V1.3
This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the building services engineering senior technician apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.
Building services engineering senior technician apprentices, their employers and training providers should read this document.
A full-time building services engineering senior technician apprentice typically spends 36 months on-programme. The apprentice must spend at least 12 months on-programme and complete the required amount of off-the-job training in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.
The EPA should be completed within an EPA period lasting typically 4 months.
The apprentice must complete their training and meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA. The EPA will assess occupational competence.
An approved EPAO must conduct the EPA for this apprenticeship. Employers must work with the training provider to select an approved EPAO from the apprenticeship providers and assessment register (APAR).
This EPA has 2 assessment methods.
The grades available for each assessment method are below.
Assessment method 1 - technical project report and presentation with questioning:
Assessment method 2 - professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio:
The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the apprenticeship:
The EPA will be taken within the EPA period. The EPA period begins when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements are met and is typically 4 months.
The expectation is that the EPAO will confirm the gateway requirements are met and the EPA begins as quickly as possible.
The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice is occupationally competent. That is, they are deemed to be working at or above the level set out in the apprenticeship standard and ready to undertake the EPA. The employer may take advice from the apprentice's training provider, but the employer must make the decision. The apprentice will then enter the gateway.
The apprentice must meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA.
They must:
Portfolio of evidence requirements:
The apprentice must compile a portfolio of evidence during the on-programme period of the apprenticeship. It should only contain evidence related to the KSBs that will be assessed by the interview / professional discussion [delete as appropriate]. It will typically contain 10 discrete pieces of evidence. Evidence must be mapped against the KSBs. Evidence may be used to demonstrate more than one KSB; a qualitative as opposed to quantitative approach is suggested.
Evidence must cover the following areas:
Evidence sources may include evidence of work undertaken which may be supported by:
This is not a definitive list; other evidence sources can be included.
The portfolio of evidence should not include reflective accounts or any methods of self-assessment. Any employer contributions should focus on direct observation of performance, for example, witness statements, rather than opinions. The evidence provided should be valid and attributable to the apprentice; the portfolio of evidence should contain a statement from the employer and apprentice confirming this.
The EPAO should not assess the portfolio of evidence directly as it underpins the discussion. The independent assessor should review the portfolio of evidence to prepare questions for the discussion . They are not required to provide feedback after this review.
Gateway evidence must be submitted to the EPAO, along with any organisation specific policies and procedures requested by the EPAO.
The assessment methods can be delivered in any order.
The result of one assessment method does not need to be known before starting the next.
The project assessment method involves the apprentice completing a significant and defined piece of work that has a real business application and benefit. This process may include for example, research, analysis and the completion of tasks or activities to achieve the outcome. The assessment method will have an output at the end of the defined piece of work. The work completed for the project assessment method must meet the needs of the employer’s business and be relevant to the apprentice’s occupation and apprenticeship.
This assessment method has 2 components:
completion of the defined piece of work for the project with a project output
completion of the defined piece of work for the presentation with questions and answers
Together, these components give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. They are assessed by an independent assessor.
This EPA method is being used because the technical project reflects an employer’s building services engineering challenges and is typical of the apprentice’s everyday work, ensuring that they can demonstrate KSBs in practice. As part of a building services engineering senior technician's role, they will be expected to plan and carry out technical projects, using appropriate engineering principles, theories, processes, and advanced mathematical and data analysis skills, before evaluating and proposing appropriate building engineering solutions, with consideration for a range of factors, back to various audiences through reports, presentations and discussions. Therefore, this method of assessment is deemed as the most appropriate for this occupation as it accurately reflects the environments and current workplace tasks of the apprentice. The technical project report, presentation and questioning allow for effective assessment of the KSBs assigned to this assessment method.
The apprentice must complete a project based on any of the following:
The EPAO must provide a project assessment method specification. It must detail how a project can enable an apprentice to meet the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade. The EPAO must also provide suggested project titles.
The project output must be in the form of a report and presentation.
The apprentice must start the project after the gateway. The employer should ensure the apprentice has the time and resources, within the project period, to plan and complete their project.
The apprentice may work as part of a team to complete the project, which could include internal colleagues or technical experts. The apprentice must however, complete their project report and presentation unaided and they must be reflective of their own role and contribution. The apprentice and their employer must confirm this when the report and any presentation materials are submitted.
The report must include at least:
The report must also include:
Apprentices will undertake a technical project after they have passed the gateway and produce a report that appropriately covers all of the KSBs assigned to this method of assessment.
The EPAO will issue the technical project brief to the apprentice at gateway aligned to their engineering specialism.
The technical project brief will reflect a real work-based building services engineering challenge in a subject area, providing a focus on an area such as:
The technical project brief, designed and issued by the EPAO, will typically be 500 words in length. The EPAO will design and issue guidance with the technical brief.
Technical project reports must include:
The apprentice must prepare a technical project report with appendices of supporting evidence relating to the technical project. The technical project report and all appendices of supporting evidence directly demonstrating performance of KSBs must be attributable in full. Evidence must be accompanied by a witness statement outlining the apprentice's contribution, signed by the apprentice and their employer authenticating it.
Examples of appendices of supporting evidence may include:
This is not a definitive list and other evidence sources apart from self-reflection are permissible..
To allow the apprentice to apply for professional registration on completion of the apprenticeship, two independent assessors must holistically assess all assessment methods, in line with the independent assessor requirements set out in this plan. They will have equal responsibility in grading the assessment. The use of two independent assessors will enable the provision of balance to assessment, to bring in greater breadth and depth of technical expertise to questioning and discussion with the apprentice, elucidating more accurate grading decisions.
In the event that the two independent assessors cannot agree on whether to grade the technical project and presentation with a pass, fail or distinction, the EPAO is required to moderate in accordance with their moderation procedures. The EPAO will then make the final decision on the grade to award based on the assessment evidence presented.
The project report must have a word count of 3500 words. A tolerance of 10% above or below is allowed at the apprentice’s discretion. Appendices, references and diagrams are not included in this total. The apprentice must produce and include a mapping in an appendix, showing how the report evidences the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.
The apprentice must complete and submit the report and any presentation materials to the EPAO by the end of week 6 of the EPA period.
The presentation with questions must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.
The apprentice must prepare and deliver a presentation to an independent assessor. After the presentation, the independent assessor must ask the apprentice questions about their project, report and presentation.
The presentation should cover:
The presentation with questions must last 30 minutes. This will typically include a presentation of 10 minutes and questioning lasting 20 minutes. The independent assessor must use the full time available for questioning. The independent assessor can increase the time of the presentation and questioning by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to complete their last point or respond to a question if necessary.
The independent assessor must ask at least 5 questions. They must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in line with the EPAO’s training. Follow up questions are allowed where clarification is required.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions is:
The apprentice must submit any presentation materials to the EPAO at the same time as the report - by the end of week 6 of the EPA period. The apprentice must notify the EPAO, at that point, of any technical requirements for the presentation.
During the presentation, the apprentice must have access to:
The independent assessor must have at least 3 weeks to review the project report and any presentation materials, to allow them to prepare questions.
The apprentice must be given at least 1 days’ notice of the presentation with questions.
The apprentice may choose to end the presentation early. The apprentice must be confident they have demonstrated competence against the assessment requirements for the assessment method. The independent assessor or EPAO must ensure the apprentice is fully aware of all assessment requirements. The independent assessor or EPAO cannot suggest or choose to end the assessment methods early, unless in an emergency. The EPAO is responsible for ensuring the apprentice understands the implications of ending an assessment early if they choose to do so. The independent assessor may suggest the assessment continues. The independent assessor must document the apprentice’s request to end the assessment early.
The independent assessor must make the grading decision. They must assess the project components holistically when deciding the grade.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:
The presentation with questions must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises. It should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.
The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
EPAO must produce the following materials to support the project:
The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.
In the professional discussion, an independent assessor and apprentice have a formal two-way conversation. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate their competency across the KSBs as shown in the mapping.
This EPA method is being used to assess those KSBs that are not likely to occur in the technical project report. Building services engineering senior technicians will be expected to be able to discuss their portfolio, where evidence and results of work-based tasks or projects carried out as part of their apprenticeship, can be used to underpin assessment in a formal setting and where apprentices’ will be able to explain their work in detail.
The professional discussion must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this EPA method to the highest available grade.
The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be to:
The EPAO must give an apprentice 3 weeks notice of the professional discussion.
The independent assessor must have at least 3 week(s) to review the supporting documentation.
Apprentices must have access to their portfolio of evidence during the professional discussion.
Apprentices can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence, however the portfolio of evidence is not directly assessed.
The professional discussion must last for 40 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the professional discussion by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.
For the professional discussion, the independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed. The independent assessor must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in-line with the EPAO’s training. The professional discussion must allow the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this EPA method at the highest possible grade.
The independent assessor conducts and assesses the professional discussion.
The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. The records must include the KSBs met, the grade achieved and answers to questions.
To allow the apprentice to apply for professional registration on completion of the apprenticeship, two independent assessors must holistically assess all assessment methods, in line with the independent assessor requirements set out in this plan. They will have equal responsibility in grading the assessment. The use of two independent assessors will enable the provision of balance to assessment, to bring in greater breadth and depth of technical expertise to questioning and discussion with the apprentice, elucidating more accurate grading decisions.
In the event that the two independent assessors cannot agree on whether to grade the technical project and presentation with a pass, fail or distinction, the EPAO is required to moderate in accordance with their moderation procedures. The EPAO will then make the final decision on the grade to award based on the assessment evidence presented.
The professional discussion must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO (for example the EPAO’s or employer’s premises).
The professional discussion can be conducted by video conferencing. The EPAO must have processes in place to verify the identity of the apprentice and ensure the apprentice is not being aided.
The professional discussion should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.
EPAOs must write an assessment specification and question bank. The specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs shown in the mapping. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. EPAOs should maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting employers. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this. The assessment specification and questions must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.
EPAOs will develop purpose-built question banks and ensure that appropriate quality assurance procedures are in place, for example, considering standardisation, training and moderation. EPAOs will ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard.
EPAOs must ensure that apprentices have a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.
EPAOs must produce the following materials to support the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio:
The EPA methods contribute equally to the overall EPA grade.
Performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of:
Independent assessors must individually grade the: technical project report and presentation with questioning and professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio according to the requirements set out in this EPA plan.
EPAOs must combine the individual assessment method grades to determine the overall EPA grade.
Apprentices who fail one or more assessment method will be awarded an overall EPA fail.
Apprentices must achieve at least a pass in all the EPA methods to get an overall pass. In order to achieve an overall EPA ‘distinction’, apprentices must achieve a distinction in both assessment methods.
Grades from individual assessment methods should be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA as a whole.
Apprentices who fail one or more EPA method(s) can take a re-sit or a re-take at the employer’s discretion. The apprentice’s employer needs to agree that a re-sit or re-take is appropriate. A re-sit does not need further learning, whereas a re-take does.
Apprentices should have a supportive action plan to prepare for a re-sit or a re-take.
The employer and EPAO agree the timescale for a re-sit or re-take. A re-sit is typically taken within 4 months of the EPA outcome notification. The timescale for a re-take is dependent on how much re-training is required and is typically taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification.
Failed EPA methods must be re-sat or re-taken within a 6-month period from the EPA outcome notification, otherwise the entire EPA will need to be re-sat or re-taken in full.
Re-sits and re-takes are not offered to apprentices wishing to move from pass to a higher grade.
An apprentice will get a maximum EPA grade of pass for a re-sit or re-take, unless the EPAO determines there are exceptional circumstances.
The EPAO must have reasonable adjustments arrangements for the EPA.
This should include:
Adjustments must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.
Internal quality assurance refers to how EPAOs ensure valid, consistent and reliable EPA decisions. EPAOs must adhere to the requirements within the roles and responsibilities section and:
The Engineering Council, and registered with a relevant professional engineering institution (PEI)
Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:
This apprenticeship standard is designed to prepare successful apprentices to meet the requirements for registration as a:
Engineering Council (EngTech) for level 4
| Version | Change detail | Earliest start date | Latest start date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3 | Occupational standard and end-point assessment plan revised. Update to mandated qualifications and reinstate component 2 information | 05/09/2024 | Not set |
| 1.2 | Occupational standard and end-point assessment plan revised. | 03/04/2024 | 04/09/2024 |
| 1.1 | Standard, funding band and end-point assessment plan revised | 01/07/2022 | 02/04/2024 |
| 1.0 | Approved for delivery | 08/05/2018 | 30/06/2022 |
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