Insurance

Learning Programme Content

The Learning Programme provision shall comprise of three mandatory elements:

• Qualifications,
• Essential Skills
• On/off the job training

The total minimum credit value required for the Level 4 Pathway Insurance is 115 credits.

Entry requirements

This Higher Apprenticeship programme would suit someone who has good communication and listening skills. Other relevant skills include numeracy, research, analytical, IT, self disciplined and good record-keeping skills. This programme would also suit individuals who have a good understanding of providing solutions to people’s financial needs and can interact with different kinds of people.

Entrants should be able to demonstrate to an employer and a learning provider:

• a proven commitment to working with people, perhaps through school link courses or
• work experience;
• attainment of GCSEs or equivalent;
• an interest in financial services.

Whilst there are no minimum academic entry requirements, to be successful on the programme entrants should preferably possess GCSEs in English and Maths at grades A to C, together with a Level 2 Foundation and/or Level 3 Apprenticeship programme in Providing Financial Services (General Insurance) or a generic subject such as Customer Service or Business Administration.

However, many employers are also interested in skills and experience gained through employment or voluntary work.  Trust, integrity and honesty are all characteristics valued by Insurance employers.

Learners will be asked to declare any criminal convictions, bankruptcy or CCJ's at the time of registration onto the qualifications.

Apprenticeship pathway learning programme(s)

Level 4: Insurance

Level 4: Insurance Qualifications

Participants must achieve one of the following competence and knowledge qualifications below.

Essential Skills Wales (ESW)

Essential Skills Wales qualifications assessment languages are English-Welsh

On/Off the Job training

On/Off the Job Qualification details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

Level 4 Diploma in Insurance – (Competence) - 53 credits / 330 hours.

Level 4 Diploma in Insurance – (Knowledge) - 50 credits / 300 hours.

The total on and off the job training for this pathway is 755 hours. It is anticipated that an average learner will take between 18 and 24 months to complete.

On/Off the Job Essential Skills details (Minimum Credit & Hours)

• 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Communication
• 6 credits/60 GLH Level 2 Essential Skills Wales Application of Number

Other additional requirements

Learners will be asked to declare any criminal convictions, bankruptcy or CCJ's at the time of registration onto the qualifications.

Progression

Level 4: Insurance

Progression into this Apprenticeship can come from the following qualifications:

• GCSE's and other alternative qualifications;
• A-Levels;
• 14-19 Diploma;
• Welsh Baccalaureate;
• Level 2 Qualifications and Intermediate Apprenticeships;
• Level 3 Qualifications and Apprenticeships.

For those who wish to continue their development of skills and qualifications beyond level 4, opportunities exist to progress to higher level professional qualifications, including:

• CII Level 6 Advanced Diploma in Insurance.

Technicians and Supervisors can progress onto Managerial and Client facing roles.

Equality and diversity

It is important that apprenticeship Pathways are inclusive and can demonstrate an active approach to identifying and removing barriers to entry and progression. Pathways should advance equality of opportunity between persons who share protected characteristics and those persons who do not as identified in the Equality Act 2010.

The Protected characteristics identified in the Equality Act are age, disability, gender re-assignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity. Marriage and civil partnership is also included although only in respect of the requirement to eliminate discrimination in employment.

Training providers and employers MUST also comply with the other duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against in terms of entry to the industry based upon those nine protected characteristics.

Inequalities in the financial services sector and workplace persist for women and there is evidence that new mothers face downward mobility once they return to the labour market. A recommendation in the Fair Access to the Professions 2012 Report is to provide Apprenticeships with flexible entry and progression into the professions which can support mid-career, career interchange and career returner opportunities - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/61090/IR_FairAccess_acc2.pdf

The ‘equality of terms’ provisions in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) entitle a woman doing equal work with a man in the same employment to equality in pay and other terms and conditions. The Act implies a sex equality clause automatically into her contract of employment, ensuring that her contractual terms are no less favourable than his. The man with whom she is claiming equal pay is known as her comparator. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/equality-act-2010-guidance

Research suggests that less than a third of all managers and proprietors (30%), and barely one in every eight professionals and technical staff in the financial services sector, are women - Source: Working Futures -  https://gov.wales/working-futures-0

These findings are corroborated by information from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which suggests that women earn a lot less than men in financial services - page 10 https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/methodologies/annualsurveyofhoursandearningslowpayandannualsurveyofhoursandearningspensionresultsqmi

Men outnumber women in the Financial, insurance and other professional services sector across all nations by a similar proportion (52 per cent to 48 per cent) - 2012 Sector Skills Assessment - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sector-skills-assessments

Over recent years, the FLSP has been running its "Through the Glass Ceiling" programme. Whilst the main gender imbalance in our sector is at senior management level, there are also imbalances at other levels in the different sub-sectors. Under the FLSP's Equality and Diversity policy, we are committed "to achieve a workforce that reflects, at all levels, the diversity of the UK's population", so we will be working to create projects that will help address these imbalances.

Our aim is to see the progression, not just of women, but also of all under-represented groups. There should be open recruitment of Apprentices to the programme, which is available to all people, regardless of gender, ethnic origin, religion or disability who meet the stated selection criteria.

All partners involved in the delivery of the Higher Apprenticeship - providers, assessment centres and employers must be committed to a policy of equal opportunities and must have a stated equal opportunities policy and procedure.

Only 0.2% of Apprenticeship learners progressed to further or higher education in 2007/08, and few went directly into the professions. The FLSP encourages all apprentices to progress onto further education for themselves and into a profession and progression routes are available for them to do so. This will help talent, regardless of background or qualifications, to have the opportunity to develop and thrive. This Pathway therefore aims to tackle these issues.

Employment responsibilities and rights

Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) is no longer compulsory.  But it is recommended that all apprentices (especially the 16 years -18 year group) receive a company induction programme.

Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the Training Provider and Employer to ensure that the requirements of this pathway are delivered in accordance with the Welsh Government Apprenticeships Guidance.

Further information may be obtained from: Welsh Government

DfES-ApprenticeshipUnit@gov.wales

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