End-Point Assessment
To complete any apprenticeship, an apprentice must complete a final assessment, which will evaluate their skills, knowledge and aptitude. Known as the End-Point Assessment, this must be conducted by a third party End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO).
This organisation must be separate from the employer or the training provider, as their assessment of any apprentice must be completely impartial. Only once the End-Point Assessment has successfully been completed will an apprentice be able to receive their apprenticeship certificate.
The EPAO should be appointed before the apprenticeship begins. The parameters and format of the assessment is defined by the Trailblazer group that puts together the Apprenticeship Standard.
It’s then simply a case of choosing an EPAO for your apprenticeship. The EPAO should be listed on the Register of End-Point Assessment Organisations.
Once appointed, your training provider should manage the relationship with the EPAO on your behalf and they should also be responsible for paying them. Indeed, the cost of the End-Point Assessment should be included in the overall cost of the training that you agree with your training provider.
Yes, you can! Many employers will be guided by their training provider on which EPAO to select for these assessments, but the employer is ultimately in control, and if you’re not keen on the EPAO your training provider recommends, you can select your own one, as long as they are listed on the Register.
Yes, the End-Point Assessment is covered by your levy contributions and shouldn’t cost more than 20% of the maximum amount for the apprenticeship training.
If you’re not a levy-payer, however, the cost of the EPA should be paid separately to the overall training costs. For more info on how this all works, check out the government’s guidance here.