Good Apprenticeship Assessors/Coaches are in short supply. Many are happily employed and only move for the right mix of salary, caseload, support, flexibility and culture.
Your job spec needs to do two things at once:
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Filter for quality and compliance.
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Sell the opportunity to the kind of assessor you actually want.
Here’s how to get that balance right.
1. Make the role title searchable
Candidates search for all sorts of variants:
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Apprenticeship Assessor
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Skills Coach / Learning Coach
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Trainer / Coach
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Vocational Assessor
Include the key terms in your title or sub-heading to maximise visibility on job boards and LinkedIn.
2. Open with the learner and employer impact
The best assessors care about making a difference. Start with a short, learner-focused intro:
“As an Apprenticeship Assessor, you’ll support learners to achieve their qualifications, grow in confidence and develop skills that employers genuinely value. You’ll work closely with employers to ensure programmes reflect real workplace needs.”
This sets a positive tone that appeals to vocational educators.
3. Be transparent on caseload and delivery model
This is where many specs lose people.
Be clear on:
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Typical caseload size
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Remote vs face-to-face delivery
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Use of online learning, workshops, block release, etc.
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Geographical patch and travel expectations
Example:
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“Manage a caseload of approximately 45–50 learners across [region]”
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“Mix of remote delivery and on-site employer visits (expect c. 3 days per week on the road).”
If you don’t specify this, strong candidates assume the worst and move on.
4. Highlight support, not just compliance
Of course, you need to reference:
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Functional Skills
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OTJ hours
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Quality / IQA
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EPA preparation
But don’t write the spec like a funding manual. Include how you support assessors:
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Reasonable caseloads and admin support
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CPD opportunities and standardisation
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Line manager accessibility and coaching
This is what keeps people in roles – and makes your advert stand out.
5. Get the requirements right-sized
Typical essentials:
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An assessing qualification (TAQA, CAVA, A1 or equivalent) – or willingness to work towards
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Recent industry or teaching/coaching experience in the relevant sector
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Experience delivering apprenticeship standards (if possible)
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Strong organisational skills and learner-centred approach
Avoid long lists of generic corporate competencies. They just dilute the message.
6. Talk about salary, benefits and flexibility
Assessors are being approached constantly. If you’re competitive, say so:
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Salary band
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Mileage or car allowance
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Bonus structure, if any
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Flexibility (start/finish times, hybrid working, compressed hours, etc.)
Being vague (“competitive salary”) can actually push good people away.
7. Close with a personal, human CTA
Bring a bit of personality into the call to action:
“If you’re an experienced Assessor or a sector professional thinking about moving into training, the National Skills Agency would love to chat. We work with leading training providers across the UK and can help you find the right assessor role for your skills and lifestyle.”
Reach out to NSA we recruit trainers, assessors and coaches every week of the year! contact: spencer@nationalskillsagency.co.uk 020 3953 1984
