The Senior People Professional apprenticeship is right for apprentices who…
- improve people practices in organisations in order to drive organisational performance and effectiveness
- are the in-house experts in people, work and change
- champion the people agenda to create working environments and cultures that help get the best out of people, delivering great organisational outcomes
- interact with a range of stakeholders creating medium to long-term value for a wide audience
- are ambassadors for their organisations and will typically have wide-ranging networks and need to interact with a wide range of internal and external senior stakeholders
- will be responsible for applying their knowledge and expertise to lead the design, implementation and evaluation of people policies and practices aligned to the needs of the organisation and its employees
- keep up to date with relevant legislation and regulation and make timely interventions to ensure their organisation’s relations with its people are effective and compliant
- engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including developing and maintaining strong relationships with senior stakeholders to facilitate engagement on people issues.
- are responsible for seeking out, evaluating and utilising technology to deliver the people strategy
- have some budget responsibility and will be expected to employ continuous improvement approaches to maximise the use of limited resources
- may specialise in Human Resources (HR), Learning and Development (L&D) or Organisation Development (OD)
Gateway requirements
The apprentice is ready for EPA when they have:
- been on the programme for a minimum of one year
- achieved at least Level 2 in Maths and English
- completed a Portfolio and Project Scope
- completed the Gateway Submission Form
- completed the Portfolio Template
Professional Discussion underpinned by Portfolio of Evidence
The Professional Discussion is a two-way discussion with the assessor which assesses all of the grading descriptors allocated to this assessment method.
The Professional Discussion is based on the Portfolio of Evidence submitted at Gateway and will take place after the apprentice has submitted the Project Proposal. The Professional Discussion will be:
- completed three weeks after the submission of the Project Proposal
- carried out via video conferencing (Zoom)
- up to 120 minutes
Project Proposal, Presentation and Questioning
The Project Proposal is a significant piece of work that has a real business benefit. It should be completed once the apprentice has passed through Gateway and should be thoroughly researched, and appropriate for the organisational culture and context. The Project Proposal must have senior leader/board level sign off. The Presentation is an opportunity to expand on aspects of the Project Proposal and demonstrate further evidence against grading descriptors. The Questioning is an opportunity for the apprentice to justify the decisions they have made and their approach.
The Project Proposal is:
- a written report of 7,000 words (+/-10%)
- completed over 12 weeks
- submitted three weeks before the Professional Discussion, Presentation and Questioning
The Presentation is:
- completed three weeks after the submission of the Project Proposal
- carried out over video conferencing (Zoom)
- 20 minutes in length (+/-10%)
The Questioning is:
- completed after the Presentation
- carried out over video conferencing (Zoom)
- 40 minutes in length (+/-10%)
Guidance and resources
The CIPD have created resources which include how to guides, templates and policies. These resources are designed to support apprentices, employers and training providers when preparing for EPA.
Results
Once the EPA is finished the assessor will review the evidence provided and make a judgement against each component of the standard. The outcome of the EPA will be based on the results in both assessment methods.
The results will be uploaded:
- on the EPA platform SmartEPA
- with qualitative feedback
- two to three weeks after the Project Proposal, Presentation and Questioning
The CIPD will apply for the Apprenticeship certificate from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) on behalf of all apprentices who successfully complete EPA.
The
Profession Map
The international standard for all HR, L&D, OD and all other people professionals
Apprenticeship standards we assess
As the professional body for the people profession, the CIPD has huge experience in assessing professional standards for HR, L&D and OD
Roles and responsibilities
As the End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO), we are responsible for delivering robust and accurate assessments. Find out about the responsibilities of apprentices, training providers and employers
End Point Assessment resources
Support materials equipping you for success