Within 48 hours of the Covid-19 notification from the government – The Apprentice Academy transformed all apprenticeship programmes to an online format. Despite the challenges, we are pleased to say that the transition to online learning is working well. 😊
New online learning technologies
Microsoft Teams and Zoom have proven to be the best solutions for keeping our apprentices learning.
The Academy has been using Zoom to deliver workshops and training sessions for all 7 of our apprenticeship programmes. With brilliant features like sharing screens, breakout rooms, whiteboards and of course video and voice chat between learners and tutors.
Microsoft Teams has meant that meaningful contact between learners, trainers and coaches works well. It has similar features to Zoom, like sharing screens and video/voice chat, and syncs with the Office 365 suite used at The Academy. Remote discussions and reviews have taken place using Teams, as well as webinars with smaller groups.
Microsoft Teams has also been brilliant for keeping all our internal staff connected with almost 500 online meetings organised in the last month, both internally between staff and externally between coaches and apprentices.
Other online technology utilised includes tools like Quizlet and Kahoot which helps bring interaction and fun to sessions.
All the workshops and sessions are also recorded for quality purposes and allow the learners to access sessions again for revision purposes.
Drop offs, Attendance and Punctuality
With the move to online delivery, there was a concern that apprentices would not be able to continue their apprenticeship programmes. Thankfully this has not been the case.
Historically attendance rates for sessions have always been good at the Academy and this has not changed since we have transitioned to the online sessions.
The new government scheme of furloughing also allows employees within this new payment scheme to continue all their apprenticeship studies.
Interestingly attendance and punctuality rates has improved since we have moved everything online, which may be a result of learners not relying on public transport to get to sessions.
The feedback we are receiving from learners is that the apprenticeship learning is providing them with a positive focus right now and providing some continuity and support, in a time of great change which we are all experiencing.
Read more on how we are responding to Covid 19 here
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