IfL pays tribute to apprenticeship trainers

Thursday 9 February 2012

To mark National Apprenticeship Week, the Institute for Learning (IfL) is calling for the trainers who deliver high-quality apprenticeships and other work-based training to be recognised for their important contribution.

IfL’s chief executive, Toni Fazaeli, said, “Trainers, tutors and assessors are key to making apprenticeships excellent, and this week especially it is fitting that we should celebrate the work they do. Setting aside the current debates about vocational qualifications, branding and the proper length of apprenticeships, we should acknowledge that what distinguishes the truly great successes for young and adult apprentices is professional and expert training, assessment and assessment feedback for learning.

“More than 14,000 trainers and assessors in work-based learning are members of IfL. Our third annual review of continuing professional development (CPD), just published, found that trainers in work-based learning carried out on average 61 hours of CPD in 2010-11, more than double the number required of them. Between them, IfL members in work-based learning spent over 580,000 hours on professional development, which should directly benefit thousands of apprentices and other learners.

“So far, over 600 work-based trainers have completed professional formation with IfL to gain full professional status of Qualified Teacher Learning and Skills (QTLS) or Associate Teacher Learning and Skills (ATLS), and thousands more have expressed an interest.

“One of IfL’s roles as the professional body for teachers and trainers in further education and skills is to provide support for effective CPD, offer evidence about what constitutes wise investment in CPD, and regularly disseminate information about national and international research on pedagogy – such as Doug Lemov’s extensive research on the very best teaching techniques in the US and Professor John Hattie’s international research on teaching and professional development that works.

“Nobody stays at the level of expert teacher or trainer without continuing appropriate and focused professional development throughout their working lives. This week, as we celebrate the achievements and successes of apprentices and their vital contribution to our communities, businesses and economy, I want to pay tribute to the tutors, trainers and assessors who enable and empower them on their journey. Let us salute the professional trainers who have made the decision to give something back to their profession and who deliver record results for apprentices, year in, year out, by being committed to brilliant teaching and learning, and to their own professional development.”
 

Note

Click here to download the 2010–11 IfL review of CPD: CPD for the future: the networked professional in PDF format.