Off-the-Job Training

What Counts as OTJ Training?

Activities that teach new knowledge, skills, and behaviours relevant to your apprenticeship standard, such as:

• Classroom or online learning (lectures, webinars, simulations).
• Practical training, shadowing, or mentoring.
• Industry visits or workshops.
• Time spent writing assignments or preparing for assessments.
• Learning support sessions (e.g., revision classes).
• Completing workbooks or tasks linked to your standard.

How Much OTJ Training Do You Need?

• The minimum hours for your standard are published on the Skills England website.
• Your provider will confirm your planned hours in your training plan.
• If you have prior learning, your hours may be reduced—but never below 187 hours or 8 months in duration.

Your Training Plan will show your planned off-the-job training hours. In many cases this may be higher than the minimum hours required for your apprenticeship standard.

You should work towards completing and evidencing all planned hours in your Training Plan.

If there is a difference between planned and actual off-the-job training at the end of your apprenticeship, Ginger Nut Training will review this in line with the apprenticeship funding rules and retain any required supporting documentation

What can be included in Off the Job Training?

Off-the-job training activities might include:

Shadowing and mentoring only count where they deliver new learning linked to your apprenticeship standard.

What are the rules and what can’t be counted?

The apprenticeship funding rules state that off-the-job training does not include:

• Training to acquire knowledge, skills and behaviours that are not required in the standard or framework.
  Example – You are completing a Business Administration level 3 Standard, and you complete a driving course. This is great for your personal achievements but would not be relevant to your standard,
• Apprenticeship progress reviews or on-programme assessment required for an apprenticeship framework or standard.
• Training which takes place outside the apprentice’s normal working hours.
• English and maths (up to level 2) which is funded separately.
• Safeguarding activities – Such as the monthly safeguarding quiz.

Please ensure you complete a Learning Journal Entry in OneFile stating.

Example OTJ Journal Entry

• Knowledge: Understand principles of digital analytics and reporting.
• Skill: Ability to interpret data to inform marketing decisions.

• Intent: I learned how to use Google Analytics to track website traffic and measure campaign performance.
• Implementation: I will apply this by creating monthly reports for our marketing team and using insights to adjust campaigns.
• Impact: This will improve decision-making and help optimise marketing spend, leading to better ROI for the business.

Consider how the learning activity contributes to your career development, increased responsibility or progression within your role.

• What you learned.
• Why the learning was new.
• How it links to your apprenticeship.
• How you will apply it in practice.
• The impact on your performance or development.

• Keep a notebook or digital diary to jot down activities during the week.
• Use your provider’s visual guidance in OneFile.
• Speak to your tutor if unsure what counts.
• Make time each week to update your journal.
• If you have a dedicated apprenticeship day, log everything you do that day.

• Completing online modules.
• Attending a workshop or webinar.
• Shadowing a colleague in a new process.
• Undertaking new learning that is subsequently evidenced in the e-portfolio.
• Attending a relevant conference or industry event.
• Researching a workplace project topic
• Developing occupational knowledge relevant to the standard
• Industry-based learning activities

Use Learning Journals Before Timesheets

Always record the learning activity within a Learning Journal entry first. If required, create the related Timesheet entry from the Learning Journal rather than using the Timesheet function as the primary record of learning.

Do Not Claim OTJ Directly Within Activities

Time spent completing an assigned activity should also be evidenced through a Learning Journal entry explaining what was learned and how it links to your apprenticeship standard.

Remember: Completing an assignment may count as off-the-job training where new learning is taking place. Simply uploading evidence or updating your portfolio does not normally count, as this is evidencing learning rather than creating new learning. [gov.uk]

Maximise Learning Opportunities

Many activities can generate valuable OTJ evidence. When completing assignments, researching topics, preparing presentations, or developing written work, consider recording what you learned throughout the process in a Learning Journal entry.

Address Tutor Feedback Promptly

Review and action feedback from your tutor as soon as possible. Timely responses help maintain progress and support successful completion of your apprenticeship.

Planned Hours Must Be Fully Evidenced

Ginger Nut Training requires all planned learning hours to be evidenced and reviewed before gateway approval can be confirmed.

When recording OTJ, learners should identify the relevant Training Plan module or subject area wherever possible.