We deliver Business Improvement Apprentice Training for:
“I am enjoying the apprenticeship. It was a bit difficult to begin with, as it has been a long time since I have done any form of this type of learning. By using data, it has shown me the areas to focus on to make improvements. I am dealing with facts and data now, not just my own opinion. I feel much more confident now using the tools that I have learned, and I think this will make the process of problem solving and continuous improvement much easier for me.” – Ellen Irvine, Improvement Technician Apprentice, Pirelli
Read the testimonial on the apprenticeship program from Jason Cairns, Pirelli’s Lean Champion, here
Read more about Apprenticeships via the National Apprenticeship Service here
Please note that Advanced Analytics Solutions acquired the apprentice training business of Michel D Akers Consulting (“MDA” in the above statement) in 2020 and you will find us listed in the Register of Approved Training Providers under that name. We do not provide training and End Point Assessments to the same apprentices.
Apprenticeship Training Providers typically use Black Belts to deliver their Level 4 training. Our team of instructors are all experienced Master Black Belts (with an average of more than 10 years’ consulting experience at this level) with certification from reputable blue-chip companies and consultancies such as Ford and Accenture. That means we are uniquely well-equipped to train and coach to a very high standard, as well as supporting your business as you deal with challenges such as project selection, leadership engagement and the effectiveness of project Sponsors. This means you will get excellent business results in the form of valuable projects completed by confident, motivated apprentices.
Our preference is to work with companies who are looking to deliver these business and people benefits, rather than those who are satisfied just to have their apprentices get through the program.
The Apprenticeship requirement of 20% off-the-job work closely matches the normal approach to Green Belt training, you should regard this as a minimum rather than a budget.
This is an average – there will be weeks (such as those involving training) where the time dedication needs to be more than 20% and other weeks where it will be less.
The program requires enrolment for at least 12 months, followed by a formal End Point Assessment (EPA) about 2 months later – this comprises an exam, a project review and a professional interview.
We will help your Apprentices prepare for the EPA exam with tests, quizzes and practice papers
We also help with the project review and professional discussion by providing case studies to work on and conducting practice interviews for a few brave volunteers!
As End Point Assessors ourselves, we know what is expected, but we do not conduct EPAs for at companies for whom we are also Training Providers.
Improvement Practitioners will need to have achieved a Functional Skills Level 2 in both English and Maths. This is equivalent to a GCSE Grade 4 (or C grade in the previous system) in order to complete their certification.
For those who did not quite reach this level at school, or do not have proof of their qualifications, we can offer the required Functional Skills training and exam during the Apprenticeship, at no additional cost to your company.
Please note that the Improvement Practitioner course contains some quite technical elements, so capability equivalent to Level 2 maths should be seen as a minimum to be effective on this program.
Our Functional Skills and Apprenticeship training programs are grounded in real-world scenarios, not abstract theories. Many people find that this make it easier than the maths they were taught at school.
Our training program covers the full range of knowledge, skills and behaviours that has been established as a requirement for Improvement Practitioners by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).
You can download our program details here without any need to register.
We also provide training for Improvement Technicians, Improvement Specialists and Improvement Leaders.