The top reasons learners can fail their apprenticeship end point assessment

EPA is a big deal for apprentices, but not all of them will pass their EPA. In fact, only about 60% of people who take their EPA go on to pass it first time around. So, what can you do if your employer isn't giving you the skills and support needed to succeed?
 

1. Lack of clarity around the knowledge, skills and behaviours that apprentices need to demonstrate during their competency assessment
   • The assessment is about what you can do, not what you know.
   • The assessment is about your skill level, not just that you are able to answer questions or produce work to a certain standard.
   • The assessment is about your ability to apply the knowledge and skills in a real-life situation or context.
   • The apprenticeship end point assessment (AEPA) will test whether or not someone has achieved the required skill levels in order to be considered competent at their job role.
    
2. Apprentices not having regular, quality feedback from their assessor
   The apprenticeship end point assessment is the most important day of your apprenticeship. It’s where you will demonstrate the knowledge and skills you have gained throughout your training, and it’s what separates you from other candidates. This means that it’s crucial to prepare well for this day, but sometimes things can go wrong. To help you get ready for what can be a nerve-racking experience, here are some common reasons why learners fail their apprenticeship end point assessment:
   • They don't prepare properly – If you're thinking about taking an EPC and are preparing for it at home, make sure that you read through all of the course materials thoroughly so that when it comes time to sit down with your assessor, there won't be any surprises or questions left unanswered.
   • They have poor communication with their assessors - This may seem like a no-brainer but communication is key when doing any kind of work with someone else! Communication between apprentice/assessor needs to be open and honest both ways so both parties understand exactly what's expected from each other throughout this process which doesn't always happen in reality unfortunately!
    
3. Not meeting the grading criteria at each stage of the apprenticeship
   Apprenticeship standards are very broad. The EPA is a high-level assessment of the skills and knowledge you’ve gained throughout your apprenticeship, rather than a test of whether or not you can do everything in the standard. In fact, there is no way to pass every element in your job role without being slightly superhuman. That means that if you don’t meet the grading criteria at each stage of the apprenticeship, then even if you have all of the core skills down pat and know exactly what to do every time an issue comes up (and always in order), if one element isn't quite perfect then you will fail
    
4. EPA is about competence in your job role.
   EPA is not only about knowledge or skills. EPA is about how you perform in your job role. If you are in a job role that requires expertise, EPA is about how you perform in relation to your expertise. For example, if you are an engineer who designs bridges for a living and your job role requires knowledge of structural engineering principles

Conclusion
So, there you have it. The top 4 reasons learners can fail their EPA. You’re probably wondering what to do if this happens to one of your apprentices? Well, as we’ve already discussed, it’s important that they don't feel like they have failed—it’s an opportunity for growth and reflection rather than blame or shame. This means keeping them engaged in the process so that they know where improvements can be made next time around (or even this time!). Being supportive is also crucial: make sure your learners feel supported throughout their assessment, so no one feels alone when things aren't going well!