Procurement Apprenticeship Programmes

Commercial Procurement and Supply Chain (level 4)

This includes the CIPS Diploma in Procurement Supply level 4 qualification which is designed to meet the needs of procurement professionals seeking to develop their management capability.

Who is it for?

Achieving this apprenticeship will enable an individual to use their breadth and depth of experience to position themselves as a fully effective commercially skilled in procurement and supply.  These skills will be transferable into other career options and span the public, private and charitable sectors. This is supported by the attainment of CIPS Level 4 Diploma qualification.

Funding

This Standard is within funding band 9, find out more about the funding for this standard.

How employers can find a delivery partner for the apprenticeship programme?

When sourcing a suitable delivery partner for the apprenticeship, employers should ensure their provider selection criteria stipulates that the provider must be / become a CIPS approved study centre as it includes the CIPS Diploma qualification as a mandatory element. The CIPS website Find a Study Centre section allows you to search for centres approved to deliver CIPS qualifications.  Additionally, employers can source providers on the ESFA register of apprenticeship training providers

The gov.uk Take on an Apprentice website also provides a step by step approach to hiring an apprentice, including how to get a grant, pay and conditions for apprentices and finding training agencies.

How do I find out about funding an apprenticeship?
Find out how apprenticeship funding for employers will work, including details of funding bands and the apprenticeship levy here.

Level 3

The Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education (IfATE) has published the assessment plan for the Level 3 Procurement and Supply Assistant apprenticeship. For more detail visit the IfATE website.

Higher Level Apprenticeships (Levels 5, 6, 7)

The Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education (IfATE) has confirmed that there is a Trailblazer group for the development of a level 6 standard. If you would like to contribute to the development of a higher level standard please contact the Trailblazer Chair, Ben McCluskey on benmccluskey@murphygroup.co.uk.

What will apprentices learn?

Standard: Commercial Procurement and Supply (Level 4) Standard 
Assessment Plan: Currently being developed

Who is it for?
It's suitable for those seeking to develop their commercial capability and can excel those who wish to move into junior and middle management procurement roles or those supervising the procurement function. 

Examples of job roles include:

• Assistant buyer
• Assistant contract officer
• Contract analyst
• Stock/inventory controller planner

Responsibilities:
A good commercial professional will support their organisation in sourcing and negotiating the best deals on goods and services. To fulfil this role an individual must develop skills and knowledge across all three aspects of the commercial lifecycle: pre-procurement, sourcing and contract management. 

Qualification level: Prior to the end point assessment there is a requirement to achieve the CIPS Diploma in Procurement and Supply (Level 4).

Duration: The apprenticeship will typically take 2 years to complete

Next steps - beyond the apprenticeship
On successful completion of this apprenticeship candidates will be ready to go onto:

• CIPS Advanced Diploma in Procurement and supply or
• A HND in business where there will he several pathways.

How do I apply for an apprenticeship?

Find an apprenticeship by searching the GOV.UK site.

How do I apply for an apprenticeship?
At any one time there are up to 28,000 apprenticeship vacancies available on the gov.uk Find an apprenticeship site in a variety of careers and industries across England.

Is there any information for parents on apprenticeships?
The gov.uk website is a great resource for parents.

My company is looking to employ an apprentice, what do we need to do?
The gov.uk website is a great resource for employers.

Are Apprenticeships in Procurement and Supply only available to UK residents?
All of the information on these pages refer to the UK (England) offering as it is in support of a UK Government initiative to encourage employers to participate in the developing the education requirements of the their profession or sector for future employment and to provide young people with an alternative choice to University.

CIPS is happy to explore working with interested parties other countries that may have a similar requirement, please contact enm@cips.org with any information.

What are the new apprenticeship standards?
The aim of the new standards is to put employers in control of designing apprenticeships, so people are equipped with the skills that meet the needs of their organisation. Over 200 Trailblazers involving more than 1400 employers with 260 standards have already been published.

How do I find out about funding an apprenticeship?
All employers in England have access to a new, easy-to-use digital apprenticeship service to help them manage their apprenticeship programme this includes: Find our more about apprenticeship funding  

What’s the apprenticeship levy?
As an employer, you’ll have to pay Apprenticeship Levy each month from 6 April 2017 if you:

• have an annual pay bill of more than £3 million
• are connected to other companies or charities for Employment Allowance which in total have an annual pay bill of more than £3 million

Find out more about the Levy and if your organisation is eligible to pay it.

CIPS is happy to explore working with interested parties other countries that may have a similar requirement, please contact enm@cips.org with any information.

We deliver end-point assessment (EPA) for both of the procurement apprenticeship standards in England. Find out more