Pre-start (before day 1)
- Eligibility and prior learning checks
- Employer agreement signed
- Apprenticeship agreement prepared
- Commitment statement drafted
Apprenticeship learner onboarding checklist
A complete checklist for everything that needs to happen from the moment a learner is enrolled to their first progress review. Covers commitment statement, ILR setup, EPA registration, safeguarding, and employer induction — structured for use by programme coordinators and delivery teams.
Commitment statement
ILR setup
EPA registration
Safeguarding
Published: 4 March 2026. Format: CSV workbook starter.
Onboarding stages covered
Day 1 — sign-up
- Apprenticeship agreement signed by learner, employer, provider
- Commitment statement signed — all three parties
- ULN obtained and verified
- ILR record created and submitted
Week 1–4 — setup
- Initial assessment completed (starting point established)
- Learning plan agreed and signed
- Functional skills initial assessment done
- Safeguarding induction and Prevent awareness completed
Programme platform setup
- Learner account created on e-portfolio platform
- Employer portal access set up
- EPA organisation registered with EPAO
- First progress review scheduled
Commitment statement requirements
The commitment statement is a statutory document and must include the planned content and schedule of training, what is expected of the apprentice and employer, and how the provider, employer and apprentice will communicate and resolve issues. It must be signed by all three parties before the apprenticeship can begin and before any ESFA funding is drawn.
- Start and planned end date
- Apprenticeship standard reference
- Off-the-job training hours and schedule
- Planned review dates and format
- Roles and responsibilities for all parties
- Complaint and concern escalation process
Common onboarding errors
- ILR start date different from apprenticeship agreement start date — creates funding mismatches.
- Commitment statement signed after the start date — non-compliant; may trigger audit findings.
- Prior learning not formally recorded — affects OTJ calculation if programme is shortened.
- EPA registration delayed — can cause timeline issues when the learner approaches gateway.
- Employer portal not set up — employer cannot sign off OTJ or access review records.
Want onboarding automated and audit-ready?
Prentice manages learner onboarding workflows from agreement generation to ILR submission — with automated reminders, employer sign-off tracking, and real-time compliance checks so nothing is missed at sign-up.