The Level 3 Learning and skills assessor, and the 28 providers delivering it.
Assessing vocational learners, usually on a one-to-one basis, in a range of learning environments.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn how to plan, conduct and record assessments against agreed occupational standards. The programme covers a range of assessment methods and the principles that make assessment valid, reliable and fair. Learners also develop skills in giving constructive feedback, setting realistic goals for learners, and referring individuals to appropriate support when needed. Quality assurance is a core thread throughout, including contributing to standardisation and moderation activities, maintaining accurate records, and meeting data protection requirements. Apprentices are also expected to keep their own occupational competence current through ongoing professional development.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A typical week involves planning and carrying out assessment activities with learners, either face to face or remotely, often in practical vocational settings. Apprentices make formal assessment judgments, write up records using digital platforms or management information systems, and give written or verbal feedback. They attend standardisation meetings to calibrate decisions with colleagues, liaise with internal quality assurers, and track learner progress against qualification frameworks. Caseloads vary by sector, but managing multiple learners at different stages of their programmes is the norm.
Career outlook
Completing this apprenticeship leads directly to roles such as assessor, vocational tutor or training facilitator. From there, progression typically moves into internal quality assurance, lead assessor positions, or curriculum and programme coordination. Employers span a wide range of sectors, including NHS trusts and social care providers, armed forces training departments, further education colleges, construction and engineering firms, and private training providers delivering apprenticeships. Assessors with strong subject specialism can move into curriculum design or external quality assurance roles with awarding organisations.
28 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Academy for Project Management (Academy4PM) is a specialist project management organisation that del...
Medipro is a UK-based independent specialist in accredited clinical, health and medical education, w...
The University of Derby is a UK higher and further education institution that works closely with emp...
NHTA is a specialist training provider focused exclusively on hairdressing and barbering, offering g...
Access Training is an established, award‑winning training provider based on Team Valley in Gateshead...
Linden is a specialist apprenticeship training provider delivering tailored, industry-focused progra...
SBC Training is a Shropshire-based training provider delivering apprenticeships and vocational train...
ActivFirst Training is a fast-growing education and training provider specialising in government-fun...
West Suffolk College is a further education and apprenticeship provider based in Bury St Edmunds, of...
Apprenticeships at Salford City College form part of the Salford City College Group and provide appr...
Professional Development Training is a Birmingham-based management development and coaching provider...
Skillnet is a UK-based apprenticeship and training provider specialising in the automotive and relat...
Train Together is an Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ independent training provider delivering apprenticeships an...
HTP Apprenticeship College is a specialist vocational training provider offering apprenticeship and ...
Smart Training & Recruitment is a UK apprenticeship and training provider offering sector-focused pr...
Acorn Training is a national training provider delivering apprenticeships, training, employability s...
Tameside College is a further education college based in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, prov...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads into roles such as Assessor, Vocational Assessor, Workplace Assessor, or Training Facilitator. Some completers move into blended tutor-assessor positions, particularly in further education colleges or training providers delivering apprenticeships. The qualification is recognised across sectors, so entry-level assessing roles exist in healthcare training departments, armed forces education units, construction training centres, and private training organisations alike.
Progression paths
With a few years of assessing experience, practitioners commonly move into Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) roles, taking responsibility for standardisation, moderation, and the quality cycle across a team of assessors. From there, senior paths include Lead IQA, Quality Manager, or Head of Quality and Compliance within a training provider or employer-based learning team. Those who prefer to stay closer to learners often specialise as Lead Assessor or Curriculum Lead, shaping assessment strategy for a particular vocational area rather than moving into management.
Where these roles sit
Assessors work across a wide range of UK settings. Training providers and further education colleges are the largest employers, but significant numbers work inside NHS trusts, local authorities, armed forces training establishments, and large private-sector employers with in-house apprenticeship or compliance training programmes. Construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and professional services all maintain dedicated assessment functions, making this a genuinely cross-sector occupation rather than one tied to a single industry.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, the learner builds competence while working in an active assessing role, putting assessment planning, decision-making, feedback, and quality assurance into practice with real learners. Before final assessment can begin, the apprentice goes through a readiness check, sometimes called a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm that the apprentice has met the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Final assessment then confirms whether the apprentice can perform the full assessor role to the standard required. Assessment models across many standards are currently being updated, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a body of evidence throughout the programme is far more manageable than trying to gather it at the end. Learners should keep records of their assessment planning, judgements, feedback given, and contributions to standardisation and moderation as these activities happen in the workplace. Working closely with both the employer and the training provider to track progress against the knowledge, skills and behaviours will make the gateway readiness check more straightforward. Maintaining a reflective log of professional development activity is also useful, as continuous improvement is central to the role.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
A strong provider for this standard will have assessors on their delivery team who hold current occupational competence in the sector they assess, not just generic training qualifications. Check the achievement rate on their FATP profile: above 65% is a reasonable baseline for a 12-month programme at this level, and above 75% signals consistent delivery. Employer and apprentice satisfaction scores both matter here, because the apprentice is themselves learning to assess others, so the quality of feedback they receive directly models the practice they are expected to develop. Ask to see how the provider structures standardisation and moderation activities within the programme, since these are assessed competencies, not just background context.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers who talk about assessment theory at length but cannot show how apprentices practise making real assessment judgements during the programme. A high learner volume paired with a declining achievement rate suggests capacity problems that will affect the quality of caseload supervision. If a provider cannot explain how they keep delivery staff occupationally current across different sectors, that is a gap, because the standard explicitly requires sector-specific competence. Vague answers about how standardisation and moderation activities are built into off-the-job hours, rather than treated as tick-box exercises, are also a warning sign.
Questions to ask before you commit
- How do your delivery staff maintain occupational competence in the specific sector our apprentice will be assessing in?
- How do you structure standardisation and moderation practice within the programme, and how often will our apprentice participate in it?
- What assessment methods does the programme cover in practice, and how do apprentices build a portfolio of real assessment decisions?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- How do you support apprentices who are assessing in niche or specialist vocational settings?
- What does off-the-job training look like in terms of hours, format and frequency?
- How do you handle an apprentice who falls behind on their assessment caseload or portfolio evidence?
Common questions
Who is eligible to apply for this apprenticeship?
Candidates must be employed in a role that involves assessing learners against agreed standards. They need to hold, or be working towards, occupational competence in the sector they will be assessing in. There are no fixed prior qualification requirements set at national level, though individual employers and training providers may set their own entry criteria. Applicants should check with their chosen provider before applying.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration is around 12 months, though this varies depending on prior experience and employer context. Apprentices remain employed throughout and develop their skills on the job while completing structured learning. A proportion of working hours must be dedicated to off-the-job training. Current requirements for minimum duration and off-the-job hours are subject to ongoing reform, so check the latest specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education pages on gov.uk.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer, training provider and apprentice confirm the apprentice has met the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. The end-point assessment typically tests the apprentice's ability to plan and conduct assessments, make accurate judgements, give feedback and contribute to quality assurance. Assessment models for many standards are currently being reviewed, so check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the exact methods in use.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £5,000, which is the maximum that can be drawn from apprenticeship funding. Levy-paying employers use funds from their digital apprenticeship service account. Smaller employers who do not pay the levy typically contribute 5 per cent of the training cost, with the government covering the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing. All arrangements are managed through the apprenticeship service on gov.uk.
What does a learning and skills assessor actually do day to day?
Day-to-day work involves planning and conducting assessments of learners in vocational or professional settings, face to face or remotely. The assessor selects appropriate assessment methods, makes judgements against agreed standards, and gives structured feedback to support learner progress. They maintain accurate records, contribute to standardisation and moderation activities, refer learners to additional support when needed, and keep their own occupational knowledge current through continuing professional development.
What can an apprentice do after completing this qualification?
Completing this standard positions someone to work as an assessor, training facilitator or tutor across a wide range of sectors. Many go on to take on internal quality assurance responsibilities, moving into roles that oversee and moderate assessment practice across a team. Others progress into curriculum design, learning and development management, or further qualifications in education and training at level 4 and above, depending on their employer's structure and their own career goals.
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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: 695.
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.