Off-the-job training (OTJ) was one of the major changes made to the Apprenticeship Funding Rules for 2022/23.
Replacing the 20% rule, from 1 August 2022 newly recruited full-time apprentices need to receive a minimum average of 6 hours off the job training per week.
To help apprenticeship providers stay compliant when calculating and planning off the job training, we’ve put together a summary of the key changes to the rules.
- Full-time is defined as 30 hours per week or more. For part-time apprentices you need to pro rate the part time hours to extend the duration and to calculate the number of off the job hours. So, for an apprentice working 15 hours per week, the OTJ should be 3 hours per week, but the apprenticeship duration should be twice that of a learner working 30 hours per week.
- Even if the apprentice works more than 30 hours, the minimum of 6 hours per week remains the same.
- 6 hours per week is the average across the duration of the apprenticeship. This can be front-loaded for example with full-time classroom-based attendance at the start. If you are front-loading your delivery, don’t forget to leave enough OTJ content so that you comply with another new rule [P36.2] to evidence “some active learning…has taken place at least every 4 weeks” until they reach Gateway.
- The duration on which you base the calculation is from the practical period start date to the practical period end date. No OTJ can take place after the apprentice has passed Gateway and is ready for end-point assessment.
- Only activity defined as eligible in the funding rules can be counted as OTJ.
- Just as importantly, the activity has to be included in the apprentice’s Training Plan to be eligible – so if you add in new activity to make up more hours, don’t forget to update the Training Plan (and that it’s signed by you, the employer and apprentice).
- 6 hours per week is the minimum. Always plan to deliver more than the minimum in case there’s an issue at audit with your evidence, recording or calculation. Under delivery of OTJ can lead to the whole value of the apprentice file being clawed back because technically that’s not an eligible apprenticeship.
For more information:
Watch Tribal's Funding Rules webinar here
Find more top tips on best practice for managing and recording off the job training here
For the full rules: Apprenticeship funding rules - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
For template and more guidance on off the job training: Apprenticeships: off-the-job training - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
