20% ‘Off the Job’Employer Commitment for Apprenticeship programmes A general guide for employers and evidence that the training provider needs to demonstrate.

1. 20% ‘Off the Job’
Employer Commitment for
Apprenticeship programmes
A general guide for Employers

2. What is the 20% ‘Off the Job’
Requirement?
▪ Off-the-job training is defined as learning which takes
place outside of the normal day-to-day working
environment and leads towards the achievement of
the apprenticeship.
▪ It does not include training which takes place outside
the learner’s paid working hours.

3. What is the 20% ‘Off the Job’
Requirement?
The minimum duration of each apprenticeship qualification is based on
the learner working 30 hours per week, or more including any off the job
training – if the learner works less than 30 hours you must extend the
minimum duration pro rata to take this into account ’
- (Apprenticeship Funding Rules Version 3 2017/18)
Anything not written into the standard as mandatory cannot must be paid
for by the employer and cannot be part ‘of off the job training’.
The employer, and the training provider referenced in the Commitment
Statement should agree upon how the 20% is met.

4. How Can the 20% be Met?
• Theoretical Teaching: Study Week/Workshops
• Simulated exercise
• Practical engagement (i.e., role playing)
• Some online learning e.g. webinars/blended learning
• Manufacturer training e.g. new equipment or technologies
• Practical training
• Shadowing
• Receiving mentoring
• Industry visits/visiting other companies/suppliers
• Attendance at competitions
• Visiting other employer departments
• Learning support provided by the provider or the employer (e.g. Identifying a skills
gap as part of a workplace observation and then working with the employer to
educate and address the aforementioned deficit)
• Time spent by the learner writing assessments/assignments

5. What We Cannot Use to Evidence
the 20% Requirement
➢ Enrolment
➢ Induction
➢ Diagnostic assessment or prior assessment
➢ English and maths (up to level 2)
➢ Progress reviews or on programme assessment needed for an
apprenticeship standard
➢ Off the job training ONLY delivered by distance learning
(although including online and other blended learning activity as part of
an apprenticeship, is permissible)
➢ Training that takes place outside the learner’s paid working hours

6. For funding and audit purposes, all
training providers will need to:
✓ ‘ have evidence that the learner spends at least 20% of their time on
off-the-job training recognising that learners may need more than
20% off-the-job training, for example, whether they need to develop
their English and Maths skills…’
It is up to the employer/ training provider how the off-the-job training
is delivered.

7. Evidence that the Training Provider Needs
to Demonstrate:
A collection of documents and information brought together to form a single point of
reference relating to the learning that is taking place. This provides the evidence to prove
that the learner exists and is eligible for funding. The document must be accessible for the
SFA if required.
The pack must also include:
• Details of the negotiated cost agreed between the employer and provider.
• Details of how the 20% ‘off-the-job’ training, excluding English and maths, will be
quantified and delivered.
• Details of how English and Maths will be delivered.
• Details of employment including: the name of the employer and the agreed
contracted hours of employment, including paid training and 20% ‘off-the-job’ time,
the total planned length of the apprenticeship.
• The commitment statement signed and dated by the learner, employer and main
provider.