Entry Requirements:

Entry criteria will be set by individual employers.

Apprentices without Level 2 (or equivalent) in maths and/or English must ensure that they achieve this level and take the test for Level 2 prior to taking the end-point assessment.

For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement the minimum maths and English requirement is Entry Level 3.

A British Sign Language qualification is an alternative to English qualifications for those for whom this is their primary language.

What will I learn?

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND BEHAVIOUR REQUIREMENTS

Apprentices will develop the core knowledge and skills required of an Improvement Technician

KNOWLEDGE

Apprentices will develop knowledge and understanding of:

• Compliance: Legislative and customer compliance requirements including health and safety
• Team formation & leadership: Improvement team roles and responsibilities in a change environment
• Self-development: Different sources for knowledge development
• Project management: Project charter, Gantt chart, reporting documentation, Red Amber Green (RAG) status, communication (verbal and non-verbal    channels) and implementation plans

• Change management: Roles of the manager and leader within change. Influencing, reinforcement and coaching principles
• Principles & methods: Six Sigma principles per ISO13053 (International Organisation for Standardisation), interim containment actions, Lean principles
• Project selection & scope: Selection matrix, scoping tree
• Problem definition: Exploratory data analysis, data collection planning, problem and goal statements
• Process mapping & analysis: Supplier Input Process Output Customer (SIPOC), process mapping, value and waste analysis, performance metrics – discrete data

• Data acquisition for analysis: Data stratification, sampling theory, data types, variation types and sources, data collection tools, operational definition and principles of measurement error
• Basic statistics & measures: Control charts – discrete data
• Process capability & performance: Capability analysis – continuous data
• Root cause analysis: Histograms
• Experimentation: Active analysis versus one factor at a time, Plan Do Check Act

• Identification & prioritisation: Brainstorming, selection criteria
• Sustainability & control: Process

SKILLS

Apprentices will develop skills within the context of their own organisation:

• Compliance: Work in accordance with organisational controls and statutory regulations
• Communication: Share improvement progress through appropriate reporting
• Project management: Plan, manage and implement improvement activities. Identify and support management of risks. Develop the business case for improvement activity and implementation
• Change management: Engage through communications. Reinforce – positively and negatively. Effectively coach peers

• Principles and methods: Use a structured method and appropriate improvement tools engaging with subject matter experts to deliver business benefits
• Project selection and Scoping: Identify and scope improvement projects and establish clear measurable objectives
• Problem definition: Develop a problem/opportunity statement supported by validated data
• Voice of the customer: Apply techniques to identify customers, their requirements and translate these to metrics
• Process mapping & analysis: Apply process mapping tools to visualise processes, analyse process performance establishing key insights for performance improvement

• Lean tools: Apply techniques such as identification and removal of 8 wastes, 5S (Sort, Shine, Set, Standardise, Sustain), standard work, kaizen, visual displays and controls, error proofing, preventative maintenance
• Data acquisition for analysis: Develop data collection plan and validated measurement processes to understand performance
• Basic statistics & measures: Establish patterns and trends in data over time using tally, pie, run/trend and pareto charts
• Data analysis-statistical methods: Identify common and special cause variation
• Process capability & performance: Analyse product/process performance using good quality data

• Root cause analysis: Use cause and effect diagrams, technique of 5 whys and graphical analysis to understand and verify root causes
• Identification & prioritisation: Identify and prioritise improvement solutions
• Benchmarking: Recognise the value of sharing best practice
• Sustainability & control: Create control and reaction plans with detection measures, identify opportunities to embed changes to leverage benefit to the business.

BEHAVIOURS

Apprentices will demonstrate the following behaviours:

• Drive for results: Clear commitment for identifying opportunities and delivering improvements, pays attention to detail
• Team-working: Helps when asked, works effectively in a diverse team, considers impact of own actions on others, motivates peers
• Professionalism: Acts in a moral, legal and socially appropriate manner, aligns behaviours to the organisation’s values, trusted to work on their own when appropriate

• Continuous development: Acts upon feedback, reflects on performance and has a desire for learning
• Safe working: Ensures safety of self and others, challenges safety

How will I be assessed?

Throughout the programme you will receive expert training from experienced business improvement practitioners.

A qualified assessor will provide an induction and regular workplace assessments

What can I do next?

Completion of the programme will enable you to gain employment in a relevant role across a broad spectrum of industries