Apprenticeship units are short, employer-led programmes funded through the Growth and Skills Levy, running for one to 16 weeks with their own compliance, funding, and assessment model. Aptem Apprentice includes dedicated platform support for the full unit lifecycle, from programme setup and enrolment through to delivery, completion, and the ILR submission, alongside AI features that reduce the administrative load of running short, intensive programmes at pace.
A programme type built for the unit model
Apprenticeship units bring a distinct set of rules: a two-part training plan instead of an apprenticeship agreement, no gateway or end-point assessment, and a provider-designed skills test in their place. Aptem Apprentice reflects this with a dedicated “Training: Apprenticeship Units” programme type inside Programme Builder, the same configuration tool providers already use for standard apprenticeships. Gateway stages, end-point assessment, and off-the-job training references are removed from the unit programme type so administrators are never navigating irrelevant steps. ILR data defaults to programme type 34 (Growth and Skills Short Course Offer – Apprenticeship Units) from the point the programme is created, and providers set planned delivery hours, agreed price, and ILR settings once at programme level. The agreed price then pre-populates for each learner but can be adjusted where the negotiated price differs, keeping the platform aligned with the funding rules’ requirement to confirm price per learner.
Enrolling learners without the admin overhead
Because unit eligibility checks differ from a standard apprenticeship (age, employment status, working hours, location, and the prior learning overlap check), Aptem allows providers to build a unit-specific enrolment flow. Fields that only apply to standard apprenticeships can be suppressed, and unit-appropriate eligibility prompts guide administrators through what needs confirming before funded delivery can begin. For individual learners, the Onboarding Wizard collects the required learner and employer data step by step and generates the training plan ready for signature at the end. For cohort delivery from a single employer, CSV batch import creates multiple learner records at once, cutting down manual data entry for larger groups.
A training plan designed for units, not adapted from one
The training plan is the primary compliance document for apprenticeship units, and Aptem generates it as a dedicated template separate from the standard apprenticeship training plan, so references to apprenticeship agreements, gateway, and end-point assessment do not appear. Part one, covering delivery hours, the initial assessment outcome, and the assessment method, is signed by the provider, learner, and employer using Aptem’s existing electronic signature infrastructure before any funded delivery takes place. Providers can track Part one signature status across their entire unit caseload from the central Signatures grid. Part two, confirming that all planned hours have been delivered and the skills test passed, is captured using a review, so completion sign-off follows a workflow providers already know.
Recording delivery hours with a built-in audit trail
Delivery hours for apprenticeship units must be tutor-led, synchronous, and delivered within the learner’s normal working hours, and Aptem’s activity log includes a mandatory learner declaration at the point of recording, so learners can confirm those conditions are met. This declaration becomes the provider’s primary audit evidence for delivery method compliance, and the activity log form for unit programmes uses unit-appropriate language throughout, with no references to off-the-job training.
ILR generation and reporting, ready for funding claims
Aptem generates the ILR record for each unit learner using the programme type 34 template, pre-populated with data collected at onboarding, and providers manage that data directly within a fully functional unit ILR. Aptem supports the same change-of-circumstance processes used for standard apprenticeships, including withdrawals and the ILR recording of returns to learning. Breaks in learning are not permitted for apprenticeship units, other than the narrow exception for maternity, paternity, or adoption leave, and Aptem’s ILR functionality reflects this restriction. For reporting, delivery hours data is available through user generic reporting and OData feeds for use in Power BI dashboards, helping providers monitor compliance and prepare milestone claims through the Apprenticeship Service as each unit progresses towards its 30% and completion milestones.
Aptem Enhance: AI-powered features that support unit delivery
Aptem Enhance, the AI feature set within Aptem Apprentice, was built for standard apprenticeship delivery, but several features apply directly to the fast pace of unit programmes. Checkpoint gives tutors an early, impartial view of learner understanding against the specific knowledge and skills a unit covers, while the Aptem virtual assistant (AVA) gives learners a route to support between fixed, tightly scheduled tutor sessions, typically saving around five minutes per routine enquiry. Marking aid speeds up feedback on written exercises. Enhanced reviews works on any review or check-in meeting a provider configures in Programme Builder, not only the reviews required for standard apprenticeships, so where a provider chooses to hold check-in meetings during a unit, it turns the transcript into a structured summary and trackable actions from day one, with no separate build needed to bring the same capability to a shorter, lighter-touch programme.
Frequently asked questions
What programme type does Aptem use for apprenticeship units?
Aptem Apprentice has a dedicated “Training: Apprenticeship Units” programme type in Programme Builder, isolated from standard apprenticeship logic such as gateway and end-point assessment, with ILR data defaulting to programme type 34 (Growth and Skills Short Course Offer – Apprenticeship Units).
Does Aptem generate the training plan for apprenticeship units automatically?
Yes. Aptem generates a dedicated training plan template for units, separate from the standard apprenticeship training plan, and captures part one sign-off before delivery and part two completion sign-off through a review, using Aptem’s existing electronic signature infrastructure.
How does Aptem support compliant delivery hours recording for units?
The activity log for unit programmes includes a mandatory learner declaration confirming that recorded hours were tutor-led, synchronous, and delivered within normal working hours, providing an audit trail for delivery method compliance.
Can providers enrol a cohort of unit learners at once?
Yes. CSV batch import allows providers to create multiple learner records simultaneously for cohort enrolments from a single employer, alongside a configurable Onboarding Wizard for individual learners.
Does Aptem support ILR and funding reporting for apprenticeship units?
Aptem generates the ILR record for each unit learner under programme type 34, pre-populated from onboarding data, and makes delivery hours data available through user generic reporting and OData feeds for Power BI dashboards to support milestone funding claims.
Can Aptem Enhance features be used with apprenticeship units?
Yes. Checkpoint, the virtual assistant, marking aid, and enhanced reviews all apply to unit delivery, helping providers manage the administrative load of a short, intensive programme without adding complexity.
To learn more about apprenticeship units and Aptem support, download the eBook.
If you would like to see how Aptem Apprentice supports apprenticeship unit delivery from enrolment through to funding claim, book a demo today.
