It’s no secret that apprenticeships aren’t liberally funded. Training providers have to take care to deliver high-quality apprenticeships within their allocated funding bracket. And with the new standards and end-point assessment to consider, it can be tricky for providers. That’s why we’re talking ROI.  

The everyday definition of ROI is the gain divided by the cost. But when it comes to apprenticeships, the gain isn’t purely financial – things like learner outcomes, timely completions and quality assurance are in the mix too. If you can invest in changes that improve all these things and save money, you’re on to a winner.  

So what can training providers do to improve ROI?  

Templates 

There are many things you can do to streamline processes. Investing a bit of time to create templates for activities, plans and reviews will save time in the long run, make delivery more efficient and standardise quality. And if you have an online resource area, you can save them all in one place for staff to access wherever they are.  

Investment = time and money

Returns = increased caseloads and cost savings  

Software 

Investing in an apprenticeship software will deliver all sorts of returns. Learners can use the software to build a portfolio of evidence, record learning reflections and access resources wherever they are. Providers can log in to assign activities, monitor progress, provide support and generate reports at the touch of a button. You can create custom learning resources that automatically map to criteria. And the entire audit trail is recorded online – which is perfect for audits and Ofsted inspections.  

Effective apprenticeship software makes training delivery convenient, compliant and easy to manage, so you can increase caseloads without compromising on quality.   

Investment = time and money 

Returns = cost savings, increased caseloads, improved quality, increased timely completions and improved learner outcomes  

Communication tools 

Apprenticeships are all about collaboration between the learner, employer and tutor, so communication is key. Investing in communication tools like Slack or Skype will help streamline communication and make it easier for people to collaborate on the go. Video calling or video uploads also improve training efficiency as tutors can support learners remotely – reducing travel expenses.  

Some apprenticeship software has built-in communication tools, like instant messaging or video chat, so users don’t have to jump between systems to collaborate. It also means all communication is recorded online and available for audit.  

Investment = money 

Returns = time savings, increased caseloads, cost savings, improved quality 

Integrations  

Investing in integrations sounds boring, but they can have a big impact on ROI. If your systems integrate, you don’t have to duplicate data entry or switch between them to generate reports – information is shared between the systems automatically.  

Investment = money 

Returns = time savings, improved quality, cost savings  

Investing in apprenticeship software is a surefire way to improve ROI. OneFile’s apprenticeship software comes with all the training tools you need – an eportfolio, learning journal, course builder, reporting suite, evaluation scorecard and offline apps. It delivers huge returns for hundreds of providers across the country – that’s why it’s the UK’s go-to software for apprenticeships.  

‘OneFile is the most valuable tool we have at our disposal. FACT.’ Thomas Burton, WA Academy 

To learn more about OneFile, download your free ROI taster pack. Inside, you’ll find out how OneFile works, what other providers think about the system, and what returns you can expect.