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Applying to join the apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR)

The apprenticeship provider and assessment register (APAR) is a record of organisations that:

• are eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices
• can undertake end-point assessments

Once your organisation is on the APAR it will be eligible to receive government funding to train apprentices.

Being on the APAR does not mean your organisation is recommended by the Department for Education (DfE) so it cannot use its branding.

By applying to join the APAR, your organisation is agreeing to:

• provide a quality apprenticeship as described by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE)
• theconditions of acceptance for the APAR

Join the APAR as an apprenticeship training provider

You can join theAPARas a training provider if you can show you are either:

• an employer that pays the levy and wants to train your own workforce or apprentices (an employer-provider)
• a provider nominated by an employer that has shown a gap in the apprenticeship provision offer
• a provider in an area we want to grow or where we identify a capacity issue (youll apply directly or request an invitation to apply to join, depending on your level of regulation)

Your organisation will not join the APAR until it has completed all post application tasks.

Employers looking for training for apprentices

If you are an employer, you can search for training for your apprentices using the find apprenticeship training service.

If you cannot find a training provider that meets your needs, you can either:

• nominate a provider to join the register (application route 1: gaps in provision)
• apply to join yourself if you are a levy-paying employer (application route 2: join the register as an employer-provider)

Application route 1: gaps in provision

This route is for employers to nominate a main or supporting provider. You can use this route if you have searched using the find apprenticeship training service and:

• there is no training available for the skill you need
• the provider is unable to deliver the training (for example, it may not be available in the location or delivery mode you need)

You need to register your interest using the find apprenticeship training service to advertise your training needs and alert registered providers. You should only do this once you are sure there is a gap in provision.

You need to keep this alert live for one calendar month to allow training providers time to respond.

If you have not been able to find a training provider after a month, you will need to provide?DfE with evidence of:

• any communication with training providers who have declared interest
• all contact you have made with training providers currently advertising for the specific apprenticeship standard
• reasons why all interested and listed training providers are not suitable

Once you have completed these steps you can nominate a preferred training provider. You should complete the Employer-provider business case form (MS Word Document, 67.6 KB) and send your completed form to APAR.mailbox@education.gov.uk.

If your application is successful, we will contact your preferred training provider with details of how to apply to join the register.

Training providers have 30 calendar days to apply from the date they receive our invitation.

We expect the business case to contain true and accurate information. Additionally, when the training provider has gained access to the APAR, we expect that both parties adhere to the arrangements set out within the business case, that is, the delivery of training in the specific gap standard to the nominating employer.

Growing capacity

You dont need to show a gap in provision if:

• DfE knows about the gap
• DfE?wants to grow capacity to support specific sectors, employers, or the wider economy (including Office for Students (OfS) registered providers and initial teacher training providers)

If you are an eligible training provider you can use the Request an invitation to apply to the APAR form (MS Word Document, 37.6 KB) without showing a gap in provision. This is because you cover areas where we want to expand apprenticeship provision.

If you are an OfS registered provider with degree awarding powers you can use the Request to join the APAR directly form (MS Word Document, 39.3 KB). You should submit the form via email to APAR.mailbox@education.gov.uk.

Driving licence exception for training and testing

For a limited time, supporting providers who only support apprentices to get a driving licence do not need to be on the APAR. This only applies to the mandatory driving licence needed as part of the large goods vehicle (LGV) driver C + E or urban driver level 2 apprenticeships. This exception will end on 31 December 2023.

This exception is in response to supply issues for driver training and testing in the transport sector. It aims to support training providers to increase their capacity to deliver training and testing for a driving licence.

Lead providers must download and submit the Temporary exception application form (MS Word Document, 61.4 KB) to get approval before subcontracting to providers not on the register.

If you are already providing an apprenticeship as part of this exception we will invite you to apply to the register without having to show a gap in the market.

You will need to apply to the register before December 2023 to continue after this date.

You can email APARSubcontracting.Exceptions@education.gov.uk if you have any questions about this exception.

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