Providing apprenticeships during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak

Following the Prime Minister's announcement on 4 January 2021 confirming a new national lockdown a new version of the Apprenticeship Programme response to COVID-19 has been published. The new guidance can found on the governments' apprenticeship programme response page .

It confirms that:

• Training providers, employers and EPAOs must ensure that training and assessment takes place remotely wherever possible.

• Face-to-face training and assessment can continue in colleges and training providers' premises for vulnerable young apprentices and the children of key workers who need it.

• Face-to-face training and assessment can also continue in employers' covid-secure settings where it is essential for workers to attend their workplace, and where it is safe and practical to do so.

• End-point assessment (EPA) and Functional Skills (FSQ) assessments can continue in colleges, training providers' premises, assessment venues and workplaces where it cannot be conducted remotely and where providers and end-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) judge it right to do so.

The guidance will be updated regularly as there is a need.