, reports, standard operating procedures, documents produced as part of a work activity, records or photographs of the completed activity together with evidence of the way the apprentice carried out the activities, such as witness testimonies, assessor observations or authenticated apprentice reports of the activity undertaken. Knowledge and understanding are key components of competent performance, but it is unlikely that performance evidence alone will provide enough evidence in this area. Where the apprentices knowledge and understanding is not apparent from performance evidence, it must be Grading criteria assessed by other means and be supported by suitable evidence.

The content and structure of this qualification has been developed to provide the specific level of skills, knowledge and behaviours required to be achieved and assessed to demonstrate full occupational competence in the development phase of the apprenticeship. The qualification units are listed in Section 3.

The qualification has a Min. 1104 - Max. 2252 TQT in hours.

The Guided Learning values can include the following examples in line with regulatory requirements (this is not an exhaustive list and other examples could be used as outlined in regulatory guidance):
• supervised teaching and learning and supervised work-based learning
• all forms of assessment which takes place under immediate guidance or supervision of an appropriate individual (lecturer, supervisor, tutor, mentor, etc.), including where the assessment is competence based and may be turned into a learning opportunity
• supervised e-learning, oral and written questioning, workplace induction
• supervised work: student works under supervision of employer/direct supervisor
• final assessment: student is supervised by employer/direct supervisor during the assessment.

Qualification Manual