The team are experts in our specialist areas where skills advancement is needed most: preparation for life & work; construction & the built environment; engineering, manufacturing & the green economy; health & social care; and education & management.

For our latest ‘Meet the Team’ profile, we sat down with our Business Development Manager Marc Wensley, ahead of him attending industry event the Apprenticeships and Training Conference (ATC) on 10 March for a quick fire question and answer session on his role and expertise in the area of Apprenticeship End Point Assessment.

Tell us about your role at NOCN Group - what does a typical day look like?

In my role as NOCN Group Business Development Manager in the North East, Teeside, York and North Yorkshire regions, there is never really a “typical day”, but I spend a lot of my time supporting existing customers to get the most out of delivering NOCN Group’s suite of skills solutions for the benefit of learners.

A significant part of the role involves engaging with current or prospective customers, including FE colleges, independent training providers, schools, employers, local authorities and third sector organisations. This involves discussing and understanding their offer, and current and future needs, then aligning that with our offer to solve delivery and outcome challenges.

I am completely focused on developing customer relationships that are collaborative, ensuring I offer a consultative approach. As an international education and skills charity we, alongside our customers, have one common goal: To provide the best experience and outcome for the learner, whether that’s through the quality and content of our skills solutions, or our learner engagement and delivery - we are all here to support that learner journey.

I am a passionate believer in the power of education and our organisational purpose, which is to advance skills globally to enable people to reach their potential and organisations to thrive for improved productivity, sustainability, social mobility,
and inclusivity.

Apprenticeship End Point Assessment (EPA) is an area of specialism for you and is one of the skills solutions that NOCN Group offers. Tell us about the EPA offer from NOCN Group.

NOCN Group provides End Point Assessment services for a significant number of Apprenticeship Standards, particularly across the Construction and Built Environment, Engineering, Manufacturing and the Green Economy and Education & Training sector specialisms.

We provide clear and robust guides and preparation materials to support the apprentice as well as employers and training providers. This includes comprehensive guidance on each assessment method, gateway requirements, KSB mapping, mark schemes, grading descriptors, Portfolio of Evidence referencing and tracking for standardisation, assessment preparation, practice tips. We also provide new guidance and support for assessors in developing practice questions.

This preparation support is crucial for preparing apprentices effectively whilst on programme to build confidence, giving them the best chance of achieving the highest grade and best outcome possible. Our customers also have direct access to our EPA operations team and EPA technical team for added personalised support.

Why do you think the customers you work with in your region choose NOCN Group?

NOCN Group provides a completely personal approach. We are leaders in our specialist sector areas and we provide skills solutions that help meet the local skills agenda. We are constantly collaborating with the sector and listening to all stakeholders to ensure we continue to develop new and relevant provision to support employers and learner training needs.

What challenges do those customers face and how do you support them to overcome them?

We support training providers in maximising their contract values across funding streams with a wide range of skills solutions across Full Time Study Programmes, Adult Skills Fund, Free Courses for Jobs, Bootcamps, Apprenticeships to name but a few.

Helping them to meet the ‘Green Skills’ agenda and drive the transition to Net Zero – retrofit, low carbon and sustainability – are all key areas of focus for us.

Responding to current challenges around those who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is also high on our agenda. NOCN Group’s suite of skills solutions for employment, training and personal development, from Entry 3 to Level 2 help provide a tailored approach to engaging learners. They deliver key transferable skills alongside taster options across a wide range of sector areas including Construction and Health and Social Care.

We also support employer and learner engagement by developing skills solutions such as our Assured Courses, which are developed with industry to meet training needs and enhance employability potential.

What's it like being a part of the NOCN Group team?

It is such a passionate, dedicated team. There is a strong teamwork ethic and supportive atmosphere. The NOCN Group team brings a diverse wealth of knowledge and experience in the sector and everyone is always on hand to support and provide guidance.

The team is focused on ensuring that our skills solutions meet the needs of learners, employers, and industry and that they are delivered with high standards of quality, compliance and impact. We are committed to supporting our Centres effectively for the outcomes of all learners.

You're attending the Apprenticeships and Training Conference (ATC) 2025 - what can we expect to see from NOCN Group at the event?

Yes, I can’t wait it’s going to be a great event! ATC is THE leading event for those involved in the delivery of apprenticeships, training and broader workforce development initiatives. It provides essential insights, updates, and strategies to support apprenticeship providers, training organisations, and employers in their efforts to equip the workforce with the skills and knowledge required for success.

NOCN Group has a huge presence at ATC this year as an event sponsor with our chief executive Graham Hasting-Evans sitting on the opening Keynote Panel ‘The state of the nation – opportunities and challenges in a new political landscape’.

Along with other members of the NOCN Group team, I will be hosting our exhibition stand (A20) where delegates can find out about our future-fit skills solutions, and we are also delivering workshops on both Green Skills and driving future-fit apprenticeships that ‘work’ for society. We’re also sponsoring the ‘Sustainability’ category of the Apprenticeship and Training Awards 2025 – so it’s going to be a busy couple of day for us!

If you are attending the Apprenticeships & Training Conference 2025, please come along to our workshops and visit us at stand A20, we look forward to welcoming you! Find out more here.