Manager's Guidance for Apprenticeships
The most successful Career Development and Future Talent apprentices are supported by managers who are engaged, encouraging, and actively involved in their growth. Your involvement isn’t just helpful, it’s essential to their success and to achieving our Manchester 2035 Strategy goals.
Regular, informal check-ins during 1:1s or PDRs, where colleagues share what they’re working on as part of their apprenticeship programme, help identify additional learning opportunities and reinforce that they are supported by you as their line manager. These conversations also ensure alignment with team priorities, organisational strategy, and individual career goals.
Mandatory Training for Managers
Before joining any recruitment panel or promotion committee, colleagues must complete the following mandatory training:
- Diversity in the Workplace
- Unconscious Bias
- Recruiting Colleagues at Manchester
- Safeguarding Children (required if working with people under 18)
- Introduction to Jobtrain
New Jobtrain users must also provide evidence of completing mandatory Data Protection and Cyber Security training before their account can be set up.
Engaging with the programme
- Request access to the online portfolio. All apprentices have one, and training providers can give you a login. This allows you to monitor progress, review evidence, and stay connected where required.
- Meet the tutor or coach early and ask for an overview of the programme, assessment criteria, and key milestones. This helps you plan meaningful work opportunities for your apprentice.
- Create practical learning experiences for your apprentice. Shadowing is a great starting point, observe, practice, then embed theory through real tasks. Encourage apprentices to apply new skills in live projects where possible.
- Understand the timeline for the programme. Apprenticeships often run for 12–36 months. Familiarise yourself with the structure so you can anticipate busy periods that may need to be avoided or planned for in advance.
Work-Based Projects
Some apprenticeships include a work-based project, often linked to the End Point Assessment.
These projects:
- Deliver real value to the University.
- Help apprentices develop new skills and confidence.
- May involve collaboration across departments—seek support early and be mindful of workloads.
- Often require data, stakeholder input, or process improvements, so plan ahead to avoid delays.
Your Responsibilities as a Line Manager
- Provide a clear outline of expectations and a safe, supportive environment.
- Encourage apprentices to take ownership and seek feedback regularly.
- Offer relevant work experience to develop the skills and knowledge required by the apprenticeship standard as and where needed.
- Ensure 20% off-the-job learning time is scheduled and protected, this is a legal requirement.
- Support completion of projects and portfolio evidence by giving access to resources and opportunities.
- Link your 1-1’s and PDR conversations to their apprenticeship programme.
- Maintain communication with the training provider and attend scheduled reviews where required.
- Assign a workplace mentor for additional support and guidance if needed.
Progress Reviews
Training providers will generally conduct progress reviews every 10–12 weeks. Schedule these in your diary and attend where possible.
Your presence:
- Reinforces the partnership between your apprentice, provider, and The University of Manchester.
- Demonstrates commitment to development.
- Helps address challenges early and celebrate progress.
Top Tips
- Treat apprenticeship learning as part of the job, not an add-on.
- Celebrate milestones—completion of modules, projects, or assessments.
- Keep conversations positive and focused on development.
- Encourage apprentices to share what they’ve learned and how it benefits the team.