Government-funded apprenticeships

‘Trailblazer’ apprenticeships were introduced in the UK in 2013. A Trailblazer group of employers determines the content of the apprenticeship (the Standard) and creates a document giving the performance criteria for successful completion of the apprenticeship (the Assessment Plan). A Funding Band is set, giving the maximum payment permissible to deliver the apprenticeship. Delivery is managed by a Training Provider from the Register of Apprentice Training Providers. This process is directed by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. 

Training Providers are frequently further education colleges which lack specialist expertise to deliver apprenticeships for niche areas of employment. The Training Provider manages delivery by subcontracting the actual teaching to a registered Supplementary Provider with the necessary knowledge and workshop facilities.  

A fundamental aspect of Trailblazer apprenticeships is the End-point Assessment. Instead of evaluation throughout the learning process, achievement is assessed when learning is complete. 

Watchmaker Apprenticeship

The watchmaker apprenticeship was launched in January 2020. Apprentices begin with ‘part jobs’ and progress to learning how to service a range of watches, from quartz to automatic, as well as case refurbishment. There are fourteen one-week block-release sessions during the two-year apprenticeship, with underpinning knowledge being taught on-line throughout. 

Block-release training is provided at the Watchmaker Apprentice Training School (WATS), a new, well-equipped training workshop at Swiss Time Services, Hockley, Essex. For further information, contact enquiries@watchmakertraining.com 

Clockmaker Apprenticeship

The development of the two-year clockmaker apprenticeship is complete, but delivery cannot begin until a suitable End-point Assessment Organisation has given ‘in principle’ commitment to deliver its assessment.