If you’re an Apprenticeship Assessor or Skills Coach (or you’re looking to become one), you’ll know the market moves quickly. One week it’s “urgent hire”, the next week it’s “can you start yesterday?”.

At the National Skills Agency (NSA), we specialise in helping candidates find the latest assessor jobs and skills coach roles across the UK — working with training providers and further education colleges delivering apprenticeship standards, NVQs, and work-based learning programmes.

What types of Assessor and Skills Coach jobs are available?

Assessor and Skills Coach roles exist across a huge range of apprenticeship standards and vocational qualifications. We regularly recruit for opportunities including (but definitely not limited to):

• Health and Social Care Assessor jobs

• HR / People Practice Assessor jobs

• Leadership & Management Skills Coach roles

• Digital Marketing Assessor jobs

• Software Development Skills Coach roles

• Business Administration Assessor jobs

• Customer Service Assessor jobs

• Team Leading / Supervisor Skills Coach roles

• Warehousing & Logistics Assessor jobs

• Supply Chain Assessor jobs

• Construction Assessor jobs

• Childcare / Early Years Assessor jobs

• Hospitality Assessor jobs

• Retail Assessor jobs

In short: if there’s an apprenticeship standard or NVQ out there, someone needs a great coach/assessor to deliver it — and we’re usually asked to find them.

Remote, hybrid, or home-based with travel?

One of the most common questions we get is: “Is it remote?”
The answer is: sometimes — and it depends.

Assessor and Skills Coach roles typically fall into one of these delivery models:

• Home-based with travel – you deliver remotely, but travel to see learners (and sometimes employers) for visits, observations, reviews, or workshops.

• Hybrid – a blend of remote delivery and occasional office/team days or classroom sessions.

• Fully remote – delivery is completed online with minimal to no travel (more common in certain standards and delivery models).

What you’ll find is that the approach can vary by employer, sector, learner needs, and the specific standard. Two providers can deliver the same programme in completely different ways — so it’s worth checking the detail before you fall in love with the job title.

Why work with National Skills Agency?

NSA is a UK specialist recruiter focused on apprenticeships, training, awarding and the wider skills sector. That means we don’t just “send CVs” — we match people to roles they can actually thrive in, with employers who understand delivery realities.

Looking for your next Assessor or Skills Coach role?

If you’re searching for the latest assessor jobs or skills coach vacancies, keep an eye on NSA opportunities — and if you’d like a confidential chat about what’s out there (remote vs travel, salary expectations, caseloads, standards, and progression), just reach out.

National Skills Agency
Email: spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk
Phone: 020 3953 1984

Why this matters

If you run a training provider, college, EPAO or awarding body, you’ll have noticed a theme:

“The roles we most need to fill are the ones where the talent pool feels smallest.”

Based on what we’re seeing across the market – from urgent perm hires to confidential M&A conversations – here are 10 roles that look especially hot going into 2026.

Spoiler: if you’re planning growth in any of these areas, start your talent strategy yesterday.

1. Retrofit Assessors (PAS 2035)

No surprise: retrofit is on fire (in the good way).

• Government targets, housing stock and net-zero commitments are all driving demand

• Providers, local authorities and housing associations are scrambling for qualified Assessors

• Salaries and day rates have risen, and candidates can often pick and choose

If you’re launching or scaling retrofit provision, expect a competitive market – and consider “grow your own” strategies plus smart recruitment.

2. Engineering & Electrical Trainers/Assessors

Engineering and electrical routes have always been tough to recruit for; 2026 isn’t looking any easier.

Reasons:

• Industry can often pay more for experienced tradespeople

• Apprenticeship standards require real depth of technical experience

• Providers need people who can handle both workshop and theory (fun combo)

Creative packages, strong CPD and genuinely decent kit all help.

3. Functional Skills Tutors (Maths & English)

The unsung heroes.

• Essential for apprenticeship success rates

• In short supply, especially where providers want blended delivery at scale

• Demand spikes before Ofsted visits… funny that

If your Functional Skills team is just “whoever’s free”, you’re storing up problems.

4. Apprenticeship Managers

You’ve got multiple standards, different funding streams, hybrid delivery, partner providers and Top Brass wanting growth.

Cue the Apprenticeship Manager:

• Orchestrates programmes, teams and quality

• Keeps learners, employers, Ofsted and ESFA broadly happy at the same time

• Needs both operational and strategic headspace

High-calibre Apprenticeship Managers are in demand – and they know it.

5. Heads of Quality

Ofsted pressure + funding scrutiny + complex delivery models = huge demand for strong Quality leads.

The good ones:

• Talk about evidence, impact and improvement, not just paperwork

• Can walk into a room and spot the gaps quickly

• Bring everyone with them – not just issue more spreadsheets

Bad ones… don’t. And yes, we all have stories.

6. MIS & Funding Managers

Not glamorous, absolutely essential.

With more:

• Apprenticeship standards

• AEB and adult skills contracts

• Bootcamps and pilots

…someone has to ensure the data and funding claims are correct. That someone is often running flat-out.

Providers are increasingly willing to invest in strong MIS & Funding Managers because the cost of getting it wrong is eye-watering.

7. Apprenticeship Business Developers (Who Can Actually Sell)

We’re not short of people who say they can sell. We are short of:

• Apprenticeship BDMs who can navigate levy, procurement and long sales cycles

• People who understand funding rules and don’t over-promise

• Those rare souls who can build relationships and manage a coherent pipeline

These hires are critical for growth – and frequently hard to land.

8. Digital & Tech Trainers

From IT Support and Cyber to Data and Software, digital provision is still growing.

Key issues:

• Tech professionals have options (and salaries) outside education

• Providers need people who are both credible technically and able to teach at different levels

• Bootcamps, skills programmes and apprenticeships all chasing the same skillsets

If your digital trainer team is one person with a laptop and a lot of optimism, now might be the time to build resilience.

9. Quality-minded Centre Managers / Regional Managers

These are the “mini-MDs”:

• Responsible for centre performance, staff, learners and local employers

• Carry a mix of operational, quality and commercial responsibility

• Often completely pivotal in Ofsted outcomes

The market for strong regional/centre leaders is busy – and they’re often very open to a confidential chat if conditions aren’t right where they are.

10. M&A-Sensitive Roles (People Before Paper)

With more mergers, acquisitions and investments happening across the sector, we’re seeing demand for:

• Leaders who can steady the ship through change

• HR / People leads who understand TUPE, culture and communication

• Interim specialists to bridge gaps during integration

Everyone talks about valuation multiples and due diligence; the organisations that do best are the ones that get the people piece right.

What should you do with this list?

If you’re an employer:

• Map these roles against your 3-year plan

• Identify where you have single-points-of-failure (one person who “is” the function)

• Talk to us early – not when the only Quality Manager you have just resigned

If you’re a candidate:

• Spot where your skills fit into this picture

• Think about upskilling into one of these in-demand areas

• Have a confidential chat with us about what’s realistic

At National Skills Agency, we sit in the middle of all of this – talking to providers, colleges, EPAOs, awarding bodies and investors every day.

If you’d like to:

• Sanity-check your hiring plans

• Benchmark salaries

• Explore M&A with a people-first lens

…you know where to find us.

spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk

020 3953 1984

Every week we speak to people who say some version of:

“I’ve been in industry for 15–20 years. I’m tired of shifts/site/travel and fancy becoming a Trainer or Assessor. Where do I start – and will I have to take a massive pay cut?”

Short answer: no, you don’t have to start from zero, but you do need a plan.

Here’s how to move from industry into training and apprenticeships without losing your sanity (or your mortgage).

Step 1: Decide which role actually fits you

“Training” covers more than just standing at the front of a classroom with a PowerPoint that refuses to behave.

The main routes:

• Trainer / Tutor – delivers planned teaching sessions, workshops, bootcamps or classroom-style learning.

• Assessor / Skills Coach – works 1:1 or in small groups, coaching learners in the workplace and signing off evidence.

• Functional Skills Tutor – English/Maths/ICT (needs a specific skills profile and usually strong teaching focus).

• Internal Quality Assurer (IQA) – usually a second step once you’ve been assessing.

Ask yourself:

• Do you enjoy coaching individuals, or do you love “showtime” with a group?

• Are you more comfortable on site/in the workplace or in a centre/online?

• Do you want to stay hands-on with the technical side, or shift towards coaching and compliance?

If you’re not sure, that’s the sort of thing we talk through with candidates every day.

Step 2: Work out what you already have (and what you need)

You probably already bring:

• Years of real-world experience in your trade/sector

• An understanding of standards, safety, processes

• War stories that learners remember better than any slide deck

You may need:

• A teaching qualification (e.g. Level 3 AET or above) – some providers will support you through this

• An assessor qualification (TAQA/CAVA/A1) if you’re going into assessing

• Up-to-date CPD to show your industry knowledge is current

Good providers know that industry expertise is gold and can be trained into teaching. The trick is to package what you already do in “education language”.

Step 3: Don’t undersell your experience on your CV

Typical industry CV:

“1999–2025: Did loads. Managed teams. Hit targets. Fixed things. Everyone liked me.”

What training providers want to see:

• Evidence of coaching or mentoring apprentices/juniors on site

• Any informal training: toolbox talks, inductions, briefings, CPD sessions

• Experience with standards, compliance, health & safety, audits

• Times you’ve communicated complex stuff in simple ways

If you’re stuck, we often help candidates reshape CVs to “translate” industry work into skills that scream Trainer/Assessor.

Step 4: Be realistic (but not defeatist) on salary

Will you earn exactly what you did on your best year in overtime-heavy industry? Maybe not.

Will you be expected to work 70 hours a week in all weathers? Also no.

Think about:

• Base salary vs lifestyle – fewer nights away, more predictable hours, hybrid options

• Progression – once you’ve got experience, roles like Lead Trainer, IQA, Quality, Curriculum and Management open up

• Long-term sustainability – do you want to be up a ladder or on a site in winter at 62?

We regularly place ex-industry candidates into Trainer/Assessor roles where the salary is sensible and the lifestyle is dramatically better.

Step 5: Choose your first employer carefully

Your first experience in training can make or break your view of the whole sector.

Good signs:

• Structured induction – shadowing, co-delivery, proper onboarding

• Support to gain teaching/assessor quals

• Realistic caseloads and KPIs

• A manager who talks about learning and quality, not just “bums on seats”

Red flags:

• “You’ll be fine, just jump straight in front of a class on Monday.”

• No mentoring, no observation model, no CPD

• Vague job spec but very specific targets

If you don’t know what “good” looks like, that’s where a specialist recruiter makes life easier – we already know which providers support career-changers well.

Step 6: Talk to someone who lives in both worlds

At National Skills Agency, we:

• Talk to training providers, colleges, EPAOs and awarding bodies all day

• See which ones genuinely support ex-industry trainers and assessors

• Know where your sector background (engineering, construction, digital, health, etc.) is in the highest demand

We can:

• Help you position your CV for training roles

• Talk you through realistic salary expectations

• Introduce you to providers who value your experience – not just your certificates

If you’re sat at work thinking “there has to be a better way to use my skills than this”, there probably is.

???? spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk
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Let’s be honest: recruiting a good tutor is hard.
Recruiting a great tutor – the kind who can teach, coach, motivate, keep ILPs up to date and survive Ofsted – can feel like hunting unicorns with a net made of red tape.

The good news? It is possible. We see it happen every week.

At National Skills Agency, we live and breathe this stuff across apprenticeships, training and FE. So here’s a practical (and slightly cheeky) guide on how to recruit a tutor without burning out your delivery team, your budget or your will to live.

Step 1: Decide what you actually need (not just what you can copy-paste)

Most tutor job specs start life as a Frankenstein’s monster of:

• The old job description

• Random bits from a different role

• A paragraph someone once wrote for Ofsted

Before you advertise, ask three simple questions:

1. What do we really need this tutor to deliver?
   Apprenticeships? Study programmes? Functional Skills? Bootcamps? All of the above (because why not)?

2. What’s non-negotiable?

   • Subject qualifications (e.g. sector-specific + teaching qual)

   • Experience with apprentices/FE learners

   • Ability to handle remote and face-to-face delivery

3. What’s nice to have but not essential?
   That mythical “5 years in the role, 4 different sectors, perfect retention, and can also fix the MIS system” candidate probably doesn’t exist.

Top tip: If your “essential criteria” list reads like the wish-list for three different jobs, it’s time for a trim.

Step 2: Salary sanity check (or: why your £28k may not cut it)

You can write the world’s best advert…
But if the salary is miles off the market, the only thing you’ll attract is tumbleweed.

Ask yourself:

• Does this salary reflect the level, responsibility and travel?

• How does it compare to other local providers and private training companies?

• Would you personally do this role for that money? (If the answer is “absolutely not”, we have our answer.)

If you’re unsure, ask someone like us for a quick market sense-check. We’re looking at salaries all day long so you don’t have to.

Step 3: Write an advert that talks to humans, not just to Ofsted

A good tutor advert should do three things:

1. Explain the impact – who they’ll be teaching and why it matters

2. Show the reality – delivery model, caseload, support, flexibility

3. Give them a reason to care – benefits, culture, progression, values

Bad advert:

“We are seeking a highly motivated individual to deliver outstanding teaching, learning and assessment to a caseload of learners, ensuring timely achievement…”

Good advert:

“You’ll be working with a caseload of around 35–40 learners, helping them actually enjoy their subject while still hitting the deadlines that keep Ofsted and your MIS team smiling.”

Feel the difference?

Sprinkle in a bit of personality. You’re allowed to sound like real people. In fact, tutors often prefer it.

Step 4: Go where the tutors actually are (hint: not just one generic job board)

If your entire recruitment strategy is:

“We stuck it on one job board and hoped for the best…”

…don’t be surprised when nothing happens.

Think about:

• Specialist job boards for education, apprenticeships and FE

• LinkedIn – especially sector groups (yes, the ones full of passionate debates about Ofsted and funding)

• Your existing staff – tutors know other tutors; referrals are gold

• Specialist recruiters (that’s where we come in) with existing networks and databases

At NSA, we spend our lives building relationships with tutors who are:

• Not actively looking

• Definitely not applying to your advert

• But would move for the right role

Those are often the hires that change a department.

Step 5: Make applying easier than a funding claim

If your application process feels like completing a full ILR from memory, people will drop out.

Ask:

• Can they apply with a CV and short note rather than a 24-page application form?

• Do you really need them to upload every certificate before interview?

• Is your ATS secretly designed as a psychological test?

A simple, human process says:

“We respect your time. We’re organised. This is a good place to work.”

A complicated, painful one says:

“Run.”

Step 6: Interview for the right things

A tutor role isn’t just “can you talk at a class for an hour”.
You’re looking for a blend of:

• Subject competence

• Teaching/coaching skills

• Pastoral support

• Organisation and compliance

• Resilience and humour (essential for any group that contains teenagers, apprentices or indeed employers)

Great interview questions include:

• “Tell me about a learner you’re proud of – what was the journey?”

• “How do you handle a mixed-ability group without leaving anyone behind?”

• “What does good progress tracking look like to you?”

• “What’s your approach when a learner’s issues are more pastoral than academic?”

And maybe one curveball like:

• “If Ofsted walked in tomorrow, what would they see in your session?”

You’ll learn more from those answers than from a dozen generic “strengths and weaknesses” questions.

Step 7: Show them you’re not a chaos factory

Tutors have options. Good ones especially.

So you need to sell:

• Support – do they have a manager who coaches, not just chases?

• Reasonable caseload – not “here’s 85 learners and good luck”

• Resources and tech – no one wants to teach from worksheets last updated in 2009

• Culture – collaborative, learner-centred, realistic about funding and targets

A candidate-friendly interview might include:

• A quick chat with another tutor

• A look at the schemes of work/resources

• A realistic picture of the challenges and the wins

Remember: they’re interviewing you as much as you’re interviewing them.

Step 8: Move fast (good tutors don’t hang around)

If you find someone you like:

• Don’t take three weeks to come back with feedback

• Don’t schedule four rounds of interviews plus a panel and a blood test

• Don’t lose them over a £1k salary gap

In this market, speed + clarity = hires.

We regularly see providers lose brilliant tutors because someone else moved faster, made a clean offer and didn’t try to shave £500 off at the last second.

Step 9: Use specialists (yes, shameless plug time)

Could you do all of this alone?
Possibly. In the same way you could DIY your own dental work.

Or, you could let people who do this all day, every day, handle the heavy lifting.

At National Skills Agency we:

• Focus purely on apprenticeships, training, awarding and FE

• Have a large, sector-specific candidate database

• Know who’s great, who’s quietly open to a move, and who’s already been on every job board in the country

• Can advise honestly on salary, location and expectations

We’re paid on success, so it’s in our interests to help you hire the right tutor, not just any tutor.

Final thought: Good tutors are an investment, not a cost

If your entire tutor recruitment strategy is “how cheap can we get this?”, you’ll spend the next year firefighting retention, quality and Ofsted issues.

If instead you think:

“How do we find someone brilliant, support them properly and keep them?”

…you’ll see the difference in learner outcomes, employer satisfaction, and the general noise level in your Quality meetings.

And if you’d like some help with that – whether it’s a single tutor or a whole delivery team – you know where I am.

???? spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk
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020 3953 1984

Hiring a decent Retrofit Assessor right now can feel like trying to book a last-minute table for 12 somewhere “quiet” on a Saturday night. Everyone wants one, few are genuinely available, and some of the ones who are… well… there’s usually a reason.

A strong Retrofit Assessor is not just a surveyor with a clipboard. They need to understand the whole-house picture, gather evidence properly, and play nicely with PAS 2035 processes so the retrofit journey doesn’t become a costly comedy of errors.

Step 1: Be clear what “Retrofit Assessor” means in your world

Because employers use the title in different ways, define the scope up front:

• Domestic / social housing vs private residential

• Whole-house retrofit vs single measures (ECO-heavy)

• Site survey expectations: travel radius, number of surveys per week

• Outputs required: surveys, condition reports, occupancy assessment, baseline energy, ventilation risk observations, photo evidence

• How PAS 2035 is run: Are you using Retrofit Coordinators in-house or outsourced?

• Tools and reporting: how evidence is captured, stored, and shared

Tip: If you don’t define the outputs, you’ll end up hiring someone who thinks “assessment” is a quick wander round the property and a shrug.

Step 2: Write a job spec that attracts competent people (not just applicants)

A Retrofit Assessor spec should include the things good candidates actually care about:

Essentials to specify

• Qualification requirements (be precise):

  • Retrofit Assessor qualification aligned to PAS 2035 (where required by your framework/client)

  • Any additional credentials you genuinely need (e.g., DEA / RdSAP / SAP if that’s part of your operating model)

• Type of surveys: pre-works, post-works, compliance inspections (if applicable)

• Volume expectations: surveys per week + admin time

• Patch: geography and travel expectations

• Support: admin, scheduling, template library, coordinator support

• Progression: pathway into Retrofit Coordinator/QA roles (good candidates love a plan)

Salary clarity

If you’re vague, the best people assume the worst. Include range + mileage/car allowance + productivity expectations.

Step 3: Where are the best Retrofit Assessors hiding?

Most of the good ones are:

• Already working (shocking, I know)

• Not actively applying

• Listed under different titles: surveyor, energy assessor, building inspector, stock condition surveyor, retrofit surveyor

Best hunting grounds:

• Energy assessment & surveying backgrounds (DEA/RdSAP/SAP)

• Stock condition / housing survey teams

• Building control / clerk of works-ish profiles (process-driven, good evidence habits)

• Contractors delivering SHDF/ECO (used to modern retrofit workflows)

And yes—specialist recruiters can reach the “quietly open” crowd faster than job ads.

Step 4: Interview for process + evidence (not chatter)

Retrofit is evidence-based. If the assessor can’t explain their process clearly, you’re buying future rework.

Interview questions that actually work

1. “Talk me through your survey process from arrival to upload.”

2. “What evidence do you capture as standard, and why?”

3. “How do you assess ventilation and moisture risk in practice?”

4. “How do you handle an occupied property where access is limited?”

5. “What’s your approach when you spot defects that could derail measures?”

6. “How do you work with the Retrofit Coordinator and design team?”

7. “Tell me about a survey that went wrong—what did you change afterwards?”

Ask for proof (redacted)

• Example photo set expectations (what’s ‘good enough’?)

• A redacted report excerpt / checklist

• How they structure notes so a coordinator/designer can use them

Step 5: Red flags (the expensive ones)

• “I’m more of a people person than a paperwork person.” (No.)

• Doesn’t understand why ventilation is central to retrofit risk

• Treats surveys as a tick-box, not diagnostic

• Can’t explain how their outputs support PAS 2035 roles and decisions

• Has zero tolerance for process, systems, or QA

Retrofit delivery hates chaos. Chaos gets you callbacks, complaints, and programme delays.

Step 6: Make the offer hard to refuse (without overpaying blindly)

The best assessors care about:

• Reasonable survey volume + realistic admin time

• Good scheduling (no zig-zagging 4 counties in a day)

• Clear templates and QA (they want to do it right)

• A grown-up escalation path when a property is complex

• Progression (Assessor → Senior Assessor → QC/QA → Coordinator pathway)

If you can offer structure, support, and clarity, you’ll beat organisations relying on “just crack on”.

Step 7: Onboarding (where quality is won or lost)

Give them:

• A defined “what good looks like” pack (photos, examples, checklists)

• Shadowing with a top performer for 2–3 days

• Quick access to coordinator/technical support

• Weekly QA feedback early on (tight loop, no surprises)

Quick checklist: Hiring a Retrofit Assessor

• ✅ Clear PAS 2035 scope + client/programme requirements

• ✅ Defined outputs + evidence standards

• ✅ Realistic survey volumes and patch

• ✅ Interview tests process, quality, and risk awareness

• ✅ Strong onboarding + QA feedback loop

If you’re trying to hire Retrofit Assessors and keep losing them to “better organised” competitors (or worse… to chaos), we can help. The best people are rarely scrolling job boards—they’re busy delivering.

spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk |

Why this hire is high stakes

A strong Head of Quality:

• Stabilises delivery

• Improves learner outcomes

• Builds a culture where evidence exists before inspection week

A weak one:

• Creates spreadsheets

• Hosts meetings

• Tells you everything is “in progress” until it’s not

Step 1: Define your version of “quality”

Is it:

• Ofsted readiness?

• IQA rigour and standardisation?

• Curriculum improvement?

• Data-led performance improvement?

• Compliance and funding assurance?

Usually it’s all of the above—so decide the top 3 priorities for the first 6 months.

Step 2: What a strong job spec includes

• Scope: apprenticeships only or wider provision

• Reporting lines and influence (do they have authority?)

• Team: IQAs, QAs, QIPs, QMIS, tutors/assessors

• Key levers: observation model, standardisation, QIP/SAR ownership

• KPIs: timely reviews, OTJ quality, EPA outcomes, retention, progress

Step 3: Where great Heads of Quality come from

• High-performing ITPs (obvious, but rare and in demand)

• Colleges with strong work-based learning units

• Awarding/EPA/compliance-heavy environments (often brilliant on rigour)

The best are usually:

• Not applying

• Quietly open

• Approached through trusted networks

Step 4: Interview questions that separate leaders from librarians

1. “What did your last QIP actually change?” (give examples)

2. “How do you balance support and accountability with delivery teams?”

3. “What does an effective observation process look like?”

4. “How do you drive consistency across multiple standards/teams?”

5. “Which 5 metrics do you watch weekly/monthly—and why?”

6. “How do you prepare for Ofsted without making everyone miserable?”

7. “Talk me through a time you turned around a weak area.”

Ask for artefacts

• A redacted QIP

• A dashboard used in governance

• An example of standardisation output

Step 5: Red flags

• Over-indexes on paperwork, under-indexes on impact

• Can’t describe “before and after” improvements

• Blames delivery completely (quality is leadership + systems)

• Doesn’t understand the commercial reality of apprenticeships

If you need a Head of Quality who can lead improvement, not just report it, NSA can bring you proven senior quality leaders—often off-market.

spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk |

020 3953 1984

Trainers aren’t just “deliverers”

A top trainer:

• Creates behaviour change (not just workshops)

• Builds evidence naturally through learning

• Keeps learners moving (retention = quality = revenue)

Step 1: Define the trainer shape you need

• Standalone trainer vs trainer-assessor hybrid

• Remote delivery vs classroom/on-site

• Cohort-based vs 1:1 coaching

• Technical specialism vs soft-skills / leadership

Step 2: What to include in the job spec

• Delivery format (live online, blended, workshops)

• Group size expectations

• Curriculum ownership vs delivery-only

• Lesson planning expectations + resources provided

• Observation/CPD culture

• Systems (LMS/VLE, e-portfolio, Teams, MI reporting)

Step 3: Interview like a quality team (not like a chat show)

Ask for a micro-teach
10–15 minutes on a topic relevant to the standard. You’ll see:

• Pace, structure, engagement

• Ability to check understanding

• Confidence with learners (without being a “lecturer from 1994”)

Questions that matter

1. “How do you handle mixed ability in one session?”

2. “How do you build learning into workplace evidence?”

3. “How do you re-engage a learner who’s gone quiet?”

4. “What does great teaching look like online?”

5. “How do you collaborate with assessors/IQAs?”

Step 4: Red flags

• “I don’t really do online delivery”

• “I’m not a fan of paperwork” (translation: compliance pain)

• No structure—everything is “discussion-based”

• No examples of adapting for different learners

If you want trainers who can engage learners and protect your quality, we’ll find them—even when they’re not actively applying.

spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk |

020 3953 1984

Why apprenticeship BDM hiring is hard

Because everyone says they can sell… and then you ask them about:

• Procurement

• Levy conversations

• SME objections

• Contracting and starts forecasting
  …and suddenly it’s “I’m more relationship-led.”

Relationship-led is lovely. But we still need starts.

Step 1: Decide what “BDM” means in your organisation

There are at least three different jobs wearing the same title:

1. Hunter BDM – new logos, outbound, pipeline creation

2. Account Growth / Employer Engagement – upsell, retention, expansions

3. Partnerships – strategic referrals, ITP networks, public sector frameworks

If you hire a farmer into a hunter role, don’t be surprised when the pipeline looks like a tragic garden.

Step 2: Write the spec for outcomes (not buzzwords)

Include:

• Target market: SME/levy/public sector

• Typical deal size and sales cycle length

• Whether they handle levy transfers (and how mature your offer is)

• Your programmes: high-demand standards, niche, national delivery etc.

• What marketing support exists (leads vs pure outbound)

• What “good” looks like: meetings/month, SQLs, conversion, starts

Must-have behaviours

• Evidence-based selling (MEDDICC-ish thinking without being annoying about it)

• Objection handling with examples

• CRM discipline (because “it’s in my head” isn’t a pipeline)

Step 3: Where to find great apprenticeship salespeople

Top performers come from:

• Training providers (obvious)

• Awarding / EPA / EdTech (often excellent)

• Workforce solutions / compliance-heavy sales environments (strong process)

Best sourcing:

• LinkedIn targeted by: “apprenticeship”, “employer engagement”, “levy”

• Specialist recruitment network (faster; less time-wasting)

Step 4: Interview questions that expose real competence

1. “Tell me your last 3 wins—how did each start and how did you close?”

2. “What’s your outbound cadence when you have zero warm leads?”

3. “Walk me through a levy conversation with a sceptical HRD.”

4. “What does your pipeline look like at each stage?”

5. “Show me how you forecast starts realistically.”

6. “How do you work with delivery to protect reputation?”

Simple test: ask them to write a 6-line outreach message to a CFO + a HRD.
If it’s all fluff, they’re fluff.

Step 5: Comp, commission, and keeping them

The best BDMs want:

• Clear commission rules (no “we’ll see”)

• Quick credit for meetings AND starts (balanced)

• A strong product (or at least honesty about what’s in flight)

If you need consultative, credible apprenticeship sales talent—not just someone who can talk fast—NSA can introduce the kind of BDMs your competitors quietly employ.
spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk |

020 3953 1984

The reality check

Hiring an Apprenticeship Assessor is a bit like trying to buy a decent used car: there are gems out there, but you’ll also find a few that look great… until you lift the bonnet and discover the “engine” is mostly motivational quotes.

A great assessor is part coach, part consultant, part compliance ninja—and still somehow pleasant on Teams at 8:30am.

Step 1: Get clear on what you actually need (before you advertise)

Before you post “Assessor required – must be dynamic” (please don’t), lock down:

• Standard(s) & levels: e.g., L2–L5, single route vs multi-route

• Delivery model: remote, hybrid, workplace visits, national travel

• Caseload & geography: realistic learner numbers and travel radius

• Focus: coaching-heavy vs evidence/portfolio-heavy; EPA readiness support

• Compliance expectations: OTJ evidence habits, reviews, documentation standards

• Tools: OneFile, Aptem, Bud, Smart Assessor etc.

Pro tip: If your best assessors are currently covering impossible caseloads, advertising the same role with the same workload is not “recruitment”, it’s “repeat disappointment”.

Step 2: Write a job spec that attracts the right assessor (not just applicants)

Include:

• The standards (not “various”)

• The caseload range (and how you support it)

• Your employer mix (SMEs vs levy, public sector, large national accounts)

• Whether you have admin support (this is catnip to good assessors)

• Your quality culture (IQA support, standardisation, CPD)

• The non-negotiables: CAVA/TAQA/A1, occupational competence, driving (if needed)

Step 3: Where the best candidates actually are

Yes, job boards have a place. But the strongest assessors are often:

• Not searching (they’re too busy delivering)

• Quietly open (if the role is better than their current one)

• Hidden (not using “Assessor” as a job title on LinkedIn)

Best channels:

• Targeted LinkedIn outreach (by standard + awarding body + EPA exposure)

• Sector databases / specialist recruiters (faster, more accurate fit)

• Referral loops (your top assessors know two more top assessors)

Step 4: Interview for capability, not confidence

A polished interviewer can still be a chaotic assessor. Ask for specifics:

Great interview questions

1. “Talk me through a learner who’s behind—what’s your recovery plan?”

2. “How do you evidence OTJ in a way that stands up to scrutiny?”

3. “What does a ‘high-quality’ review look like to you?”

4. “How do you handle an employer who cancels repeatedly?”

5. “How do you prepare learners for EPA—what’s your structure?”

6. “What does good look like in your tracker/CRM each week?”

Ask for proof

• A redacted progress review example

• A redacted EPA readiness plan

• A caseload dashboard screenshot (redacted) if they have it

Step 5: Red flags (the ones that matter)

• Can’t explain OTJ evidence clearly

• Thinks reviews are “a quick chat and an email”

• Blames every learner for non-progress

• Uncomfortable with systems/data

• “I’m not really into compliance”

(Translation: “Ofsted will be into you.”)

Step 6: Offer & onboarding (where most providers fumble)

Good assessors get multiple approaches. Win them by being decisive and organised:

• Fast process (2 stages max if possible)

• Clear offer details: travel expectations, caseload ramp-up, kit, mileage

• 30/60/90 day plan with standardisation & buddying

• Early exposure to your best templates (reviews, OTJ, EPA plan)

Quick checklist: hiring an assessor

• ✅ Defined standards and travel model

• ✅ Realistic caseload and ramp-up

• ✅ Measurable quality expectations

• ✅ Interview checks for evidence + process

• ✅ Clear onboarding + tools + support

If you want assessors who can deliver, retain learners, and keep compliance clean, we can help—most of the best people aren’t applying to ads.
spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk |

020 3953 1984

Mergers and acquisitions in the apprenticeship and training space are accelerating. Whether you’re a growing provider, an investor, or an owner planning an exit, there’s one factor that quietly underpins every deal:

The value of the business is heavily linked to the strength of its people.

You can have a great brand, solid contracts and clean funding – but without the right leadership and delivery teams, the value (and future performance) can unravel quickly.

1. Why talent is central to valuation

Savvy buyers look beyond revenue and EBITDA. They want to know:

• Who are the key leaders, and will they stay post-deal?
• Is there a strong second tier of talent beneath the top team?
• Are there any “single points of failure” – one person holding all the knowledge?
• How strong is the delivery team (Trainers/Assessors, Quality, MIS, BDMs)?

Weakness in any of these areas can:

• Increase perceived risk
• Lengthen due diligence
• Reduce the multiple a buyer is willing to pay

2. Common people-related issues uncovered during deals

We regularly see:

• Overstretched leadership wearing multiple hats
• Gaps in Quality or MIS that worry buyers and funders
• Under-investment in sales/BDM teams
• Ageing workforces with no succession plans

These are solvable – but ideally well before you go to market.

3. How sellers can prepare

If you’re planning a sale in the next 1–3 years, consider:

• Strengthening leadership: Filling gaps in Operations, Quality or Sales so the business isn’t over-reliant on the founder.
• Documenting processes: Making sure knowledge sits in systems and playbooks, not just in people’s heads.
• Tidying org charts: Clarifying roles, responsibilities and reporting lines.
• Addressing obvious gaps: For example, hiring a Head of Quality ahead of growth or a Sales Lead to prove the model can scale.

This not only makes due diligence smoother – it can genuinely increase the price buyers are prepared to pay.

4. What buyers should look for

If you’re acquiring a provider, EPAO or training business, don’t just focus on contracts and numbers. Ask:

• Who are the three people we absolutely must keep?
• What’s the real bench strength underneath them?
• How hard will it be to recruit into any gaps we identify?
• Does the current team have the experience to deliver our growth plan?

An early talent audit, and a clear post-deal recruitment plan, can de-risk your investment.

5. Where the National Skills Agency fits in

The National Skills Agency sits uniquely at the intersection of recruitment and M&A in this sector. We:

• Help owners strengthen their teams ahead of sale
• Provide salary and market insight to support realistic budgeting
• Advise buyers on talent risk and recruitment plans
• Introduce buyers and sellers where there’s a genuine strategic fit

If you’re considering buying or selling a training provider, college division, EPAO or awarding body, contact Spencer at the National Skills Agency for a confidential discussion: spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk | 020 3953 1984.