The Level 4 Learning and skills mentor, and the 38 providers delivering it.
Supporting learners of all ages and all levels, to develop within a new work role.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn how to plan, deliver and review one-to-one and group mentoring across a range of settings. The programme covers mentoring theory and models, how to establish mentoring contracts, assess starting points, set agreed outcomes and track progress. Apprentices also develop skills in questioning techniques, constructive feedback, record-keeping, safeguarding, and data protection. A significant thread throughout is reflective practice: understanding how personal values and beliefs affect mentoring, and using evaluation models to improve over time.
Day-to-day responsibilities
Week to week, an apprentice in this role will be conducting mentoring sessions with individuals or small groups, writing and updating action plans, and maintaining records that meet confidentiality and data protection requirements. They will assess where a mentee is starting from, agree goals, and regularly review progress. They may refer mentees to other professional services when needs fall outside the mentoring scope. Sessions can take place face to face or remotely, and the apprentice will interact with colleagues at various levels, from trainees to senior managers.
Career outlook
On completion, common job titles include learning mentor, vocational mentor, technical mentor, occupational mentor, and academic mentor. Some move into training coordination or learning and development roles with broader organisational responsibility. The qualification is recognised across a wide range of sectors, including healthcare, construction, manufacturing, the military, education, and professional services. Employers range from large public sector organisations and NHS trusts through to private training providers, colleges, and employers running in-house apprenticeship or development programmes.
38 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Newbury College provides high-quality learning opportunities for individuals and employers in West B...
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...
Pier Training (Pier Technology Limited trading as Pier Training) is a UK apprenticeship and commerci...
Hugh Baird College is an Ofsted outstanding further education college and University Centre based in...
MBKB is an Ofsted Outstanding training provider delivering apprenticeships and professional programm...
South Gloucestershire and Stroud College (SGS College) delivers a broad apprenticeship offer alongsi...
Span Training and Development is a government-funded training provider with over 30 years’ experienc...
Riverside Training is a government‑approved apprenticeship and training provider with over 29 years’...
Optimum Skills is a North East-based training and apprenticeship provider offering flexible programm...
South Devon College is a further and higher education provider offering a wide range of apprenticesh...
Haddon Training is a specialist apprenticeship and alternative education provider focused on equine,...
New College Swindon is a further and higher education college offering a broad apprenticeship and pr...
Logistica Training is a UK-based training provider offering apprenticeships and short courses design...
The Childcare Company is a national apprenticeship training provider specialising in Early Years, ch...
Tend Training is a national training provider that has been delivering apprenticeships and vocationa...
National Upskill is a privately owned, independent apprenticeship and skills development provider op...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Completing this apprenticeship typically leads to formalised mentoring roles within an existing organisation rather than a sector change. Common job titles include Learning Mentor, Vocational Mentor, Occupational Mentor, and Technical Mentor. Some completers move into Tutor or Training Mentor positions, particularly where their subject specialism is in demand. The qualification is often taken by people already working in a relevant role, so completion frequently means stepping into an official, recognised mentoring capacity within the same team or department.
Progression paths
Over three to five years, mentors often take on broader responsibility for mentoring programmes, moving into Senior Learning Mentor or Mentoring Coordinator roles. Those drawn to leadership may progress into training management or learning and development management positions. The specialist track tends to run toward roles such as Lead Practitioner or Internal Quality Assurer, particularly in organisations with formal quality frameworks. Longer term, some move into coaching qualifications at Level 5 or above, or into education and training roles that combine mentoring with formal teaching.
Where these roles sit
Employers span almost every sector in the UK. The NHS and wider healthcare system, the armed forces, further education colleges, construction firms, manufacturing businesses, and local authorities all employ people in dedicated mentoring roles. Large private sector employers with structured apprenticeship or graduate programmes also recruit for this work. The role appears in both large national organisations and smaller specialist training providers, across public, private, and voluntary sector settings.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Learning takes place alongside employment, with the apprentice building competence in mentoring practice through real workplace activity. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway stage, where the employer and training provider confirm that the required knowledge, skills and behaviours have been met. Final assessment then judges whether the apprentice can genuinely perform the role: conducting mentoring sessions, managing mentee relationships within ethical and legal frameworks, and applying reflective practice. 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
Keeping records throughout the programme is essential, not something to tackle at the end. Apprentices should gather evidence from real mentoring activity as they go: session records, notes on mentee progress, examples of feedback given, and reflections on their own practice. Working closely with both the employer and training provider to understand what good evidence looks like will make the gateway stage more straightforward. Consistent record-keeping, honest self-reflection, and a commitment to continued professional development all contribute to demonstrating readiness for final assessment.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Providers worth considering will have an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, with apprentice satisfaction scores that suggest tutors are accessible and responsive rather than hands-off. Because mentoring practice is inherently reflective, look for evidence that the programme builds in structured supervision or peer review opportunities, not just taught content. Ask whether the provider has experience delivering this standard across more than one sector, since the occupation appears in healthcare, construction, business and elsewhere. Employer satisfaction scores above 70% suggest the provider is genuinely engaging with line managers, which matters when the apprentice's mentoring work happens on the job.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers with high enrolment numbers but a falling achievement rate, which can signal under-resourcing of coaching and pastoral support for apprentices who are themselves learning to support others. Vague descriptions of how reflective practice is assessed, or no clear explanation of how mentoring models are taught and applied in real workplace contexts, are warning signs. Providers who cannot explain how they handle safeguarding knowledge (K1, S1) within delivery, or who offer only generic coaching content without reference to mentoring theory and ethics, are unlikely to meet the standard's requirements.
Questions to ask before you commit
- What mentoring models and frameworks do you teach, and how do apprentices apply them during the programme rather than just at end-point assessment?
- How do you support apprentices to develop reflective practice, and what does that look like in your programme structure?
- What is your current achievement rate for this standard, and how does it compare to previous years?
- How do you handle the safeguarding and data protection knowledge requirements, given that apprentices will be working with potentially vulnerable mentees?
- Can you show examples of how apprentices have evidenced the behavioural standards, particularly around equality, diversity and professional boundaries?
- What ongoing contact do you have with the employer throughout the 12 months, and how do you coordinate with line managers on the apprentice's mentoring caseload?
- Do you have experience delivering this standard in our sector, and what adjustments do you make for different organisational contexts?
Common questions
Who is eligible to apply for this apprenticeship?
There are no universal entry requirements set in the standard itself, so employers and training providers set their own criteria. Candidates typically need enough English and maths to complete the programme, usually GCSE grade 4 or equivalent, though some providers accept functional skills. Applicants must be employed in a role where they genuinely support others' learning and development, since the apprenticeship is built around real mentoring practice in the workplace.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like?
The typical duration is 12 months, though the actual length depends on the apprentice's prior experience and how quickly they demonstrate the required competence. Apprentices remain employed throughout and learn while doing their job. A portion of contracted hours must be spent on off-the-job learning, such as training sessions, guided study and skills practice. The current specification on gov.uk sets out the exact requirements, which are subject to change under ongoing Skills England reforms.
How is the apprenticeship assessed?
Before taking the end-point assessment, the apprentice must reach the gateway, the point at which the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met all knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements. Assessment methods for many standards are being reviewed, so check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the definitive approach. Broadly, the apprentice will need to demonstrate competent mentoring practice, including session delivery, reflection and professional conduct, rather than simply passing a written exam.
How does an employer pay for this apprenticeship?
The funding band for this standard is £5,000, which is the maximum amount of apprenticeship funding that can be used. Levy-paying employers draw that cost from their digital apprenticeship service account. Non-levy employers pay 5% of training costs and the government contributes the remaining 95%. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing; the government covers the full training cost. Any costs above the funding band cap are met by the employer.
What does someone in this role actually do day to day?
A learning and skills mentor works directly with individuals or small groups to support their development towards agreed goals. Day-to-day tasks include planning and delivering one-to-one or group mentoring sessions, setting and reviewing action plans, assessing progress against agreed outcomes, and providing structured feedback. They maintain confidential records of mentoring activity, follow safeguarding and data protection requirements, and refer mentees to specialist support when needed. Mentoring can take place face to face or remotely, depending on the organisation.
What can an apprentice do after completing this qualification?
Completing this apprenticeship opens routes into more senior learning and development roles. Many graduates move into positions such as learning mentor, training mentor, vocational mentor or tutor, taking on broader caseloads or more specialist areas. From there, progression towards roles in education management, workforce development or coaching is common. Some go on to study for further qualifications at level 5 or higher, such as a teacher training qualification or a degree-level programme in education or human resources.
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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: 694.
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.