Hawk Training, an Ofsted Outstanding provider with over 30 years of apprenticeship and vocational learning experience, has achieved remarkable results by adopting Aptem Enhance – the AI-powered extension of the Aptem Apprentice platform.
Facing increasing demands for quality, compliance and learner engagement in a fast-changing landscape, Hawk Training chose to modernise its delivery systems and processes. The results speak for themselves: tutors have reclaimed valuable time, engagement has increased, and learner feedback response rates have surged to as high as 99% — results that Operations Director Vanessa Jones describes as “absolute gold!”
A strategic shift towards integrated technology
Hawk Training implemented the Aptem Enterprise package and embraced all the Aptem Enhance features. Designed to tackle administrative burden without sacrificing quality, these features helped Hawk unify disparate systems, streamline workflows, and deliver a more consistent experience for learners, tutors and employers.
50 hours
Learners using Aptem’s purpose built virtual assistant, AVA, as a first port of call saves Hawk an estimated 50 hours of tutor time per quarter.
We chose Aptem because of its adaptability. Aptem offered the flexibility Hawk needed to retain bespoke elements from our previous system while enabling process optimisation and innovation.
Vanessa Jones, Operations Director
Before Aptem, Hawk relied on multiple manual systems and spreadsheets that made it difficult to gain visibility across learner journeys and compliance. By consolidating delivery, engagement and reporting into a single platform, Hawk not only improved operational clarity but also invested in stability and future-proofing.
Integrating AI to support human-led education
A defining feature of Hawk’s transformation has been its strategic embrace of AI — not as a replacement for human expertise, but as a tool to support human-centred learning. AI now supports routine tasks, enabling tutors to focus on coaching, mentoring and meaningful engagement.
We would be significantly struggling in terms of capacity if we didn’t have AI, the timesaving is where we can invest in human-to-human education.
Vanessa Jones, Operations Director
Hawk’s approach to AI is deliberately people-centric. The organisation emphasises:
- Using AI to complement teaching and learning, not replace it.
- Embedding AI tools within learning plans.
- Training staff on data safeguarding.
- Encouraging shared learning about AI’s capabilities and limits.
This balanced approach has ensured that AI supports both quality and compliance, while enhancing engagement and freeing tutors to focus on higher-value tasks.
How Aptem Enhance features delivered measurable impact
Aptem Enhance is a suite of AI-powered tools. Hawk Training adopted these features quickly, embedding them into delivery workflows to transform both administrative processes and learner engagement.
Aptem virtual assistant (AVA)
One of the standout components of Aptem Enhance is the virtual assistant, which provides learners with instant, AI-powered support for questions about their apprenticeship standards. Purpose-built for each standard and available 24/7, AVA helps learners access information without waiting for tutor response — keeping momentum high and tutors focused on more complex support needs.
“Keeping learners inside the platform improves engagement,” explains Mark Holmes, Programme Design and Development Manager.
Hawk’s tutors now direct learners to AVA as a first port of call. The impact is quantifiable: learners asked the assistant around 600 questions every three months, saving an estimated 50 hours of tutor time per quarter.
Enhanced reviews
The enhanced reviews feature streamlines planning, preparation and reporting for learner reviews. Instead of simple checklists, AI-assisted summaries provide narrative-rich records that capture discussions, actions and outcomes. This not only saves time but elevates the quality of the review conversation itself.
Vanessa Jones observed that enhanced reviews was the “most impactful” of all the Enhance features. Hawk Training adopted this functionality within 24 hours of release, with each review saving a minimum of 20 minutes of tutor time.
Because reviews now include richer narrative elements, learners also have the opportunity to practice professional discussions, helping prepare them for end-point assessment discussions.
Checkpoint objective progress monitoring
Checkpoint asks learners structured questions about Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) throughout their programme. It helps tutors identify knowledge gaps early and act before they turn into disengagement or delay.
For Hawk, this continuous monitoring has been particularly effective with younger learners, helping maintain engagement while delivering clear insight into progress.
Marking aid
Marking aid uses AI to dramatically reduce the time tutors spend evaluating learner submissions while maintaining quality and regulatory compliance. Tutors can now map KSB criteria directly to the standard and provide detailed, contextual feedback — cutting marking times significantly.
Dominic Scorer, Head of Functional Skills at Hawk, explains that marking processes which once took hours now take minutes. “I teach rather than mark,” he says, which encapsulates the shift from administrative burden to instructional focus.
Outcomes: better engagement, less admin, more insight
The cumulative effects of these features have been transformative for Hawk Training:
- Significant time savings for tutors and administrators.
- Greater learner engagement through instant support and ongoing progress checks.
- Richer compliance and quality evidence, aligning with Ofsted expectations.
- Improved operational resilience, especially during organisational changes.
The result is a more learner-centred delivery model where technology amplifies the expertise of the Hawk Training team.
Aligning with Ofsted’s quality framework
With the Ofsted inspection framework emphasising differentiated learning, meaningful reviews, and documented learner progress, Hawk Training’s use of Aptem Enhance aligns closely with modern quality expectations.
Enhanced reviews captures narrative evidence beyond tick-box data, while checkpoint data aligns with Ofsted’s emphasis on tracking learning journeys over time. Together with AVA, these features help providers demonstrate consistent engagement, progress, and readiness for assessment – key indicators of quality in inspection contexts.
Aptem and Hawk Training collaborate to achieve results
What sets Hawk’s implementation apart is the collaborative ethos between the provider and Aptem’s support teams. Hawk emphasised people first, ensuring that staff were trained, supported and confident in adopting new technology.
What cemented the Aptem/Hawk relationship is that both organisations believe in a people-centric approach. Aptem’s support, training and responsiveness matched our team’s proactivity and willingness to embrace change.
Vanessa Jones, Operations Director
This partnership ensured that the platform wasn’t simply implemented — it was embedded into the culture and practice of the organisation.
A blueprint for modern apprenticeship delivery
Hawk Training’s journey with Aptem Enhance demonstrates how intelligent technology and human expertise can work together to improve outcomes across the apprenticeship lifecycle. By consolidating systems, embracing AI thoughtfully, and prioritising people-centred delivery, Hawk has saved time, increased engagement, and strengthened quality evidence — all while maintaining compliance and preparing learners effectively for assessment.
For providers navigating the complexities of apprenticeship delivery – from compliance to quality engagement – Hawk’s experience offers a clear blueprint for how AI-enabled tools can transform practice without losing the vital people-centric approach that delivers positive outcomes for learners.
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