Accessible Apprenticeships

At Dynamic Training, we recognise the social model of disability, the environment and society causes barriers not the individual who has a disability. We are dedicated to ensuring that apprenticeships are inclusive and accessible for everyone. We believe that diversity is a strength, and we're here to support learners with various learning disabilities, physical disabilities, neurodivergence, additional learning needs, mental health challenges, and autism throughout their apprenticeship experience.

At Dynamic everyone is treated as the unique individual that they are. Dynamic Training are committed to providing bespoke and accessible apprenticeships which helps our apprentices get the best out of their programme.

Lets take a look at accessible apprenticeships, their value and how they can benefit you, the employer and their organisations.

As an employer, you will already be aware of the Equality Act 2010 and as part of that act, an organisation is required to make reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, starting at the recruitment process through to the workplace environment.

A reasonable adjustment is a change to enable an employee’s disability so they can do their job.  An example is by providing an accessible recruitment process for a job applicant with a disability or long-term health condition.  Another example of a reasonable adjustment, is enabling an employee who uses a wheelchair to work on the ground floor. Most adjustments are very low cost and straight forward to achieve.

Look around your work environment from the viewpoint of an applicant/ employee with:

• A learning difficulty
• A physical disability, i.e. visual impairment/hearing impairment
• An autism spectrum difference

Think about the obvious barriers that might be met but could easily be adapted to make that environment more accessible.

We can’t emphasise enough that communication is key. All employees, regardless of whether they have a disability, difficulty and/or Autism are unique, their personality, likes, dislikes, strengths and weaknesses are all as individual as they are.

By taking the time to have an open dialogue about what would or wouldn’t be helpful to an employee in order for them to be able to do their job more effectively, will enable you to obtain a better understanding of the needs of your employee.

Bear in mind however, that not all disabilities are visible and it is only through open dialogue and an inclusive ethos that some disabilities will come to light.

To recap:

• Every employee is unique and will have different needs regardless of a disability, difficulty and/or Autism
• Create open communication
• Remove barriers that prevent employees from working effectively Think creatively and be open to doing things slightly differently

Apprentices - Examples of Reasonable Adjustments in Apprenticeships:

• Extra Time for Assessments: If you require more time to complete assessments or exams, we can arrange for extended time to ensure you have a fair opportunity to demonstrate your abilities.
• Alternative Assessment Formats: We can provide assessments in different formats, such as audio or visual aids, to accommodate various learning preferences.
• Mentor Support: Dynamic Training can assign a mentor to provide additional guidance and support throughout your apprenticeship. This mentor will be there to address your specific needs.
• Flexible Scheduling: If you have mental health challenges or need flexibility due to other reasons, we can work with employers to create a schedule that suits your well-being and productivity.
  Communication Support: For learners with communication difficulties, we can arrange for communication support, including visual aids, social stories, assistive technology, British sign language interrupters or specific communication strategies.

For learners with an Educational Healthcare Plan, we offer the flexibility to achieve Entry 3 after robust assessment in Functional Skills (English and/or Maths) as part of your apprenticeship. This alternative approach allows us to cater to your individual requirements and create a more accessible path to success.

Dynamic Training is proud to be part of a Department for Education pilot programme that ended in April 2024. This programme enabled us to assess learners who don't have an Educational Healthcare Plan but do have additional learning needs in maths and/or English. We provide the option to achieve Entry 3, instead of the traditional requirement of Level 1 or Level 2 in Maths and/or English while undertaking your apprenticeship.

The results of this pilot has meant that learners can now benefit from these functional skills flexibility as part of their apprenticeship programme. 

Dynamic Training are not simply about getting our apprentices started. Apprentices only achieve after passing their End Point Assessment, and Dynamic Training look to make reasonable adjustments to this process as with everything else, ensuring that you have a fair opportunity to showcase your skills and knowledge.

At Dynamic Training, we're determined to make apprenticeships an inclusive and accessible option for all from start to finish. Each apprentices' unique qualities and needs are not barriers but opportunities for growth and success. 

If you want to find out more about End Point Assessments during the apprenticeship process, you can find out more here.

The Apprenticeship Journey

Did you know the government helps organisations to employ people with disabilities or long-term health conditions through their Access to Work scheme. The scheme is applied for by the employee. Please click this link to be redirected to the Government website to find out more and how to apply

Dynamic collaborates closely with supported employment services to offer individuals who require additional support in the workplace a tailored apprenticeship experience. Our partnership is centred around providing a job coach, who plays a pivotal role in guiding and assisting individuals as they strive to develop essential skills and excel in their apprenticeship roles. Through this collaboration, we ensure that everyone’s unique needs and challenges are addressed, fostering an inclusive and empowering work environment. By combining the expertise of Dynamic's team and the dedicated support from employment services, we create a platform for personal and professional growth, helping individuals achieve their full potential whilst undertaking an apprenticeship

One important way of helping employers to embrace the untapped potential of SEND individuals is to make use of job carving, a practice which Dynamic Training encourage with all employers we work with.

Job carving involves identifying roles and duties of existing employees which can be given to a new member of staff, allowing the existing member of staff to be more productive in their other duties whilst also welcoming a SEND individual into the workplace on an accessible apprenticeship programme.

Job carving is a fantastic solution to finding roles for SEND individuals, and accessible apprenticeships offer a great way to get the most out of them in their roles. We have helped many employers see the benefits of job carving, and would love to speak to you about how you can benefit from this.