Your future starts here
You’ve already taken the first step by embarking on a BCS apprenticeship. This is your opportunity to develop the knowledge and practical skills to enable you to solve real-world issues, become an invaluable member of your organisation, and propel your career forward.
Student membership means you’ll benefit from membership perks such as access to our global network, the SFIAplus skills framework, member-only events and exclusive deals, all designed to help you make the most of your apprenticeship and confidently move into the next stage of your IT career.
The resources on this page contain useful information and guidance to help you make a start, gain a better understanding of how the assessments work and what support you can expect from BCS.
Your Apprenticeship
To get the most from your apprenticeship it’s worth familiarising yourself with each part of the journey from the start. It’ll help you be clear on what skills, knowledge, and behaviours you need to learn, or improve on, what sort of evidence to collect for your portfolio, how you can prepare for the End Point Assessment, and beyond...
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How to prepare for each assessment method
Find out what’s involved with each assessment method and how you can best prepare for success.
Further content specific to your apprenticeship
Depending what standard you are on, you may find here additional sample materials to help you prepare for end point assessment.
Go to BCS Develop - Access with BCS membership
Hear from other apprentices
Listen to others’ stories and their experiences of being an apprentice.
Planning your CPD
Access guidance on planning your continued professional development, and design your career path in IT.
Reading the guide - Access with BCS membership
Springboard
Access a range of career support tools including CV360, an interview simulator, and content to support you to develop your soft skills.
Go to springboard - Access with BCS membership
Pluralsight
If your employer or training provider has included Pluralsight in your training, use your access code to get started here.
Go to Pluralsight - Access with BCS membership
We’ve added some useful information and tools to help you on your apprenticeship journey.
Benefitting from your BCS Membership
Community
Connect with a global network of industry professionals and fellow students via the BCS community platform.
SFIAplus
Benchmark your skills against industry standards and discover where your existing skills map into the framework. You can then use this insight to develop your competencies or find a new direction and widen your career options.
Browse SFIAplus - Access with BCS membership
BCS events
Attend events run by our specialist groups or be part of one of our immersive CPD experiences.
Exclusive member discounts
Our exclusive member discounts are there to help you run your professional life a little more smoothly.
Explore member perks - Access with BCS membership
BCS membership is your new career partner, supporting you personally and professionally as your career in tech develops.
As well as the support and benefits detailed above, here are some of the other benefits that will be available to you as part of your BCS membership:
Your journey doesn’t stop at completion
In-fact, completion of your apprenticeship is just the start of your journey… It’s time to decide what your future looks like.
You can boost your CV by achieving RITTech status, which is available to you upon successful completion of your apprenticeship. But what is RITTech?
RITTech (Registration for IT Technicians) is a professional registration, which demonstrates to employers that your competencies have been validated by your professional body – BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. In addition to validation, RITTech offers:
Recognition
Post-nominals and badges for your CV and online profiles.
Show your impact
Placement on a searchable public professional register.
Network
Access to communities for knowledge sharing and relationship building.
Career progression
A pathway to chartered status (CITP).
Any questions?
What happens after apprenticeship?
In recognition of their achievement, BCS is offering all apprentices who successfully complete a BCS-accredited EPA, one year’s RITTech registration along with BCS professional membership (MBCS) at a significantly discounted rate. Follow this link in the 30 days from completing your EPA interview
What is RITTech and what are the benefits?
As a digital apprenticeship end-point assessment is aligned to the SFIA framework, the global skills and competency framework for the digital world, you will be entitled to obtain RITTech, the professional registration for IT Technicians upon completion of your apprenticeship. By doing so, and using the post-nominals after your name, you will be part of a network of IT professionals, who can prove they have a recognised level of professional competence and are committed to your ongoing continuous professional development.
What is the gateway?
Gateway is the point at the end of the Apprenticeship training programme (the apprentice must usually spend a minimum of 12 months on programme in training / learning) when the apprentice, employer and training provider all agree that the apprentice is ready to start their End Point Assessment (EPA). Gateway ensures that the apprentice has completed the mandatory aspects of the occupational standard including all on-programme training and any work that underpins specified assessment methods.
What are the prerequisite gateway requirements?
Evidence of your attainment of Level 2 Mathematics and English. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and Mathematics minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. British Sign Language (BSL) qualifications are an alternative to English qualifications for those who have BSL as their primary language.
Will my result affect my choices?
Whether you are awarded a pass or distinction should not have any impact on your future opportunities.
What happens with my portfolio and is it assessed?
The portfolio is not directly assessed, instead it is used to underpin other assessment methods such as the professional discussion. It is therefore not marked by BCS but will be reviewed in preparation for the professional discussion, although feedback after this review will not be provided.
When will I get my certificate?
Please allow 15 working days for the certificate to arrive from the ESFA after the BCS request has been sent. Distinction certificates are requested 5 working days after the grade is awarded and Merit and Pass grades are requested 20 working days after the grade is awarded. This period allows for you to appeal the final grade if necessary. On your successful completion of the EPA, the ACE360 system automatically requests the certificate from the ESFA. The delivery address is taken from the employer details on your record. It is very important this information is correct so that the certificate gets delivered to the correct place.
How long does the EPA process take?
Typically 3 months, but this stated in your assessment plan.
What happens if I fail?
If you fail one or more of the assessment methods you will be offered the opportunity to do either a resit or a retake.
What happens if I can't attend my assessment due to illness?
Please contact your training provider or BCS as soon as possible if you need to arrange your EPA dates due to mitigating circumstances.
What is the difference between a resit and a retake?
A retake requires further learning, whereas a resit does not. A resit is typically taken within 3 months of the EPA outcome notification. The timescale for a retake is dependent on how much re-training is required and is usually taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification.
How can I rearrange my EPA dates?
You will need to contact BCS as soon as possible if you wish to rearrange your EPA dates. This may be done through your training provider.
Can I improve my pass result?
Resits and retakes are not offered to apprentices wishing to move from pass to distinction.
