Preparing apprentices for EPA success

Catering skills for the future

We support providers of apprenticeships in the hospitality and catering industry, through a multi-product service committed to ensuring the delivery of a high-quality learning experience within your sector of expertise.

We support standards including Production Chef; Commis Chef; Chef De Partie and Hospitality Team Member.

Our end-point assessment (EPA) and on-programme offer provide a one-stop-shop for the hospitality and catering sector. Jason Benn, Industry Manager for Hospitality and Catering, said:

jason thumbnail“Employers in the hospitality and catering sector are struggling to recruit and retain the skilled people they need for a strong workforce. We have teamed up with industry experts to offer some of the best advice, materials and guidance for a successful EPA journey, and ultimately, a highly-skilled workforce.”

Interested to find out more? Get in touch to discuss our offer for hospitality and catering.

Contact us today

Hospitality and Catering– preparing apprentices for EPA success

With the hospitality industry facing a shortfall of 14 million jobs by 2030, negative perceptions of the industry, widening skills gaps, and retention of talent are just a few of the challenges faced by businesses around the world.

As a market leader in EPA, we’ve delivered over 50,000 assessments since EPA started, with a 90% pass rate. 

We put customer success at the heart of apprenticeships, and our emphasis on centre support, quality of materials and assessment preparation for apprentices together with 140 years of working in education and with industry partners, makes us a trusted leader in EPA services.

Support that we have available for you and your apprentices include:

Preparation support to pass first time

We have unrivalled support and assessment preparation for you and your apprentices:

  • Exemplar materials
  • EPA handbooks
  • Assessment Packs
  • Lead independent end-point assessor (LIEPA) reports 
  • Expert tutor support via EPA Pro including sample questions and learning resources
  • Enhanced SmartScreen for Commis Chef, providing multimedia learning resources to strengthen knowledge for EPA
  • Technical Advisor to support you.

Our growing portfolio of apprenticeship products and services gives you the tools you need to build apprentices’ confidence and competence, support your delivery and prepare for robust assessment that’s valued and trusted by the industry.

Showcasing best practice

With our exemplar materials, sample tests, workbooks and expert Technical advisor, you can get the latest insight into best practice to provide confidence to you apprentices. All of our resources are mapped to the standard and designed to draw out the skills, knowledge and behaviours apprentices need so they’re confident for assessment.

Expert advice at our Networking events

Hosted by our Technical Advisor Amelia Woodward our events equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to build apprentices’ confidence and competence and support you in your delivery.

Register for these events

Supporting organisations across their business

We have a breadth of offer supporting employers across skills areas such as in-house support services, IT and digital, business skills, customer service and leadership and management to name a few. We also offer Functional Skills across five levels from Entry Level 1 to Level 2. We can also accredit in-house training programmes with our Assured service.

Dedicated support team

Our EPA Customer Success team are on-hand to walk you through the process and provide advice from the start. Our team includes hospitality experts, quality leads, and policy and funding specialists – all working together to provide solutions for you.

Flexible finance options

We have flexible payment options in place to make things easier for you. Our EPA pricing model includes a small fee at registration upfront with the rest of the cost after assessment and we don’t charge VAT on EPA.

High quality assessment

With the rigour and consistency of our independent end-point assessor training, you can be confident in the quality and standardisation of our EPA. Our LIEPA reports are produced annually with valuable insight into the assessment process, providing crucial lessons learned in EPA, for your benefit.

We also offer digital credentials on completion of EPA.  Digital Credentials are verifiable data-rich representations of knowledge, skills, and behaviours developed through the learning programme, that allow learners to share their achievements electronically and via digital platforms such as LinkedIn, opening doors to their future.

Global Certification

In 2019 we launched our Global Hospitality Certification, a brand-new global skills framework for the hospitality industry. It has been co-designed with industry professionals to recognise the skills and experience of those working in hospitality.

Trusted by industry

We have strong links with the leading global hotels and brands in the UK and Internationally. We also have strong links with Associations such as the Craft Guild of Chefs, Hoteliers Associations, WorldChefs, Hoteliers Associations, Professional Association of Catering Education, The Craft Guild of Chefs. Our recent tender win for the Ministry of Justice strengthens our standing within the public sector, and we also work closely with the Clink.