Each role overlaps one another and all parties need to agree the relationship and how it will work moving forward. The mentor and line manager relationship is about the apprentice's progress, sharing information to maximise the developmental support and feedback opportunities provided for the apprentice.
Leadership apprentice responsibilities
- communicating the results of your skills scan and areas for development
- negotiating your involvement in development opportunities that will help you to fulfil the knowledge, skills and behaviours
- articulating your development needs and instigate conversations about your development needs and how you would like to be supported
- engaging in constructive dialogue, be open to challenge and examining issues you may be fearful of or uncomfortable with in order to gain a greater understanding
- receive feedback from others in order to accept and address your areas for development
- being self-motivated, goal and solutions focussed and developing skills to listen to yourself or observe yourself in action
Line manager responsibilities
Part of the apprentice's learning support network you facilitate the 6 hours per week off-the-job training and opportunities to meet the apprenticeship knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSB's).
Off-the-job training is focused on learning new skills rather than assessing existing skills.
It is the responsibility of both the main provider and the employer to ensure that an apprentice spends a minimum of 6 hours per week of their employed time doing off-the-job training. It must be planned, reviewed and evaluated jointly between the apprentice, employer and assessor and mentor and be delivered during contracted working hours.
Off-the-job training is delivered through a variety of methods, for example:
- lectures
- course work
- mentoring
- shadowing
- reflective conversations to discuss skills and how to apply
- self-directed study
- 360-degree evaluation
- changing or improving a new procedure
- a project completed as part of the standards
- completion of reflective log
- meeting peer apprentices and sharing good practice
- industry visits
The apprenticeship will impact the apprentice's behaviour and contributions in the workplace. Review with the apprentice changes in their practice, behaviour and ways of working and link in with the mentor to communicate your observations on a 12-weekly basis.
Mentor responsibilities
Part of the apprentice's learning support network, you are potentially from a different department and you bring a broad impartial perspective. You will sit outside the apprentice's line management, although your professional paths may at times cross.
You will attend the 12-weekly, 3-party review meeting which lasts approximately an hour and is a discussion about the apprentice's progress between yourself, the apprentice and the provider.
Working beyond the apprentice's team and sometimes departmental boundaries, you will develop a broad understanding in the apprentice and help them recognise the 'bigger picture'.
Should you be from a different part of the organisation from that of the apprentice you will link in with the line manager and review changes in practice, behaviour, ways of working that have been observed by the line manager and discuss findings with the apprentice in preparation for the 12-weekly, 3-party review meeting.
A supportive role based on impartial support that encourages innovation and creativity, provides feedback and offers the opportunity to challenge assumptions by asking questions to unlock potential.
Identified goals are discussed collaboratively with the apprentice, are developmental in nature and are not work-based tasks.