Apprentice Voice - Real time apprentice insights
Understanding Scotland's apprentices
Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has harnessed valuable information from its systems to deliver a major programme of ongoing evaluation and research on the nation’s apprentices.
Apprentice Voice provides access to live data from Modern Apprentices at any time, giving vital feedback on learners’ experiences and outcomes.
The automated, rolling approach gathers real-time insight from individuals when they are in training and post-apprenticeship, on issues such as awareness, satisfaction, perceptions, benefits, destinations and outcomes.
The work forms part of a wider SDS programme of research and evaluation which informs continuous improvement and apprenticeship delivery in Scotland.
Annual statistical reviews from the Real Time Apprentice Insights will be published on the Publications and Statistics area of the SDS website.
Keeping in touch
By tapping into the SDS Funding Information and Processing System that tracks apprentice progress, Scotland’s Modern Apprentices are contacted at set milestones in their apprenticeship journey.
Individuals are given the opportunity to anonymously provide feedback through short online surveys at three stages:
- In training (6 months after starting)
- Leavers (3 months after leaving)
- Short Term Outcomes (15 months after leaving)
The work enables SDS to track a wide variety of individuals on different apprenticeships throughout their apprenticeship and beyond.
Influencing decisions
SDS can now produce more efficient and robust insight from apprentices than ever before.
New tools and techniques have been adopted by SDS Evaluation and Research to streamline collection, reporting and analysis.
There is now consistent measures of outcomes, perceptions and benefits for Modern Apprenticeships.
The programme of research is inclusive, as all apprentices are given the opportunity to provide feedback at key stages of their apprenticeship.
The work delivers a wider range of outputs and analyses more quickly, strengthened by more in-depth qualitative and lived experience research.
Through Apprentice Voice there is an improved evidence base in real time to inform decision making and share with partners.