Whyy? Change celebrates 2-year partnership with Occupational Awards Ltd

In 2019, Whyy? Change partnered with Occupational Awards Ltd as their End Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) for the Improvement Technician and Improvement Practitioner apprenticeship standards.

Occupational Awards Ltd are a distinguished awarding body and approved end-point assessment organisation, which operate in the food & drink, furniture & wood, learning & assessment and health & safety industries. They aim to be the leading organisation in all their sectors and Support customers to Succeed and Surpass expectations. Whyy? Change has a similar aim of providing business knowledge & services to transform people and industry.

Whyy? Change’s CEO, Ray Byrne, first came across OAL’s Head of Customer Support, Lee Reddington when he was working for OAL’s parent company, National Skills Academy for Food & Drink (NSAFD) as Lee was looking for training providers to tender for Lean & Six Sigma training. Ray describes how the partnership between Whyy? Change and OAL was formed “We met as we were looking for an endpoint assessment company as part of our process of finding the right partner. Lee took the time to visit and understand how we work. Over a period of time, we recognised each other’s strengths and how we could improve the endpoint assessment process to the point that we trusted each other, and we built a long-standing relationship.”

Soon after, Ray and Lee discussed the idea of partnering with OAL to deliver the End Point Assessment (EPA) for the Improvement Technician and Improvement Practitioner apprenticeship standards. Lee recollects

“I was already aware that Whyy? Change delivered these standards and as OAL was the first EPAO approved to carry out EPA for the Improvement Practitioner and Technician standards it made sense for us to work together”.
Lee Reddington, Head of Customer Support at OAL

Following the discussion and planning, Whyy? Change chose OAL as their EPAO. Ray also adds that “The partnership goes far beyond just the technician apprenticeship, we currently use them for the technician standard plus the practitioner standard and as we look for partners, we would be willing to investigate all future options with OAL.”

Partnering with OAL enables Whyy? Change to ensure that the apprenticeship standards are moderated and examined by experts. Enhancing the quality procedures and refinement of the apprentice’s experience.

As part of the EPA process the learners are required to complete 3 assessments: A knowledge test, a project presentation on an actual project that the apprentice has implemented and finally a professional discussion about how they have applied their newfound skills and behaviours during their apprenticeship.

Ray values partnerships and building the journey together as he describes the process so far.

“We have put five or six people through the endpoint assessment on various standards. We continuously look to improve the process through the feedback loop and put our learner’s experience first.”
Ray Byrne, CEO of Whyy? Change

Following the feedback received from the learners OAL and Whyy? Change have been able to make the product and the service even sharper. With both Lee and Ray being able to share insights and define the right approach Ray added that the partnership “gives me confidence to want to give more of my time energy and resources in the future as long as both parties continue.”

The partnership has brought many benefits to Whyy? Change and OAL but more importantly the learners who going through the EPA and their employers who support them through the apprenticeship. Together they aim to ensure that EPA process is easy as possible for the employer and their apprentice to go through the process. Whilst having the confidence that it’s going to be a challenging, well thought through endpoint assessment process, on time, in full, with no errors.

“What makes us and our partnership different is that we do work together, we are a critical friend and we sharpen each other’s practice. We have invested time and effort to get the process to work better for the student going through the endpoint assessment.”
Ray Byrne, CEO of Whyy? Change

Ray highlights some of the other benefits he’s noticed since working together “OAL have got strong revision materials to help the learner. They have experienced practitioners as examiners for the assessments and are building their business to get the right solutions for employers and employees. You’d be mad to go elsewhere”.

The partnership has been a great success so far. With all of Whyy? Change’s Improvement Technician and Practitioner apprentices going through the EPA passing, with some being awarded distinctions! Ray reflects on their most recent success story “I spend a lot of time talking about the journey, but the outcome is equally as important. Gary Johnson of Safestyle UK plc, Barnsley is a real example of excellence. He just completed his improvement practitioner apprenticeship achieving the grade of distinction, which has really opened his eyes to his own future possibilities and where his career can go. Gary’s is a great news story, and he can go on to achieve whatever he wants now. It’s been great to see his self-esteem grow, and you can tell that in his eyes. Well done Gary”.

Gary Johnson Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship Certificate photo — Gary Johnson collecting his Improvement Practitioner Apprenticeship Certificate

As the partnership continues to flourish and the EPA process gives apprentices the opportunity to showcase their Lean and Six Sigma knowledge, OAL and Whyy? Change will always put their customers first from the feedback they receive. It’s all about the learner experience. The EPA experience might have been designed as a direct relationship between them and the employer, but our recommendation does influence their choice. We learnt through the journey and our learners must have added value, as our first cohort of Improvement Practitioner Apprentices received outstanding results beyond their own expectations. For those employers who want apprentices to be challenged, tested and be recognised as a skilled operator, then this is the team for you.