PARS is designed to provide apprentices with professional recognition. In addition to the well-established recognition schemes which are mapped to Apprenticeship Standards in some professions, PARS recognises the cross-cutting skills and experiences apprentices derive from this form of learning with employment with a formal certificate and post-nominal designations (CSA, CAA, CHA or CGA, depending on level).

These post-nominals demonstrate apprentices’ commitment to continuous development and their attainment of professional standards and the Scheme marks an important step in elevating the status of apprenticeships as a trusted and credible skills pathway.

Those who have completed an apprenticeship since 2019 can apply and, so far, 100 apprentices from levels 2 to 7 in industries including IT, engineering, hospitality and finance have received their PARS award. Coca Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) is the first UK employer to sponsor apprentices to obtain a PARS award. PARS’ data on apprentices’ immediate destinations post-completion shows that 85% have stayed with their employer and, of these, one-third have already been promoted.

Other insight that can be gleaned from the Scheme which was not previously available includes the top skills and behaviours apprentices say they’ve gained on their programmes (which currently are communication 87%, confidence at 80%, and problem-solving at 80%).

Graham Hasting-Evans, chief executive, NOCN Group, says:

“As an Apprenticeship End Point Assessment Organisation and a skills charity with a core agenda around social mobility, we are of course big supporters of the Post-Apprenticeship Recognition Scheme (PARS) and are promoting it to the training providers, employers and apprentices we work with to ensure they take full advantage of it.

“It’s more vital than ever socially, economically and politically that apprenticeships are given the credit they deserve as a robust qualification and that, upon successful completion, apprentices have all the tools they need to go on to further professional development and successful careers. The very creation of PARS indicates that we are one step further on the journey towards embedding this.”

Find out more at: https://associationofapprentices.org.uk/pars/