The Engineering Council actively supports the delivery of high quality apprenticeships that meet the needs of employers and apprentices, support individuals on their journey towards professional registration, and assure the public about the competence of those who are successful.   

From 2 January 2018, employers will be able to nominate the Engineering Council as the provider of quality assurance (known as External Quality Assurance or EQA) for engineering-related Trailblazer Apprenticeships at level 3. This has been agreed by the Engineering Council’s Board, following a successful trial in autumn 2017. The Institute for Apprenticeships (IfA) website sets out the quality assurance requirements for apprenticeships and how these will ensure quality, consistency and credibility.

The Engineering Council supports the alignment of Trailblazer Apprenticeships with professional registration and welcomes the IfA’s guidance that ‘Apprenticeship standards must link to professional registration where this exists at that level in the occupation’. The engineering profession has embraced the opportunity afforded by this new approach to apprenticeships to raise standards and to encourage professional registration. At a time when engineering skills have never been more valued and sought after – as being crucial to the UK’s future economic success – it is critical that we reinforce not only the value of engineering but the trust that society has in the knowledge, skills and commitment of professional registered engineers and technicians.

The Engineering Council is the most appropriate body to carry out this quality assurance for engineering-related apprenticeships, because it currently licenses thirty five professional engineering institutions to carry out the assessment of individuals seeking registration, in accordance with required Engineering Council standards and prescribed processes. These standards apply across the profession, regardless of sector or discipline, making the Engineering Council the sole UK body that can assure consistency and quality of assessment of professional standards across the professional engineering institutions. 

In line with the Engineering Council’s role and remit, its quality assurance activity will be limited to professional competence. It will work in partnership so that other elements of the assessment, such as occupational competence, are quality assured by bodies with that expertise.

Employers interested in nominating the Engineering Council as their quality assurance provider for will find more details on our website on how to make a request and what information is required.

The Engineering Council will review this quality assurance activity after 12 months, and may choose to modify its approach.

-Ends-

For press enquiries:    

Kate Webster, Engineering Council – kwebster@eng.org.uk, 020 3206 0567

The Engineering Council holds the national Register of Engineering Technicians (EngTech), Incorporated Engineers (IEng), Chartered Engineers (CEng) and Information and Communication Technology Technicians (ICTTech). It also sets and maintains the internationally recognised standards of competence and ethics that govern the award and retention of these titles. By this means it is able to ensure that employers, government and wider society, both at home and overseas, can have confidence in the skills and commitment of registrants. For more information visit: www.engc.org.uk