CfA

We are pleased to announce that that two Higher Apprenticeships, Human Resource Management (Level 5) and Project Management (Level 4), are currently being developed by CFA, employers and our partner organisations, the Chartered Institute for Personnel (CIPD) and Development and the Association for Project Management (APM). These will be available from autumn 2012.

CFA is working with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) to assess employer demand for Higher Apprenticeships in Marketing and Recruitment. If our research suggests there is demand for Higher Apprenticeships in these areas, we will apply for funding to develop the Higher Apprenticeships from the National Apprenticeship Service’s Higher Apprenticeship Fund.

To provide your views, please complete either of the short surveys:

• Marketing - www.cfa.uk.com/marketing-higher-apprenticeship-employer-survey
• Recruitment - www.cfa.uk.com/recruitment-higher-apprenticeship-employer-survey

For more information, please contact Matthew Street on 020 7092 9620 or e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

The concept of earning and learning has proved extremely popular in the UK with the take up of apprenticeships increasing year on year from 239,900 in 2008/09 to 279,700 in 2009/10 and reaching an impressive 457,200 during 2010/11. At a recent Round Table Discussion at the House of Commons, hosted by Mr. Iain Stewart MP on behalf of the CFA, who certificate 27% of all apprenticeships, industry leaders, politicians, professional bodies and employers discussed how Higher Apprenticeships can contribute to professional development in the UK and transform business performance, as well as to support their further development.

The CFA will be attending Smaart Skills & Careers at Wembley Stadium on the 8th & 9th of February. Smaart Skills & Careers is the place for young adults aged 15-24 to discover the huge range of careers, training schemes, apprenticeships, educational options and skills opportunities available to them. As part of National Apprenticeship Week, the CFA will be promoting its apprenticeships in Business & Administration, Team Leading, Customer Service, Contact Centre, Marketing and Communications and Sales and Telesales.

Come and visit us at stand 90 to find out more!

For more information about Smaart Skills & Careers 2012, please visit: www.smaartevents.com

For more information about National Apprenticeship Week, please visit: www.apprenticeships.org.uk

CFA and the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) have been successful in their bid for funding to develop a Higher Apprenticeship in Human Resource Management, as part of the £18.7m Higher Apprenticeship fund announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable in December 2011.

CFA and the Association for Project Management (APM) have been successful in their bid for funding to develop a Higher Apprenticeship in Project Management . The aim is to create 775 higher apprenticeships in Project Management by 2016, with the support of a fund of nearly £800,000. This represents part of the £18.7m Higher Apprenticeship fund, announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable, which will support the development of 19,000 new apprenticeships in fields including human resources, construction, advanced engineering and financial services.

What is ACE?

ACE is the Apprenticeship Certificates England system that has been developed by the Alliance of Sector Skills Councils in their role as the Apprenticeships Certifying Authority for England. The system will be run by the Alliance who will sit in the middle of a “hub and spoke model” where the SSC’s and SB’s (CFA) will receive the electronic requests for certificates and will issue certificates on their behalf, providing all requirements of the frameworks have been met.

From the 01st April 2012 ACE online will be the only approved system for Apprenticeship Certification requests and no paper based applications will be accepted after this date.

Read more

The CFA has received new advice from the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) that qualifications on the QCDA key skills proxies list cannot be accepted as part of a SASE apprenticeship.

All learners on the SASE apprenticeships must achieve (or have achieved) one of the qualifications listed in the frameworks for each transferable skill. No other qualifications can be accepted.

Based on earlier advice, the CFA previously indicated that key skills proxies could be used in the frameworks. However, NAS has now made it clear that this is not the case. Therefore, CFA cannot accept key skills proxy qualifications, only the listed transferable skills qualifications. This advice applies to all learners on SASE apprenticeships.

We apologise for any confusion and inconvenience this may cause.

However, your Awarding Organisation may accept your learner’s existing qualifications towards achieving part or all of a transferable skill qualification listed in the framework. Please contact them if you wish to find out more. Awarding Organisations are responsible for certificating these transferable skills qualifications and the CFA cannot make this decision on their behalf.

If you need any further information, please contact the CFA on 020 7091 9620 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Proposed Human Resources Higher Apprenticeship

Proposed Project Management Higher Apprenticeship

2011 Scottish Customer Service Modern Apprenticeship Review

Completion dates on Apprenticeship certificates