The Government Skills Funding Agency invests £26 million in the Army Programme which builds on training and education delivered by military Phase 2 training.
Pearson TQ have successfully developed a partnership with the Royal School of Military Engineering (RSME), Directorate of Education Capability (D Ed Cap) and HQRE staff to deliver civilian Apprenticeship Frameworks to soldiers in the Corps of Royal Engineers.
As part of the Apprenticeship programme, during an Education Week, the soldiers achieve their Maths and English qualifications delivered by both civilian and military tutors. All soldiers are encouraged to stretch their ability and, as a result, over 80% of soldiers achieve their Maths and English at Level 2.
TQ work closely with the Field Army so that the soldiers in the field can be assessed on-the-job and evidence of competency can be collected for their Apprenticeship programme. Recent examples of field-based evidence collected include 21 Engineer Regiment completing renovation work at Ripon Cathedral, 26 Engineer Regiment building welfare facilities while on Exercise Crabapple in Kenya and 39 Engineer Regiment completing flood defence work at Portland.
The success of the programme speaks for itself: 93% of soldiers achieve their Apprenticeship Framework within the first 3 years of service.
The Royal Engineers, in partnership with TQ, offer 11 Army Apprenticeships:
- Communicators: Level 2 and Level 3 IT, Telecoms and Web Professionals
- Fitter: Level 2 Engineering Maintenance and Installation
- Fabricators: Level 2 Fabrication and Welding
- Logistics Specialist: Level 2 Warehousing and Storage
- Plant Operator: Level 2 Construction Civil Engineering
- Armoured Engineer: Level 2 Engineering Maintenance and Installation
- Carpenter and Joiner: Level 2 Wood Occupations
- Brick Layer and Concreter: Level 2 Trowel Occupations
- Building and Structural Finishers: Level 2 Maintenance Operations
- Heating and Plumbing Engineers: Level 2 Plumbing