Deep Dive into Procurement Apprenticeships: Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant
Procurement apprenticeships have become more and more popular over the last few years, but that doesn’t mean everyone knows exactly what a procurement apprenticeship is. In fact, the more popular they become the more companies are assuming it’s just a free way to get staff CIPS qualified.
So is it a free way to get staff CIPS qualified? No. And also yes. Lets take a look.
What is a Procurement and Supply Chain Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship standards are training programmes which combine practical training with academic knowledge for people in full time employment. An apprenticeship has to be at least 12 months, allow trainees to gain income from work while they’re studying, and result in a qualification at the end.
Apprenticeships all have a list of Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours which apprentices must be able to prove them have achieved throughout the course which will come from a combination of their in class study, readings, and set tasks.
What is the apprenticeship levy, and who pays for it?
In plain speak - Companies with a wage bill of £3 million or more have to pay into the levy, and they can then use that money, topped up by the government, to put their staff into apprenticeship training.
Non-levy paying companies can use it too! If your company doesn’t pay in then they have to pay 5%, which in the case of the Level 3 works out to £600. Not bad for a full qualification.
How much does a Level 3 Procurement apprenticeship cost?
A Level 3 procurement apprenticeship costs £6000 and that includes all of the CIPS qualification, the books, and the exams. The only thing now included is CIPS membership, which you need for sitting exams. That’s because it’s a professional body membership fee so the cost can’t be claimed from the levy.
Who is the Level 3 procurement apprenticeship actually for?
The level 3 procurement apprenticeship is aimed at people who are
New in procurement
Have limited knowledge of procurement
Work in other operational departments
or have low risk procurement responsibilities.
It essentially works as an introduction to all things procurement, and to key terms that may be unfamiliar.
How long does a Level 3 Procurement Apprenticeship take?
The Level 3 procurement and supply assisstant apprenticeship during is set at 18 months, with the first 12 month comprising of your CIPS study, then on to End Point Assessment which you’ll have a maximum of 6 months to complete.
What’s included in a Level 3 Procurement Apprenticeship?
There’s lots included in the Level 3 procurement apprenticeship!
CIPS Level 3 qualification
CIPS Level 3 Profex Textbooks
CIPS Level 3 modules taught by our industry expert tutors
Full Mock CIPS Exams
Access to all ABA learning resources
A person skills coach to guide you and conduct reviews
Support for your End Point Assessment
What is the Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant Apprenticeship End Point Assessment (EPA)?
The EPA period will start, and the EPA will be booked, once your employer is satisfied that you are are consistently working at or above the level set out in the occupational standard, and that all of the gateway requirements for EPA have been met.
The EPA consists of 2 assessment methods:
The Project report
A presentation & questioning
Performance in the EPA will determine the apprenticeship grade of fail, pass or distinction overall.
What are the benefits of a Procurement Apprenticeship?
There’s loads of benefits both for the student, and for the employer.
Procurement Apprenticeship Benefits for Students:
Master essential procurement skills through the study of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours
Learn problem solving with non-routine tasks and new ways to interpret information
Learn to naviage procurement regulations
Improve your career trajectory
Procurement Apprenticeship Benefits for Employers:
Upskill your team
Strengthen your team’s abilities
Improve productivity as apprentices gain confidence and experience
What if a Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant Apprenticeship isn’t right for me?
If it’s not right for you, don’t worry! There’s other options available:
What if I don’t want to study an apprenticeship?
We teach direct funded CIPS courses at all levels too, so if you want to get CIPS qualified but don’t want to commit to an apprenticeship just Get In Touch.
What if a level 3 Procurement Apprenticeship isn’t right for me?
We also offer the Level 4 Procurement Apprenticeship as a starting point, which you can find out about here.
How do I join a Level 3 Procurement Assistant Apprenticeship?
Simple, just drop us a message. We’ll have a chat and get things started.