WINNER
2024
WEST YORKSHIRE
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Apprenticeship Handbook 2026/27
Work. Earn. Learn.
INTRODUCTION Welcome to The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group. We are delighted you have chosen to study your chosen apprenticeship with us. This handbook will provide you with relevant information you may require throughout your apprenticeship journey. If you should have any queries or additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Apprenticeship Team.
CASTLEFORD COLLEGE
SELBY COLLEGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4 7 8 9 10 11 12
Introduction Useful Contacts Your Apprenticeship Programme Important Information IT Systems / College Facilities Support College Sites My Apprenticeship Service Find out more
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WAKEFIELD COLLEGE
USEFUL CONTACTS Apprenticeship Team Tel: 01924 789469 Email: apprenticeships@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk
Apprenticeship Manager Tel: Email: Assessor Tel: Email: Tutor Tel: Email: Designated Safeguarding Officer Tel: 07484 495602 Email: jsmart@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk Attendance Team Tel: 01924 789789 Safeguarding Team Tel: 01924 789755 IT Services Tel: 01924 789212 Email: ITServiceDesk@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk Student Union Email:
studentunion@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk
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YOUR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME Apprenticeships combine work and study, which lead to nationally recognised qualifications. As an apprentice you will: • Be an employee earning a wage and receiving other benefits such as holiday pay. • Work alongside experienced staff • Gain job-specific skills. • Receive time for training and study related to your role. Apprenticeship Standards are developed with employers to ensure you acquire skills, knowledge and behaviours which are pivotal for your chosen career. These are developed at college, your workplace, or a mixture of the two across the duration of your programme. Upon enrolment you will be designated an assessor, whose role is to support and guide you throughout your apprenticeship. They will: • Complete regular reviews with you and your employer to ensure you are making the required progress, meeting off-thejob requirements and discuss any issues that may arise. • Observe you in the workplace to ensure Knowledge, Skills & Behaviours developed meet the apprenticeship standard.
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• Develop your Individual Learning Plan (ILP) with other college colleagues. • Support you and your employer towards Gateway to Completion and Apprenticeship Assessment. Maths & English are embedded into all apprenticeship programmes. Depending on your prior attainment you may be required to complete additional Functional Skills. These are delivered across a block week per subject area, at either our Castleford or Selby Colleges. Your assessor will schedule these dates with you and your employer well in advance of your required attendance.
Lewis Goode Engineering Operative - Fabrication and Welding L2 Apprentice working at TIP Trailer Services UK Ltd (TIP Europe Ltd)
Off-the-Job Training Off-the-job is an essential component and is a legal requirement of all apprenticeship programmes; it should be directly relevant to your apprenticeship standard, allowing you to develop new knowledge, skills, and behaviours: • Teaching of theory i.e., college classes • Practical training such as work shadowing, mentoring industry visits, attendance at competitions • Learning support and time spent writing assignment.
Apprentices are entitled to off-the-job training time during work hours. Any learning taken outside of your paid employment cannot be counted towards your off-the-job training hours required. The number of off-the-job training hours you will need to take and record will depend on which apprenticeship programme you are studying. You will be expected to record and log your off-the-job hours regularly on your Smart Assessor Account. You will be required to meet your minimum off-the-job hours prior to passing through Gateway.
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Completion Prior to completing your Apprenticeship Assessment (discussed below), your employer assessor and training provider will review your knowledge, skills, and behaviours against the minimum requirement of the apprenticeship standard, to ensure you are ready to take the required assessment(s) to successfully pass your Apprenticeship Assessment. To pass through gateway you must: • Display occupational competency. • Have evidence of or pass functional skill levels in English and maths. • Complete mandatory training • Take any qualifications set out in the standard. • Meet the minimum duration for your apprenticeship training. • Complete minimum required off the job hours. • Only apprentices who complete Gateway successfully can start the Apprenticeship Assessment.
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Apprenticeship Assessment is the final stage of an apprenticeship. It is an impartial assessment of your knowledge, skills and behaviours outlined in the apprenticeship standard and may include a mixture of: • Practical assessment • Professional discussion or interview • Project • Written and/or multiple-choice test. • Presentation On occasion apprentices may fail one or more assessment method. On these occasions, college as your training provider and your employer, will work together to improve weaknesses identified during your Apprenticeship Assessment, before resubmitting you for a resit. Once your Apprenticeship Assessment is completed, we will be notified by the Assessment Organisation allowing us to claim and complete your apprenticeship programme. Certificates are released to your employer who will pass these onto you.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION Attendance and Punctuality As an apprentice you are paid for both your time in work and college, and therefore expectations for attendance and punctuality are high: • Expected attendance is at least 95%. • Please ensure you arrive for class and be ready to learn on time. • If you are unable to attend work or college you must notify your employer by following their absence policy and your assessor, as soon as possible. • Automatic absence alerts from college will inform your employer if you do not attend a timetabled college session. If you arrive late for class, they will also be notified.
College ID Badge If you come to college for part of your apprenticeship, you will be issued with your student ID badge at enrolment; this must always be visible whilst on college premises for your safety and that of others. Access to college campuses will be prohibited without your ID badge. Should you lose or misplace your ID Badge please report to reception on your arrival and request a new badge, a small fee will be payable.
Parking Permit
Change of Circumstances
Parking is available at Castleford & Selby Colleges; unfortunately, student parking is not available at Wakefield College. To park on college premises please ensure you have a valid parking permit visible in your vehicle, which can be applied for through Student Portal. Failure to have a valid parking permit visible will result in a noncompliance notice attached to your vehicle, with details passed to your assessor and Apprenticeship Manager. Repeated noncompliance will lead to College Disciplinary Procedure being followed and the parking permit being revoked.
During your apprenticeship programme, changes to your circumstances can occur that affect your apprenticeship programme. These can include redundancy, dismissal, change of employer, prolonged sickness, or pregnancy. It is important that you inform your assessor in a timely manner, should your circumstances change at any point during your apprenticeship.
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IT SYSTEMS Student Portal is the student intranet across the group. Here you can find information to your student record, timetable, and student email: All apprentices will have access to Smart Assessor, which is an electronic portfolio used to: Record your off-the-job hours and the narrative around these. Submit assignments and pieces of evidence. Complete progress reviews. See you progress through your apprenticeship programme. Your designated assessor will provide you with further information on how to use Smart Assessor at your first appointment.
CONNECTING TO WIFI Go to Settings>WiFi then select Eduroam. USERNAME/IDENTITY: Your StudentID@HeartofYorkshire.ac.uk E.g. SMI190001122@HeartofYorkshire.ac.uk PASSWORD: Your Computer Password
Apple Phones After entering the information above, select TRUST at the top right of your screen.
Google Pixel Phones Anonymous Identity: Your StudentID@ HeartofYorkshire.ac.uk Same as identity (see above)
Then Select:
EAO method: PEAP Phase 2 Authentication: MSCHAPV2
CA Certificate: Use system certificates. Online System Certificates: Request system certificates. Domain: Wakecoll.net
Android Phones Then Select: EAO method: PEAP
Phase 2 Authentication: MSCHAPV2
CA Certificate: Do Not Validate
Alternatively, call I.T. Services on 01924 789212 or ask for assistance at the Library Helpdesk. 8 Apprenticeship Handbook - 2026/27
COLLEGE FACILITIES Library
Student Union
Each College has a designated library, which is available for every student to use. You can utilise the online catalogue through your Student Portal account as well as prebook desktop PCs for your use.
As a student of the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group you will be eligible to become a member of the Students’ Union. Student led, with annual elections, they provide a voice to each student across the group. Further information on the student union can be found through the Student Portal page.
Refectory services can be found on each College Site.
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SUPPORT The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group is committed to providing an environment that is healthy and safe to all its students. If you have any concerns or feel unsafe in any way, please speak to your tutor/assessor or the safeguarding team (contact available on contact page) urgently so we can provide you with the required help.
Support Teams We are keen to ensure you are fully supported over the duration of your apprenticeship programme. Alongside your assessor and wider Apprenticeship Team, the following is available to all students: • Careers • Student Experience • Counselling • Additional Learning Support • Financial Support • Safeguarding & Wellbeing All pertinent information about the above plus group policies and procedures can be found on the student Student Portal page, which you are encouraged to review.
My Apprenticeship During your apprenticeship you will be encouraged to widen your knowledge on areas including Equality & Diversity, Safeguarding, Radicalisation & Extremism.
Careers A careers service is available across the group with resources available on your Student Portal account. As you progress towards the end of your apprenticeship programme, your assessor will discuss next steps with you. The Apprenticeship Recruitment Team is available to offer impartial advice and signposting to help you move towards your career aspirations.
Concerns & Complaints If you have concerns or complaints regarding your apprenticeship programme or your employment, please contact your assessor or apprenticeship manager in the first instance to discuss these. The Group’s complaint procedure can be found be on the Student Portal. 10 Apprenticeship Handbook - 2026/27
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MY APPRENTICESHIP SERVICE Upon commencement of your apprenticeship programme, you will be asked to register for a ‘My Apprenticeship’ account. Here you will be able to review and confirm apprenticeship details to provide feedback and access further support. The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group would encourage all apprentices to register. STEP 1 – Action an email received from GOV.UK to create your ‘My Apprenticeship’ Service account. STEP 2 – Review, amend, and confirm the recorded information. STEP 3 – Email received to confirm your account is created. STEP 4 – Once you have been enrolled for three months, you are able to leave feedback on your apprenticeship programme at The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group.
Surveys The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group are keen to collect your feedback over the duration of your apprenticeship journey with us. You will be asked periodically to complete short surveys issued via text message to collect this data. We would encourage all apprentices to complete these.
FIND OUT MORE Visit our websites: www.heartofyorkshire.ac.uk/apprenticeships
t: 01924 789789 www. castleford.ac.uk
t: 01757 211000 www. selby.ac.uk
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t: 01924 789789 www. wakefield.ac.uk
e: info@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk w: www.heartofyorkshire.ac.uk