The short answer is: yes. But with around half of applications failing first time, it pays to know and follow the rules 

Get ahead of the pack by thinking early about these six priority areas:  

1. Independence 

All new apprenticeship standards include an end-point assessment (EPA). This must be delivered by an approved, independent end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) and assessor. Neither of these should have any connection with the apprentice, employer or training provider involved – to prevent the potential for a conflict of interest.  

At this stage, your role as a training provider is only to support apprentices with their on-programme learning and make sure they're ready for the gateway.   

2. Competence  

Some training providers decide they would like to add a string to their bow and independently assess people with whom they are not connected. 

To become an EPAO for a specific standard, you'll have to prove that you have an appropriate level of competence to assess it. That means demonstrating organizational expertise – such as a track record of industry projects, or prior involvement in developing standards. It’s likely you’ll also need to hire assessors with occupational competence, qualifications and experience – you can find details of specific requirements  in assessment plans.   

3. Approval  

With all this in place, you can think about becoming an EPAO. In the next step, you’ll need to complete an in-depth application process and get accepted on the Register of Apprentice Assessment Organisations (RoAAO). The Register opens and closes every month for new or updated applications.   

All prospective EPAOs must be approved by the ESFA – the Education Skills Funding Agency. 

4. Consider staff planning   

It’s worth dedicating some time to staff planning to avoid getting into a Catch 22 situation. Many providers know that they can’t apply to assess standards without competent assessors – but they’re anxious about investing in new hires until they feel confident they will secure work.  

5. Consider using contract staff   

To tackle this, many providers are hiring contract staff on an annual basis, which maximises flexibility. Organisations can use assessors as and when they need – without having to commit to recruiting a full-time member of staff.   

6. Get ready to design assessments   

New assessment plans state the assessment method. But to apply for the Register, EPAOs must show detailed evidence of how the assessment would work for each standard.  

To make sure your application is right first time, download our step-by-step guide on how to register as an EPAO. It explains each stage of the application process – from registering interest to quality compliance.