The Provision of Apprenticeship Training and Assessment

Sefton Council has responsibility for the timely and effective identification, commissioning and delivery of learning and development activities within the Council, including apprenticeships. The organisation has maintained an excellent track record of apprenticeship delivery and activity since its inception in 2010. Apprenticeships offer the Council an opportunity to re-balance an ageing workforce; build capacity and grow skills to meet its future business needs. These apprenticeships focus on building career pathways for people to gain specific qualifications and expertise the Council requires now and in years to come. We pride ourselves in being open and inclusive and have and continue to support apprentices of all ages. This includes young people including those leaving care, adults, at risk adults and older people, to successfully gain their apprenticeship.

From April 2017 the way the Government funds apprenticeships changed. The Council is required to contribute to an apprenticeship levy and to pay training and assessment providers directly for apprenticeship training and assessment provision. This represents a significant change to the employer-training provider relationship. Apprenticeship levy funds will be managed directly by the Council who will have overall responsibility for a new Apprenticeship Service.

The changes also include the introduction of an apprenticeship target for public sector bodies, which states 2.3% of the workforce must comprise of apprentices. Under the existing funding arrangements we recruit on average 70 apprentices per annum and from April 2017 this equates to an average of 136 apprentices annually (this figure includes community and voluntary controlled schools).

Sefton Council is looking for Training Providers to work in close collaboration with the apprenticeship team to ensure a continued and sustained positive customer experience. Training Providers will be responsible for delivering the following provision:

• To provide the delivery of apprenticeship training and on-programme assessments (for both frameworks and standards).
• For apprenticeship standards this also includes end-point assessments. This is to ensure the required skills, knowledge and behaviours have been learnt throughout an apprenticeship standard.

The Council intends to seek a Training Provider only for each occupational LOT.


It is intended that the contract will run for a period of 12 months with an option to extend for a further 12 months (at the Council’s discretion, per annum) and subject to satisfactory performance.