Ruth Canham-James

Actual OTJ and Breaks in Learning

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This field has always been completed by our Apps team and not my team, so I hadn't spotted this before. What Actual OTJ hours do you record when an apprentice has had a Break in Learning? I can't find anything in the PSM, ILR Spec of funding rules that clearly says.

The Validation Rules seem to only require Actual OTJ for Completion Status 2 and 3, not a BIL, but our team have been recording Actual OTJ on Temporary Withdrawals (it doesn't error). If it's not required for the Temp Withdrawal, then logically then suggests that Actual OTJ on the restarted period should reflect all periods of study on that apprenticeship, not just the restart period.

I just wanted to double check as they rules aren't clear.

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Gill Knight

Hi Ruth

The actual OTJ is only required on WDL/Completion but as we can have learners off for over a year, due to the way the university runs its modules, I have asked the delivery teams for the confirmed OTJ hours when they go on a BIL. This way if they decide not to return from a BIL then they don't need to be looking back over a year for the OTJ figures for me. 

Ultimately the OTJ figure should be for the full apprenticeship not just the restart

Ruth Canham-James

Thanks Gill Knight 😊

So you record the Actual OTJ on the BIL record up to that point (allowable in the validation), but then you record the full hours on the final record? So if it was just periods A and B, you record hours A on period A, but hours A+B on period B. That makes sense to me.

Ruth Canham-James

What about a Full withdrawal then a restart, would that be hours A on period A, and just hours B on period B? That seems logical as we'd only record the hours from period B if they did period A at another provider. 

Gill Knight

Yes that is correct. It has never caused any issues on validation and is also easier if they then leave. You only need to amend from BIL to withdrawal.

Gill Knight

If they restart and then subsequently withdraw then the same as you first suggested period B would have hours in for A + B. 

Cumulative I suppose

 

Ruth Canham-James

I like the point about just having to WD and you've already got the Actual OTJ if they never return.

With my other question, I mean a full withdrawal first, then a restart (withdrawal or pass). The first period would already have the Actual OTJ as it was a full withdrawal. They return maybe 18 months later to finish. I'm inclined to only record the remaining Actual OTJ for the second period of study. If the first part was with another employer, that's all we'd be able to do. 

(Edited)

Gill Knight

Sorry Ruth I missed that bit.

If they were a full withdrawal you would have had to put the actual OTJ in anyway. On return with RPL and a reduced programme you would only need to monitor and record the actual OTJ for that period of learning.