Off the Job Training

Off-the-job training is defined as learning which is undertaken outside of day-to-day work duties and leads towards the achievement of the apprenticeship. This training takes place within the apprentice’s normal (contracted) working hours. The off-the-job training must be directly relevant to the apprenticeship.

Off-the-job training can take place at many locations including: the workplace, off-site (e.g. classroom) or from home via distance learning.

The off-the-job training activities can often take place at any location as part of a mixed training approach. So remember, it’s the activity, rather than the location, that determines whether the training counts towards the 20% off-the-job training.

The 20% off-the-job training provides the time to focus and develop the required skills, knowledge and behaviours to achieve the apprenticeship. There are lots of activities that can contribute to off-the-job training. The key thing to remember is that it must be relevant to the apprenticeship.

“Off-the-job training is a statutory requirement for an English apprenticeship. It is training which is received by the apprentice, during the apprentice’s normal working hours, for the purpose of achieving the knowledge, skills and behaviours of the approved apprenticeship referenced in the apprenticeship agreement. By normal working hours we mean paid hours excluding overtime.

“It is not on-the-job training which is training received by the apprentice for the sole purpose of enabling the apprentice to perform the work for which they have been employed. By this we mean training that does not specifically link to the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship.”

The table below gives examples of how the off-the-job time can be spent…