Personal development review (PDR) can also be used to discuss broader career aspirations and how the development in current role can support future career plans.
Before completing this apprentice application form, please ensure you have discussed how undertaking this apprenticeship will meet personal development needs / career progression aspirations as well as the fit with departmental and council workforce development and planning requirements with your line manager.
We also offer leadership apprenticeships in partnership with the University of Derby and Derbyshire Adult Community Education (DACES) to support our leaders and managers as we move forward. These apprenticeships are run on a cohort basis. There is further information on leadership apprenticeships including application open dates.
It is important to allow sufficient time to complete the application form. The content of the application should provide quality, in depth answers to help understand the individual’s suitability for the apprenticeship.
Personal development review (PDR) development discussion
To help facilitate the conversation, here are some points to consider.
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, publicise the knowledge, skill and behaviour (KSB) requirements for all apprenticeship standards. Jointly reviewing the applicant’s existing skills, experience, qualifications and job role against the relevant KSB’s will facilitate a productive conversation that highlights their areas of strength and skills gaps. In this way you can agree whether the apprenticeship will provide the applicant with the opportunity to acquire substantive new skills and the stretch and challenge required to be eligible for the identified apprenticeship and to answer questions in the match section. Apprenticeship cannot be used to accredit existing skills or knowledge.
Discuss whether this is the correct apprenticeship for the individual needs and aspirations, an apprenticeship is focused on at least 50% new learning. The apprenticeship should help acquire substantive new skills and the content of the learning is materially different from any prior qualification, previous apprenticeship or existing experience.
There is a section about impact and how undertaking development through this apprenticeship will contribute to improved quality and efficiencies in the applicant's current role and will make a measurable contribution to department and council objectives. Pursuing an apprenticeship should be mutually beneficial to both the employee and the organisation.
The capacity section should show an understanding of the challenges and commitment required to undertake an apprenticeship, collaborative and honest discussions about the challenges and commitments of undertaking the apprenticeship are essential in best preparing both the applicant and line manager.
It is worthwhile, even at this stage, discussing how any forthcoming team or service projects could relate to the apprenticeship standard and to commence planning how the individual might get involved.
How the employee and line manager plan to overcome challenges for example completing your functional skills (should you not be able to provide a certificate that evidences your attainment of maths and English and / or the minimum 6 hours per week off the job training how this will be managed).
6 hours per week off the job training reinforces practical, work-based learning with technical and theoretical learning. Examples could include work-based projects, new tasks not undertaken in usual role, lectures, role playing, simulations, exercises or online learning. Other practical based examples include shadowing, mentoring and industry visits.
How to complete the application form
Application form for employees
Confirmations
You are asked to read the employee's privacy notice and to confirm that you have discussed this application with your line manager. This element is critical to both the success of your application and the overall success of your apprenticeship.
Leadership apprenticeships
If applying for one of the following leadership apprenticeships, please select yes or no.
- Senior Leader Apprenticeship (level 7)
- Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (level 6)
- Operations or Departmental Manager Apprenticeship (level 5)
- Team Leader or Supervisor Apprenticeship (level 3)
Personal details including senior managed grade 15 or above contact
Please complete your personal and manager details as requested. You will be required to enter the details of a manager at grade 15 or above in the senior leadership team, this is so that your application if approved by your line manager will be automatically sent to the senior manager. They will then consider your application in line with needs of the department. Senior manager details are not required for Leadership Apprenticeships, the approval process will be managed separately for these applications.
Detailed questions - match, impact and capacity
You are required to provide detailed responses to the questions relating to educational and skills funding regulations.
Answers should detail your personal development requirements and identify how the content of the apprenticeship standard you are applying for will address these.
The information you input will be used to:
- Identify whether this is the correct apprenticeship for your needs and aspirations.
- Prioritise participants if demand exceeds availability for your chosen apprenticeship.
- Confirm your eligibility for this apprenticeship under the government's levy funding rule.
- Evidence, to external auditors and inspectors, the council’s compliance with these rules.
Match
Outline your aspiration for undertaking an apprenticeship, your development gaps and how the apprenticeship can help you acquire substantive new skills.
To be eligible for funding you must evidence how undertaking this apprenticeship will help you acquire substantive new skills. You must also demonstrate that the content of the learning is materially different from any prior qualification, previous apprenticeship or existing experience.
When completing this section it is suggested you focus upon how this apprenticeship will address specific gaps in your skills and knowledge for your current role, perhaps detailing the topics in the apprenticeship that are most valuable to you in addressing these skills gaps. You may also want to describe why the apprenticeship is the best option to meet your skills gaps.
Impact
When completing this section, it is suggested you focus upon how undertaking development through this apprenticeship will contribute to improved quality and efficiencies in your current role and will make a measurable contribution to department and council objectives.
Capacity
As highlighted earlier in the guidance, you are asked to consider the potential challenges of undertaking your apprenticeship. 6 hours per week of your working time will be spent on off-the-job training which will take you away from your day-to-day responsibilities, however, not necessarily from your day-to-day workplace. You could potentially be undertaking functional skills development and will need to have opportunities to broaden experience through professional exposures and taking on different responsibilities. This learning should take place during your paid hours of work.
Functional skills
The level of functional skills to be attained is identified in the apprenticeship standard overview which is available from the Apprenticeship Standards / Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. Evidence does not need to be produced at this stage but will need to be produced at the point of enrolling / assessment of prior learning with the learning provider.
If you cannot produce evidence of your attainment when applying for your apprenticeship you will be required to complete functional skills qualification(s). This is a requirement of the government's apprenticeship funding rules and is non-negotiable. Depending on the apprenticeship learning provider this may be achieved alongside the apprenticeship or prior to commencing.
The level required will be specified, for example grade C / 4 or above.
You will be asked if you can produce evidence of
- English attainment at the level defined by the apprenticeship
- mathematics attainment at the level defined by the apprenticeship and if required by the apprenticeship standard
If you cannot provide evidence of your attainment of any of the required functional skills, you are required to commit to achieving these prior to the end point assessment of the apprenticeship.
For level 2 apprenticeships (including those which commenced before 1 August 2022), where a level 2 qualification in English and maths is not required for the apprenticeship, apprentices no longer need to automatically work towards and attempt level 2 English and maths tests unless:
- they start the apprenticeship with prior attainment at level 1 English / maths, or
- they have since achieved level 1 and have time to make meaningful progress towards level 2
Mentor details
The mentor details are only relevant to applications for leadership apprenticeships (level 5, 6, 7).
You will need to have approached and secured the agreement of a work-based mentor before submitting your application.
It is a requirement of the Higher and Degree Leadership and Management Apprenticeships (level 5 to 7) programme that participants develop a learning support network and as part of that develop a work-based mentoring partnership. The mentor plays a different role to the line manager and this individual should be based in a different organisational team or unit.
You can find more information about the apprentice, line manager and mentor relationship.
Please complete your mentor details as requested.
Applicant commitment
You will be asked to commit to undertaking and achieving all the requirements as defined by this apprenticeship, including functional skills accreditation if appropriate, within the defined timescales and that you understand the benefits both to your development and to the council.
Confirmation of leadership apprenticeship
You will need to confirm if you are applying for one of the leadership apprenticeships listed:
- Senior Leader Apprenticeship (level 7)
- Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (level 6)
- Operations or Departmental Manager Apprenticeship (level 5)
- Team Leader or Supervisor Apprenticeship (level 3)
If this is not the case select N/A.
Apprenticeship details
Read the Apprenticeship Standard details and overviews.
Each apprenticeship will have a ‘typical duration’ for the learning delivery. This will be defined in the relevant apprenticeship standard’s overview. Once the learning delivery is completed you will be required to complete an End Point Assessment (EPA) period which leads to achievement and accreditation of your apprenticeship. Duration and content of EPA varies according to the apprenticeship. If you cannot find details, the average EPA period is 3 months.
Save a copy
Once you have submitted your answers, you are also able to save a copy of them for future reference. To do this click the 'Print or get PDF of answers' button.
Ensure ‘Save to PDF’ is selected in the printer drop down menu and click 'Save'.
Select the appropriate folder to save to, input a document name into the 'File name:' field and click 'Save'.
Once the application is submitted, this will be sent for approval to the line manager and senior manager (grade 15 or above). The outcome will be communicated by email and your line manager will provide feedback on your application.
Leadership apprenticeship
This step will be managed by the leadership development and performance management team / senior HR business partners after the application closing date. Final approval of application will then be subject to an academic review and interview by, as appropriate, either DACES or the University of Derby.