By this we mean that:

• The apprentice must have a contract of employment which is long enough for them to complete the apprenticeship successfully (or they must be employed by an Apprenticeship Training Agency).
• The cost of the apprentice’s wages must be met by the employer.
• The apprentice must have a job role within the organisation that provides the opportunity for them to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to achieve their apprenticeship.
• The apprentice must have appropriate support from within the organisation to carry out their job role.

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Apprentice Off-The-Job-Training

Off-the-job training is defined as learning which is undertaken outside of the normal day-to-day working environment and leads towards the achievement of an apprenticeship. This can include training that is delivered at the apprentice’s normal place of work but must not be delivered as part of their normal working duties.

The off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship framework or standard and could include the following:-

• The teaching of theory (e.g. lectures, role playing, simulation exercises, on-line learning, legislative training);
• Practical training; shadowing; mentoring; industry visits and attendance at conferences.
• Learning support and time spent writing assignments.

Remember
If there is no need for new skills there is no need for an apprenticeship.

It does not include:

• English and maths (up to Level 2)
• Progress reviews / on-programme assessments
• Training outside the apprentice’s paid working hours

How Should Off-The-Job Training Be Delivered?

• It is up to the employer and training provider to decide an appropriate delivery model. This may include regular day release, block release and special training days/workshops.
• A minimum of 6 hours per week for full time workers or at least 20% of the working hours each week for part time staff should be spent on training (Our apprentices will need a minimum of 1 day per week to complete this high level apprenticeship).
• Off-the-job training cannot be delivered solely by distance learning.

Existing Employees

Existing employees may also undertake the apprenticeship scheme as long as they are learning new skills or significantly enhancing existing skills.

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For more information please contact the Apprenticeship employer helpline.

Email: nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk   

Telephone: 0800 0150 600

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Level 4 Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioner

Revenues and Welfare Benefits Practitioners perform various roles in local authorities or their contractors, in software companies that provide processing services to authorities (such as benefit assessment, revenues administration and collection or customer service) and in, housing associations or organisations supporting people in their dealings with local authorities.

These organisations can range in size and employ from 10 to over 1,000 staff. They deal with many aspects of council tax, business rates, housing benefit, local council tax support and related matters.

Organisations have different structures, with some officers only dealing with one of these aspects and others dealing with multiple aspects. Consequently, the exact responsibilities of the role will vary depending on the employer and exact role in which the individual is employed.

Benefits of an IRRV Apprenticeship

• The IRRV Apprenticeship can be tailored to the specific work area that the apprentice works in. A variety of learning products enable the apprentice to acquire rounded knowledge and also gain a broader understanding of Revenues and Benefits. This will enable them to deliver improved customer service. 
• An IRRV apprentice obtains IRRV membership, which is included in the fee. This adds significant value to the contract. The apprentice gains access to: the IRRV's prestigious monthly journal, Insight; the IRRV's monthly newsletter containing the latest Government announcements/legislative changes; membership of their local IRRV association which allows free access to seminars and networking events. Subject to agreement with their employer, the apprentice could also attend the IRRV's flagship annual conference and the spring conference to further their knowledge and understanding.

• The key benefit for the apprentice, and the employer, Successful apprentices will be awarded a Certificate in Local Taxation, Revenues and Welfare Benefits; this would enable them to become a Technician member of the Institute. It is important to stress this is separate to our regulated qualifications with OFQUAL. If the apprentice continues to be a member of the IRRV, they will be able to use the designatory letters ‘IRRV (Tech)’ after their name. This increases the status of the individual and shows that the employer has a highly skilled, customer centric workforce. This status of membership is often part of the essential criteria, requested by local authorities and the private sector, when advertising technical, supervisory and management roles.

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Enrolment Stages

In order to determine if a member of your staff is suitable / eligible for the Apprenticeship Programme and the associated Government Levy funding, the IRRV must undertake a number of initial processes. See below for a high level overview of the stages we follow. 

Stage 1 

The IRRV Apprenticeship Coordinator has an initial discussion with the Local Authority levy paying employer to discuss their requirements..

To arrange an initial discussion with the IRRV Apprenticeship Coordinator please click here and an email requesting contact will be automatically sent to the Apprenticeship Team

Stage 2 

If, after the initial discussion, the employer wishes to take this forward, the Apprenticeship Coordinator will email a link to an application form to the employer. The potential learner and employer need to complete the relevant parts of the application form and save it within the IRRV's apprenticeship system.

If, according to the information on the form, the member of staff appears to still have a lot to learn, they will be approved for the next stage of the process.

If there are any doubts about the existing levels of knowledge / competence  i.e. they appear to already have full or high levels of competence in their current job role, the Coordinator will query this with the employer as they may not be eligible for levy funding. Only those who still require substantive new, or significantly enhanced, technical skills, knowledge and behaviours are eligible for an apprenticeship.

Stage 3

The apprentice and workplace mentor / line manager watch a pre-induction video. The learner is then asked to complete an 'Assessment of Prior Learning'.

Stage 4

An IRRV tutor reviews the outcome of the 'Assessment of Prior Learning' and conducts a 1-1 meeting with the applicant. The tutor completes the final eligibility checks. If deemed eligible for levy funding, the final learning plan and individual fee is negotiated / agreed with the employer.

Stage 5

All new learners, regardless of whether they can prove with original certificates that they already have the required English and maths Level 2 qualifications, must complete an initial assessment in English and maths to identify any required additional learning support. 

If a learner has already attained Level 2 qualifications in English and maths, they must provide their original certificates for us to verify this. For a fee, copies can be obtained from the Government's website. 

If they do not have Level 2 qualifications, they must be enrolled onto Level 2 functional skills in English and maths, as they must have Level 2 English and maths in order to proceed to the final End Point Assessment, after completing their apprenticeship programme. 

The employer must agree to give learners time in their working hours to complete English and maths functional skills, in addition, to the time given for the Apprenticeship.

Stage 6 

Induction Day - Attended by the apprentice and their workplace mentor. This is the official start date of the Apprenticeship programme.