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L3Apprenticeship1593 approved providers
The Level 3 Event Assistant, and the 3 providers delivering it.
Working in an events company or events department in an organisation, helping event planners and project managers to organise and host events.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn how to support the planning, coordination, and delivery of events from initial brief through to post-event review. This includes managing logistics, communicating with suppliers and venues, handling budgets under supervision, and ensuring events run to schedule. The apprenticeship develops skills in project coordination, client communication, risk assessment, and on-site event management. Apprentices also build an understanding of health and safety requirements, event documentation, and how to evaluate whether an event has met its objectives.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Week to week, an event assistant might be liaising with venues to confirm booking details, updating event timelines and run-of-show documents, sourcing quotes from suppliers, and responding to delegate or client queries. Closer to an event, they help with logistics planning, preparing briefing packs, and coordinating deliveries. On event days, they assist with setup, registration, technical checks, and troubleshooting. Between events, they support budget tracking, maintain supplier lists, and help with post-event reporting.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Event Coordinator, Event Executive, or Junior Event Manager. From there, progression often moves into senior coordination or management positions, with some people specialising in areas like conferences, exhibitions, experiential marketing, or venue operations. Employers range from dedicated event agencies and production companies to in-house event teams in sectors including hospitality, corporate services, sport, and the public sector. It is a practical route into a career where experience and a portfolio of delivered events carry significant weight.
3 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
City College Plymouth
City College Plymouth is a further education college offering a wide range of apprenticeship and voc...
City of London Corporation
The City of London Corporation delivers apprenticeships and adult learning through its Adult Skills ...
Access Creative College
Access Creative College is a national independent training provider specialising in creative educati...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to roles such as Events Coordinator, Events Assistant, Conference Coordinator, or Venue Coordinator. Some completers move into more defined specialist positions, such as Exhibition Coordinator or Corporate Events Coordinator, depending on the sector they trained in. The role usually involves managing bookings and supplier relationships, coordinating logistics, and supporting lead event planners on larger projects from brief through to delivery.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, coordinators commonly progress to Events Manager or Senior Events Manager, taking ownership of full project budgets and client relationships. From there, the path splits: a leadership track moves toward Head of Events or Events Director, with responsibility for a team and a portfolio of accounts. A specialist track can lead to roles such as Exhibition Producer, Conference Producer, or Brand Experience Manager, focusing on a particular format or sector.
Where these roles sit
Employers hiring at this level include dedicated event agencies, in-house events teams within large corporations, professional associations, charities, universities, local authorities, and venue operators such as hotels and conference centres. The public sector runs a steady volume of conferences and civic events, while the private sector spans financial services, technology, pharmaceuticals, and retail. Both agency and client-side roles are common entry points.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place on the job, working alongside event planners and project managers while building competence across the full event cycle, from initial planning through to delivery and post-event review. Before final assessment can begin, the apprentice and employer confirm readiness at a gateway point, where evidence of the required knowledge, skills and behaviours must be in place. Final assessment then determines whether the apprentice can perform competently in the role. Assessment models for many standards are currently being updated as part of ongoing reforms, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Evidence from real work is the foundation of a strong submission, so keeping records throughout the apprenticeship matters far more than trying to reconstruct events at the end. That means logging contributions to events, noting decisions made, and gathering feedback from colleagues or clients as work happens. Working closely with both the employer and training provider to track progress against the standard's knowledge, skills and behaviours will help ensure nothing is missing when the gateway review arrives.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the relatively contained duration of this standard. Employer satisfaction scores matter here: because event work is project-based and fast-paced, providers who maintain close contact with employers throughout the programme, rather than at induction and end-point only, tend to produce more work-ready completers. Check whether the curriculum covers live event logistics, supplier coordination and client communication, not just event theory. Learner reviews mentioning real event placements or simulated live briefs are a positive signal.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious if a provider cannot explain how apprentices get exposure to actual events during the programme. Event assistance is a practical role and classroom-only delivery is a poor fit. A high volume of starts combined with a declining achievement rate suggests the provider may be over-recruiting without the employer network to support learners through live project work. Vague answers about how they handle the varied employer types on this standard, from in-house corporate event teams to independent event companies, are also worth probing.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What does a typical week look like for an apprentice on this standard, and how much of it involves working on real events?
- How do you support apprentices in smaller event teams where there may be limited internal mentoring?
- What end-point assessment organisations do you work with, and what is your recent EPA pass rate?
- How do you keep the curriculum current with industry expectations around supplier management, health and safety, and digital event formats?
- Can you share anonymised examples of roles apprentices have moved into after completing this standard?
- How many apprentices are currently on this standard with you, and what is your cohort completion rate over the last two years?
- What is your process if an employer's event calendar is quiet and an apprentice is struggling to meet their off-the-job hours?
Common questions
What qualifications or experience does someone need to start an Event Assistant apprenticeship?
There are no mandatory prior qualifications set at national level, though individual employers and training providers may ask for GCSEs in English and Maths, or equivalent. Apprentices must be in paid employment for the duration of the programme. Some employers look for candidates with a genuine interest in events, customer service experience, or strong organisational skills, but this varies by employer. Check with your chosen provider for their specific entry criteria.
How long does the apprenticeship take, and how is the learning split with the job?
The typical duration is 18 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior learning and pace of progress. Apprentices are employed throughout and learn on the job alongside structured off-the-job training. The exact proportion of off-the-job learning is subject to current government reforms, so check gov.uk or the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education website for the most up-to-date requirements before starting.
How is the apprenticeship assessed, and what is the gateway?
Before moving to end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, a point at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all the required criteria and is ready to be assessed. Assessment models for many standards are being updated under current reforms, so check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the exact methods in use. The apprentice must demonstrate competence across the knowledge, skills, and behaviours set out in the standard.
How does an employer pay for an Event Assistant apprenticeship, and what does it cost?
The funding band for this standard is £9,000, which is the maximum government contribution. Larger employers with the apprenticeship levy use levy funds to cover training costs. SMEs without the levy typically pay 5% of the training cost, with government covering the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing. Costs are paid directly to the training provider, not upfront as a lump sum.
What does an Event Assistant actually do day to day?
The role sits within an events company or an events department and involves supporting event planners and project managers with the practical work of organising and delivering events. That typically includes coordinating logistics, communicating with suppliers and venues, managing event materials, updating schedules, handling attendee queries, and assisting on-site during events. The mix of tasks will depend on the employer's sector, whether that is corporate events, hospitality, charities, or public sector organisations.
What can an apprentice do after completing this apprenticeship?
Completing this apprenticeship opens a path toward more senior events roles, such as Event Coordinator or Event Manager. Some apprentices progress to a higher or degree-level apprenticeship in project management or business, depending on the employer and their career direction. Others move into permanent roles within the same organisation or use the qualification to apply for positions across sectors including hospitality, marketing agencies, venues, and public sector events teams.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 159.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.