Delivery of the Army Air Corps Apprenticeship: An Analysis of Issues and Challenges

The overarching aim of this report is to provide an in depth analysis of the issues and challenges surrounding the delivery of the Army Air Corps Advanced Apprenticeship, views and policies from the training partner, Babcock International, along with Army Policy have been used to explore the factors that account for the challenges encountered and the impact of these on the apprentice, training partner and the employer.

The report was designed to provide an overview from which to derive findings that can be applied to the Advanced Apprenticeship in a hope to raise standards whilst meeting the requirements of all parties concerned, taking into consideration the relevant Army polices, and in conjunction with the views of several individuals, of who are involved within the Army Air Corps Apprenticeship, each interpreting things differently It is important to therefore, keep in mind that their contributions are not to be regarded as representing the ‘whole story’.

Moreover, the report makes use of a self-ethnographic approach; making use of literature, professional conversations and personal reflection, as a result of this it has been possible to identify the challenges faced with the delivery of the Army Air Corps Advanced Apprenticeship and suggest ways to overcome them.  

Being able to make use of the literature available combined with professional conversations has enabled me to explore the factors that contribute to the challenges faced whilst delivering elements of the Army Air Corps’ Advanced Apprenticeship and how they impact the apprentice, training partner and employer. By using the methods outlined above, it has allowed me to be more objective with my findings thus contributing to its validity.

The analysis then explores the characteristics of the apprenticeship delivery and how the employer, the Army, perceive its relevance and value in relation to a soldiers job performance, career progression and professional identity. Throughout, the primary focus is on the challenges surrounding the delivery of apprenticeship and the impact they have on the apprentice. One of the principle themes explored here is the relationship between the employer; the British Army and the training partner, the analysis then goes on to examine how the delivery could be improved.

The British Army is the largest apprenticeship employer within the UK, training over 11,500 apprentices every year^[1], offering 43 different apprenticeship programmes in various industry related sectors. The commitment from the Army to its perspective soldiers can be seen in the following: “Every soldier entering the Army Apprenticeship programme, provided that he/she remains in service will complete and achieve an apprenticeship framework”.^[2](Army Apprenticeships Handbook to support Commanding Officers’ Group, Page 4)

The Army Air Corps (AAC) is situated in 4 locations within the UK. The AAC Apprenticeship was introduced in 2008 and the apprenticeship is currently overseen by Babcock International, who is the Training partner and the Framework^[3] consists of five elements (refer to Appendix 1)

The main elements which interest Babcock because they have direct responsibility for are firstly Functional Skills and secondly, the Diploma. Those on the Army Air Corps Apprenticeship, undertake Functional Skills qualifications at Level 2 and are made up of the core units: English, Math’s and ICT^[4] unless they have achieved them prior to starting their apprenticeship.

The Diploma, which demonstrates the apprentices’ competency in their chosen trade, it is governed by a set of National Occupational Standards which are laid down by individual sectors.^[5] These standards must be met in order for the apprentice to be deemed as competent by the industry.  

As a tutor closely involved in the delivery of key elements of the Apprenticeship Framework, I believe it is evident that there are some issues and challenges associated with the Army Air Corps Advanced Apprenticeship This report will identify and consider these through a process of critical self-reflection and will provide recommendations for addressing these concerns.

The key issues, identified by personal reflection and professional conversation with fellow tutors as follows:

• Soldier VS trade
• National standards VS ‘In house’
• Education VS training
• Engagement
• Communication
• Funding
• Delivery model

The Army Air Corps Training in Context

This section describes the training in context for those undertaking the Army Air Corps Advanced Apprenticeship and the characteristics of the Phase 2 Unit Army Aviation Centre.

Soldiers join 676 Sqn AAC having completing their Initial Soldier training, whose aim  “Is to command all Phase 2 trainees to meet the statement of training need” (A Flight Sergeant, 676 Sqn), put simply the training need being ‘keeping the bird in the sky’. It is here, where they are taught their ‘trade specific’ or what is more commonly known as ‘Service to Arm’ training and start their apprenticeship journey, Functional Skills takes place at the start of their course and lasts for two weeks, emphasis is placed on completing Level 2 Functional Skills in the core units^[6] soldiers the go on to complete their Military training after which they are streamed into trades depending on the Corps requirement, further training is then undertaken tailored to their trade.

In terms of the Army Air Corps Apprenticeship, trade specific training is currently not meeting the national standards; this is primarily down to not having a link between the training partner and organisation with the task driven ethos featuring heavily and training partner doing more than what is required to ensure the standards are met.

Soldier vs Tradesman

The directive of the commanding officer’s group which directs apprenticeships only has lip service paid to it creating a divide between the apprenticeship provider and the AAC. To achieve the aims of the directive, both parties need to work closely together, each of them fulfilling their part which at present does not happen.