What does it take to keep end-point assessments streamlined, fair, and future-ready? We sat down with VTCT Skills’ Head of End-Point Assessment Quality, Tina O’Keefe, to get her views on the current assessment landscape. From her journey into EPA to the latest industry shifts and the game-changing role of epaPRO, Tina shares her insights on how apprentices, employers, and assessors can navigate this fast-changing landscape to transform lives through skills.
VTCT Skills is dedicated to transforming lives through skills and has a strong commitment to excellence in vocational and technical education. As a leading provider of vocational qualifications, VTCT aims to empower individuals to achieve their full potential by offering industry-relevant skills and qualifications. Our ethos is centred on creating a positive impact through high-quality education and training, ensuring learners gain the practical knowledge and qualifications needed to excel in their careers. We are constantly focused on innovation and progress, with a forward-thinking approach to meet the needs of both learners and employers.
As the Head of End-Point Assessment Quality, my day revolves around leading the End-Point Assessment (EPA) quality team to ensure we deliver high-quality assessment processes. A large part of my role involves liaising with internal stakeholders, such as the commercial and product teams, to ensure alignment across all departments. This collaboration is key to maintaining consistent standards and delivering a seamless experience for our apprentices, employers, and training providers. I also spend time overseeing quality assurance, ensuring that we meet regulatory and accreditation requirements, and developing strategies to continuously improve the quality of our assessments.
I previously worked in further education for 19 years, with the last five years spent focusing specifically on apprenticeships. During this time, I have developed a strong belief in the value and impact of apprenticeships. They provide a pathway to success for learners and offer a win-win scenario for employers looking to develop skilled workers. My experience in this area, combined with a passion for ensuring high-quality education, led me to this role, where I can further drive the quality of assessments and play a key role in the success of apprenticeships.
Apprenticeships and training are evolving to meet the needs of a fast-paced, ever-changing job market. There is a growing emphasis on ensuring that apprenticeships are more accessible, flexible, and aligned with the latest industry requirements. Digital transformation is also playing a significant role, with the use of online learning platforms, digital assessments, and remote work becoming more prevalent. VTCT is preparing for these changes by embracing technology, investing in digital solutions, and ensuring our qualifications remain current and relevant. We are also working closely with employers to ensure that our EPA’s and qualifications offer the skills and competencies needed for today’s workforce.
We are entering a period of significant change with the introduction of Skills England, which will replace IfATE, bringing about new apprenticeship reforms. These reforms include updates to functional skills exemptions which we have already seen come into force and the introduction of shorter apprenticeship programs designed to increase efficiency. Additionally, we anticipate significant adjustments to the End-Point Assessment (EPA) process, where face-to-face observations may see significant changes. These changes will require us to adapt our approach to ensure continued compliance and support for both apprentices and employers."
epaPRO is a vital tool that has assisted us in streamlining the End-Point Assessment process across all EPAO organisations that we previously have acquired across the 38 standards we deliver. It provides a comprehensive platform for managing and tracking assessments, ensuring efficiency and consistency. For the EPA Team at VTCT Skills we have found that it has reduced administrative burden, allowing the team us focus on quality assurance and supporting apprentices. The platform also ensures that all stakeholders — apprentices, employers, and assessors — have clear visibility into the assessment journey, helping to keep everything on track. EpaPRO has allowed us to have a more transparent process, which ultimately helps us maintain high standards and deliver a positive experience for all involved.
I am excited about the opportunity to continue driving improvements in the End-Point Assessment process and contributing to the strategic goals of VTCT Skills. As we continue to innovate and embrace new technologies, I’m excited to see how these advancements will improve the quality of assessments and make apprenticeships even more effective. I’m looking forward to leading my team to deliver even greater value and contribute to VTCT’s mission of transforming lives through skills.
At Skilltech Solutions, our goal is to help those like Tina and VTCT Skills who want to change lives through skills. Our platforms streamline the assessment and awarding process, bringing all of your essential functions into a single, intuitive platform. If you want to see how it could work at your Training Provider, all you need to do is book a short demo to see it in action.