Active IQ first to market with Level 4 Sports Coach End-point Assessment

@Active__IQ is the first to market with the launch of its End-point Assessment (#EPA) for the new Level 4 Sports Coach standard. At the same time, its End-point Assessment for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist has also been approved, bringing Active IQ’s growing EPA portfolio to 17 apprenticeship standards.

“Both standards demonstrate real progression in their respective fields by including a high level of specialism and professionalism in both the training and assessment,” says Tad Chapman, Active IQ Head of EPA. “People aspire to Level 3 and Level 4 apprenticeships which are held in high regard by employers. We are delighted to have added these two to our portfolio and especially to be the first to market with the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA.”

The Level 4 Sports Coach standard trains learners to use extensive technical and tactical sports knowledge and skills to design and deliver coaching programmes that engage, motivate and evolve participants’ skills and performance. Active IQ works closely with training providers and employers to support their apprentices by providing a comprehensive set of resources in a toolkit form, setting and managing the EPA timeline and helping apprentices prepare for their project, presentation and observation assessments.

The new Level 4 Sports Coach standard is in high demand from employers and apprentices. As the first EPA organisation to be approved by IFATE, Active IQ effectively triggered the opening of the application process for the apprenticeship that should take around 18 months to complete.

“We put the Level 4 Sports Coach EPA front and centre in our 2021 plan in response to industry demand,” says Tad. “We understand that many community sports clubs, NGBs and schools are keen to have more sports coaches available to help rebuild their provision post-pandemic. With apprentices signing up now, this new standard is literally putting boots on the ground to help facilitate growth and advancement in coaching.”

The Level 4 Sports Coach standard has three pathways: Community Coach; School Coach and High Performance Coach. Active IQ has End-point assessors with expertise in all three areas and is therefore offering a full complement of options to apprentices and employers.

Alongside this, Active IQ is also approved as an EPA provider for the Level 3 Customer Service Specialist standard. This cross-sector apprenticeship is equally relevant to transport, logistics and manufacturing as it is for the leisure sector. With transferable skills, it is much sought-after by apprentices, particularly attracting people who are currently working in a customer service role or department.

The ‘specialist’ element of this Level 3 standard combines a range of higher-level professional skills when managing direct customer support including acting as a referral point for dealing with more complex or technical customer requests, complaints and queries. As with all Active IQ EPA packages, this comes with a comprehensive toolkit for learners, support in managing their EPA timeline and specific eLearning programmes to help apprentices prepare for their practical assessments and interview.

“This standard is the ideal progression route for people currently working in their organisations as leaders, managers, supervisors of customer service teams or functions,” says Tad. “It transcends every sector, with the knowledge, skills and behaviour involved in dealing with customers and coping with conflict being highly transferable.”

Apprenticeships are increasingly favoured as a means of vocational training, believes Tad. “Apprenticeships are all about the journey and give learners an unprecedented chance to gain valuable work experience as they develop their skills,” says Tad. “There really is no substitute for being absorbed in the work environment and engaging in an employer-focused setting and apprentices emerge considerably more experienced and skilled at the point of exit compared to their point of entry.”

As a fully approved EPAO since 2017, Active IQ offers employers a guarantee that any apprentice assessed and certified by its team will fully meet the required standard specified within an apprenticeship assessment plan. To ensure consistency, Active IQ has been working closely with trailblazer groups and employers to ensure that apprentices are fully equipped and ready to achieve a strong foundation on which to build their career.