Advanced robotics engineer

ST1381, advanced robotics engineer level 7

This is a summary of the key things that you – the apprentice and your employer need to know about your end-point assessment (EPA). You and your employer should read the EPA plan for the full details. It has information on assessment method requirements, roles and responsibilities, and re-sits and re-takes.

What is an end-point assessment and why it happens

An EPA is an assessment at the end of your apprenticeship. It will assess you against the knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs) in the occupational standard. Your training will cover the KSBs. The EPA is your opportunity to show an independent assessor how well you can carry out the occupation you have been trained for.

Your employer will choose an end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) to deliver the EPA. Your employer and training provider should tell you what to expect and how to prepare for your EPA.

The length of the training for this apprenticeship is typically 36 months. The EPA period is typically 9 months.

The overall grades available for this apprenticeship are:

• fail

• pass

• distinction

When you pass the EPA, you will be awarded your apprenticeship certificate.

EPA gateway

The EPA gateway is when the EPAO checks and confirms that you have met any requirements required before you start the EPA. You will only enter the gateway when your employer says you are ready.

The gateway requirements for your EPA are:

• achieved English and mathematics qualifications in line with the apprenticeship funding rules

• for the project with report, presentation and questioning, the project's title and scope must be agreed with the EPAO and a project summary submitted

• for the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence, you must submit a portfolio of evidence

• passed any other qualifications listed in the occupational standard

For the advanced robotics engineer, the qualification required is:

Masters degree in robotics that fully aligns with the KSBs within the apprenticeship standard

Assessment methods

Project with report, presentation and questioning

You will complete a project and write a report. You will be asked to complete a project. The title and scope must be agreed with the EPAO at the gateway. The report should be a maximum of 10000 words (with a 10% tolerance).

You will have 28 weeks to complete the project and submit the report to the EPAO.

You need to prepare and give a presentation to an independent assessor. Your presentation slides and any supporting materials should be submitted at the same time as the project output. The presentation with questions will last at least 60 minutes. The independent assessor will ask at least 5 questions about the project and presentation.

Professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence

You will have a professional discussion with an independent assessor. It will last 75 minutes. They will ask you at least 6 questions. The questions will be about certain aspects of your occupation. You need to compile a portfolio of evidence before the EPA gateway. You can use it to help answer the questions.

The EPAO will confirm where and when each assessment method will take place.

Who to contact for help or more information

You should speak to your employer if you have a query that relates to your job.

You should speak to your training provider if you have any questions about your training or EPA before it starts.

You should receive detailed information and support from the EPAO before the EPA starts. You should speak to them if you have any questions about your EPA once it has started.

Reasonable adjustments

If you have a disability, a physical or mental health condition or other special considerations, you may be able to have a reasonable adjustment that takes this into account. You should speak to your employer, training provider and EPAO and ask them what support you can get. The EPAO will decide if an adjustment is appropriate.

Professional recognition

This apprenticeship aligns with Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for Chartered Engineer (CEng)

Please contact the professional body for more details.

This apprenticeship aligns with Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for Incorporated Engineer (IEng)

Please contact the professional body for more details.

This document explains the requirements for end-point assessment (EPA) for the advanced robotics engineer degree-apprenticeship. End-point assessment organisations (EPAOs) must follow this when designing and delivering the EPA.

Advanced robotics engineer apprentices, their employers and training provider should read this document.

A degree-apprenticeship awards a degree with the achievement of the apprenticeship. The degree learning outcomes must be aligned with the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) in the apprenticeship. The degree must be completed, passed and awarded alongside the advanced robotics engineer degree-apprenticeship.

The apprentice must complete their training and meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA. The EPA will assess occupational competence.

A degree-apprenticeship must be delivered by a Higher Education Provider (HEP) that is on the apprenticeship providers and assessment register (APAR). The selected HEP must be the training provider and the EPAO. The apprentice's employer must select a HEP from this register.

If the HEP is using a credit framework, the EPA must contribute to the total credit value, and must be delivered in line with this EPA plan. However, the number of credits devoted to EPA may vary across HEP’s. The recommended EPA contribution is 10% of the total credit value.

A full-time advanced robotics engineer apprentice typically spends 36 months on-programme. The apprentice must spend at least 12 months on-programme and complete the required amount of off-the-job training in line with the apprenticeship funding rules.

This EPA should then be completed within an EPA period lasting typically 9 months.

Occupational competence is outlined by the EPA grade descriptors and determined, when assessed in line with this EPA plan, by an independent assessor who is an occupational expert and confirms the overall EPA grade.

This EPA has 2 assessment methods.

Assessment method 1 - project with report, presentation and questioning:

• fail

• pass

Assessment method 2 - professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:

• fail

• pass

• distinction

The result from each assessment method is combined to decide the overall degree-apprenticeship grade. The following grades are available for the degree-apprenticeship:

• fail

• pass

• distinction

The EPA is taken in the EPA period. The EPA period starts when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements have been met and is typically 9 months.

The EPAO should confirm the gateway requirements have been met and start the EPA as quickly as possible.

The apprentice’s employer must be content that the apprentice is occupationally competent. That is, they are deemed to be working at or above the level set out in the apprenticeship standard and ready to undertake the EPA. The employer may take advice from the apprentice's training provider, but the employer must make the decision. The apprentice will then enter the gateway.

The apprentice must meet the gateway requirements before starting their EPA.

They must:

• confirm they are ready to take the EPA
• have achieved English and mathematics qualifications in line with the apprenticeship funding rules

• have completed and passed all required elements of the Masters degree in robotics that fully aligns with the KSBs within the apprenticeship standard degree-apprenticeship except the EPA

• submit a project brief for the project with report, presentation and questioning

• submit a portfolio of evidence for the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence

Portfolio of evidence requirements:

The apprentice must compile a portfolio of evidence during the on-programme period of the apprenticeship. It should only contain evidence related to the KSBs that will be assessed by the professional discussion. It will typically contain 15 discrete pieces of evidence. Evidence must be mapped against the KSBs. Evidence may be used to demonstrate more than one KSB; a qualitative as opposed to quantitative approach is suggested.

Evidence sources may include:

• workplace documentation and records, for example:
• workplace policies and procedures
• witness statements
• annotated photographs
• video clips with a maximum total duration 20 minutes; the apprentice must be in view and identifiable

This is not a definitive list; other evidence sources can be included.

The portfolio of evidence should not include reflective accounts or any methods of self-assessment. Any employer contributions should focus on direct observation of performance, for example, witness statements, rather than opinions. The evidence provided should be valid and attributable to the apprentice; the portfolio of evidence should contain a statement from the employer and apprentice confirming this.

The EPAO should not assess the portfolio of evidence directly as it underpins the discussion. The independent assessor should review the portfolio of evidence to prepare questions for the discussion. They are not required to provide feedback after this review.

Gateway evidence must be submitted to the EPAO, along with any organisation specific policies and procedures requested by the EPAO.

The assessment methods can be delivered in any order.

The result of one assessment method does not need to be known before starting the next.

Overview

A project involves the apprentice completing a significant and defined piece of work that has a real business application and benefit. The project must meet the needs of the employer’s business and be relevant to the apprentice’s occupation and apprenticeship.

This assessment method has 2 components:

• project with a project output

• presentation with questions and answers

Together, these components give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. They are assessed by an independent assessor.

Rationale

This assessment method is being used because:

• it allows for the assessment of KSBs that take place over a long period of time
• it allows for a broad set of KSBs to be evidenced during the post-gateway period
• it assesses knowledge, skills and behaviour holistically
• it can produce something that is of genuine business benefit to the apprentice’s employer
• it allows for the presentation of evidence and testing of responses where there are a range of potential answers
• it can be conducted remotely, potentially reducing cost

Delivery

The apprentice must complete a project based on any of the following:

The project should be based on a substantial robotics project that has the opportunity to evidence the mapped knowledge, skills and behaviours. Some example projects include:

• Carry out a benchmarking study to investigate, evaluate and compare the performance of a component of the robotic system (for example sensors, end-effectors) to establish a best-fit for a particular use case or application
• Execute a robotic automation project including multiple robot subsystems right from ideation to implementation demonstrating the team, resources and project management principles
• Design a robotic system for deployment in real-world (or dynamic) environments taking into account the user-centric, intuitive, sustainable and circular economy requirements

To ensure the project allows the apprentice to meet the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade, the EPAO must sign-off the project’s title and scope at the gateway to confirm it is suitable. The EPAO must refer to the grading descriptors to ensure that projects are pitched appropriately.

The project output must be in the form of a report and presentation.

The apprentice must start the project after the gateway. The employer should ensure the apprentice has the time and resources, within the project period, to plan and complete their project.

The apprentice may work as part of a team to complete the project, which could include internal colleagues or technical experts. The apprentice must however, complete their project report and presentation unaided and they must be reflective of their own role and contribution. The apprentice and their employer must confirm this when the report and any presentation materials are submitted.

Component 1: Project report

The report must include at least:

• an executive summary (or abstract)
• an introduction
• the scope of the project (including key performance indicators, aims and objectives)
• a project plan
• research outcomes
• data analysis outcomes
• project outcomes
• discussion of findings
• recommendations and conclusions
• references
• appendix containing mapping of KSBs to the report.

The project report must have a word count of 10000 words. A tolerance of 10% above or below is allowed at the apprentice’s discretion. Appendices, references and diagrams are not included in this total. The apprentice must produce and include a mapping in an appendix, showing how the report evidences the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.

The apprentice must complete and submit the report and any presentation materials to the EPAO by the end of week 28 of the EPA period.

Component 2: Presentation with questions

The presentation with questions must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.

The apprentice must prepare and deliver a presentation to an independent assessor. After the presentation, the independent assessor must ask the apprentice questions about their project, report and presentation.

The presentation should cover:

• an overview of the project
• the project scope (including key performance indicators)
• summary of actions undertaken by the apprentice
• project outcomes and how these were achieved

The presentation with questions must last 60 minutes. This will typically include a presentation of 30 minutes and questioning lasting 30 minutes. The independent assessor must use the full time available for questioning. The independent assessor can increase the time of the presentation and questioning by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to complete their last point or respond to a question if necessary.

The independent assessor must ask at least 5 questions. They must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in line with the EPAO’s training. Follow up questions are allowed where clarification is required.

The purpose of the independent assessor's questions is:

• to verify that the activity was completed by the apprentice
• to seek clarification where required
• to assess those KSBs that the apprentice did not have the opportunity to demonstrate with the report, although these should be kept to a minimum
• to assess level of competence against the grading descriptors

The apprentice must submit any presentation materials to the EPAO at the same time as the report - by the end of week 28 of the EPA period. The apprentice must notify the EPAO, at that point, of any technical requirements for the presentation.

During the presentation, the apprentice must have access to:

• audio-visual presentation equipment
• flip chart and writing and drawing materials
• computer

The independent assessor must have at least 2 weeks to review the project report and any presentation materials, to allow them to prepare questions.

The apprentice must be given at least 2 weeks’ notice of the presentation with questions.

Assessment decision

The independent assessor must make the grading decision. They must assess the project components holistically when deciding the grade.

The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:

• the KSBs demonstrated in the report and presentation with questions
• the apprentice’s answers to questions
• the grade achieved

Assessment location

The presentation with questions must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises. It should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.

The presentation with questions can be conducted by video conferencing. The EPAO must have processes in place to verify the identity of the apprentice and ensure the apprentice is not being aided.

Question and resource development

The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.

The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.

The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.

EPAO must produce the following materials to support the project:

• independent assessor EPA materials which include:
  • training materials
  • administration materials
  • moderation and standardisation materials
  • guidance materials
  • grading guidance
  • question bank
• EPA guidance for the apprentice and the employer

The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.

Overview

In the professional discussion, an independent assessor and apprentice have a formal two-way conversation. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.

The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence.

Rationale

This assessment method is being used because:

• it assesses KSBs holistically and objectively
• it allows for the assessment of KSBs that do not occur on a predictable or regular basis
• it allows for assessment of responses where there are a range of potential answers
• it can be conducted remotely, potentially reducing cost

Delivery

The professional discussion must be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.

An independent assessor must conduct and assess the professional discussion.

The purpose is to assess the apprentice's competence against the following themes:

• robot safety
• collaboration and teamwork
• robotics design and engineering
• data collection and analysis
• robot sustainability
• critical thinking and problem solving
• validation, testing and maintenance
• professional development
• equity, diversity and inclusion

The EPAO must give an apprentice 2 weeks' notice of the professional discussion.

The independent assessor must have at least 2 weeks to review the supporting documentation.

The apprentice must have access to their portfolio of evidence during the professional discussion.

The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence however, the portfolio of evidence is not directly assessed.

The professional discussion must last for 75 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the professional discussion by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.

The independent assessor must ask at least 6 questions. The independent assessor must use the questions from the EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in line with the EPAO’s training. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required.

The independent assessor must make the grading decision.

The independent assessor must keep accurate records of the assessment. They must record:

• the apprentice’s answers to questions
• the KSBs demonstrated in answers to questions
• the grade achieved 

Assessment location

The professional discussion must take place in a suitable venue selected by the EPAO for example, the EPAO’s or employer’s premises.

The professional discussion can be conducted by video conferencing. The EPAO must have processes in place to verify the identity of the apprentice and ensure the apprentice is not being aided.

The professional discussion should take place in a quiet room, free from distractions and influence.

Question and resource development

The EPAO must develop a purpose-built assessment specification and question bank. It is recommended this is done in consultation with employers of this occupation. The EPAO must maintain the security and confidentiality of EPA materials when consulting with employers. The assessment specification and question bank must be reviewed at least once a year to ensure they remain fit-for-purpose.

The assessment specification must be relevant to the occupation and demonstrate how to assess the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. The EPAO must ensure that questions are refined and developed to a high standard. The questions must be unpredictable. A question bank of sufficient size will support this.

The EPAO must ensure that the apprentice has a different set of questions in the case of re-sits or re-takes.

The EPAO must produce the following materials to support the professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence:

• independent assessor assessment materials which include:
  • training materials
  • administration materials
  • moderation and standardisation materials
  • guidance materials
  • grading guidance
  • question bank
• EPA guidance for the apprentice and the employer

The EPAO must ensure that the EPA materials are subject to quality assurance procedures including standardisation and moderation.

Performance in the EPA determines the overall grade of:

• fail

• pass

• distinction

An independent assessor must individually grade the project with report, presentation and questioning and professional discussion underpinned by a portfolio of evidence in line with this EPA plan.

The EPAO must combine the individual assessment method grades to determine the overall EPA grade.

If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they will be awarded an overall fail.

To achieve an overall pass, the apprentice must achieve at least a pass in all the assessment methods. To gain an overall distinction, the apprentice must gain a pass in the project assessment method and a distinction in the professional discussion.

Grades from individual assessment methods must be combined in the following way to determine the grade of the EPA overall.

Additional assessors can contribute to grading decisions in line with this EPA plan, on the following end-point assessment methods:

If the apprentice fails one assessment method or more, they can take a re-sit or a re-take at their employer’s discretion. The apprentice’s employer needs to agree that a re-sit or re-take is appropriate. A re-sit does not need further learning, whereas a re-take does. The apprentice should have a supportive action plan to prepare for a re-sit or a re-take.

The employer and the EPAO should agree the timescale for a re-sit or re-take. A re-sit is typically taken within 3 months of the EPA outcome notification. The timescale for a re-take is dependent on how much re-training is required and is typically taken within 6 months of the EPA outcome notification.

If the apprentice fails the project assessment method, they must amend the project output in line with the independent assessor’s feedback. The apprentice will be given 4 weeks to rework and submit the amended report.

Failed assessment methods must be re-sat or re-taken within a 6-month period from the EPA outcome notification, otherwise the entire EPA will need to be re-sat or re-taken in full.

Re-sits and re-takes are not offered to an apprentice wishing to move from pass to a higher grade.

The apprentice will get a maximum EPA grade of if pass they need to re-sit or re-take one or more assessment methods, unless the EPAO determines there are exceptional circumstances.

The EPAO must have reasonable adjustments arrangements for the EPA.

This should include:

• how an apprentice qualifies for a reasonable adjustment
• what reasonable adjustments may be made

Adjustments must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.

Special considerations

The EPAO must have special consideration arrangements for the EPA.

This should include:

• how an apprentice qualifies for a special consideration
• what special considerations will be given

Special considerations must maintain the validity, reliability and integrity of the EPA as outlined in this EPA plan.

Internal quality assurance refers to the strategies, policies and procedures that EPAOs must have in place to ensure valid, consistent and reliable end-point assessment decisions.

EPAOs for this EPA must adhere to all requirements within the roles and responsibilities table and:

• appoint independent assessors who also:
  • have relevant experience of the occupation to at least occupational level 7 gained in the last 5 years

Affordability of the EPA will be aided by using at least some of the following:

• utilising digital remote platforms to conduct applicable assessment methods

• using the employer’s premises

• conducting assessment methods on the same day

This degree-apprenticeship aligns with:

• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) for Chartered Engineer (CEng)

This degree-apprenticeship aligns with:

• Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) for Incorporated Engineer (IEng)