Learning and Development Consultant Business Partner

The apprentice must first complete the work-based project before the professional discussion commences. The work-based project is a 5,000-word formal business report that allows the apprentice to demonstrate their L&D consultancy skills in dealing with a real business problem or objective. It must be submitted one month prior to the end of the five-month EPA period.

It should describe how the work was delivered and focus on the actions and decisions the apprentice took, analysing the reasons why and describing the outcomes achieved. Items such as relevant emails, evidence of return on investment and client feedback should be included as proof.

The 75-minute professional discussion is based on the work-based project. The Assessor asks the apprentice 10-12 open questions in order to test the project’s content, the apprentice’s competence and their understanding of what they’ve delivered.

Apprentices are asked to write a learning journal for the duration of their programme until the gateway stage. The aim of this journal is to provide them with an opportunity to reflect on activities where key learning has taken place. These should be aligned to the required knowledge, skills and behaviours outlined in the standard.

The presentation must last for 25 minutes and apprentices are expected to detail key points from their learning journal. The aim of the presentation is to allow apprentices the opportunity to show how they’ve attained the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours. It is followed by a 35-minute question and answer (Q&A) session.

In the Q&A, the Assessor asks the apprentice between five and seven open questions to further test components of the learning journal, the content of the presentation, the apprentice’s depth of understanding and their performance against the criteria.