Project Controls Professional (Apprenticeship)

Program Overview

Project Controls Professional (Apprenticeship)

Overview

The Project Controls Level 6 Apprenticeship is a comprehensive, higher-level training program designed for individuals aspiring to excel in the field of project controls. This apprenticeship equips learners with the skills, knowledge, and professional expertise required to manage and control projects effectively in diverse industries such as construction, engineering, IT, and manufacturing.

What is Project Controls?

Project controls encompass the processes, systems, and tools used to monitor, manage, and steer the successful delivery of projects. This includes areas such as:

• Planning and Scheduling: Ensuring project timelines are realistic and achievable.
• Cost Management: Budgeting and controlling costs throughout the project lifecycle.
• Risk and Opportunity Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks while capitalizing on opportunities.
• Performance Measurement: Tracking progress against key milestones and objectives.

Course Overview

The Level 6 apprenticeship offers a structured pathway to becoming a competent project controls practitioner, blending practical experience with academic learning. Key features include:

• Workplace Learning: Apprentices gain real-world experience by working on live projects under the guidance of industry professionals.
• Though the Apprenticeship Standard for Project Controls does not mandate an academic qualification as part of the apprenticeship, this programme does include a University of Cumbria BSc (Hons) in Project Controls at no additional cost.

On this course you will...

• Gain Professional Recognition
• Gain hands-on experience in real projects while completing a fully funded degree.
• Have the opportunity to progress to senior roles with competitive salaries.
• Meet Industry Demands and Closes Skills Gaps
• Develop competencies in budgeting, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and leadership, which contribute to higher project success rates.
• Be equipped to handle complex projects in a range of industries.

Key Details

• Recruiting to: UK / RoI / Settled in UK
• Course Location: Online
• Institute: Institute of Business, Industry and Leadership
• Delivery Style: Online
• Course Duration: Full-time: 4 Years
• Course Start Point: September
• Award: Apprenticeship
• Open Days: All

Minimum entry requirements

• 96 UCAS Tariff points

Course Structure

What you will learn

We will provide a sound academic programme which will give apprentices of all abilities and backgrounds the opportunity to attain a degree level education. We'll provide students with the theoretical knowledge and understanding of project controls, and help them develop as critical, reflective thinkers and life-long learners with the ability to recognise the value and place of both and their role in applying principles to practice. Apprentices will be encouraged to see the links between theory and practice in the workplace, and develop knowledge, skills and behaviours progressively against the Project Controls Professional Apprenticeship Standard.

The precise delivery arrangements for any particular cohort of apprentices will be confirmed at a later stage in partnership with employers.

Year one

• Project Management Concepts
• Principles of Project Planning
• Projects and organisations
• Stakeholders & Communication
• Project Professionalism 1

Year two

• Project Methods & Tools
• Projects Teams & Communications
• Controlling Projects
• Data Collection and Analysis
• Project Professionalism 2

Year three

• Commercial Risk & Project Management
• Advanced Planning Techniques
• Advanced Data Analysis
• Preparing for Gateway

Year four

• End Point Assessment

Teaching & Assessment

How you will learn

Apprentices, who are in permanent full-time professional employment, are learning in the workplace in a structured delivery pattern, supported by both the university and the employer. Delivery is online - part of the study day each week is live with a tutor and part of the day is guided independent study (individual and group work). Being online means that geography need not be a barrier to studying and as a student, you are able to study from anywhere that has a stable connection to the internet.

Our online learning sessions are delivered live by our expert tutors, and you are encouraged to contribute your thoughts, knowledge and experience to all the information that is being presented. Interaction continues after the scheduled live sessions with tools embedded into Blackboard, our Virtual Learning Environment. Between taught sessions you can upload your work, observations and critical reflections to an online journal which your tutor can then read and provide feedback on, allowing you to progress at your own pace and pull out and focus on the aspects of learning that are most appropriate for your context and situation. Additional discussions can also take place with the teaching team utilising online tools such as Blackboard Collaborate or MS Teams

At end of the apprenticeship programme, successful individuals will gain: • An industry designed apprenticeship programme • An approved project management degree • Eligibility for full membership of APM (MAPM)

We make use of project planning software on the course to enable our apprentices to practise the skills they will need to construct effective project plans. Some of our learners may have Microsoft Project installed on their company laptops, but for those that do not we would recommend Project Plan 365 from Housatonic Software. Project Plan 365 offers planning and scheduling capabilities, intuitive Gantt chart visualisations and reporting options.

How you will be assessed

How you will be assessed It is a requirement for the Degree Apprenticeship that apprentices must maintain a portfolio of completed assessed academic work and workplace activities to provide evidence of achievements and capabilities. The building of this portfolio is therefore integral to the degree programme and the end point assessment. All apprentices must take an independent assessment at the end of their training to confirm that they have achieved occupational competence. Rigorous, robust and independent end-point assessment (EPA) is essential to give employers confidence that apprentices completing an Apprenticeship Standard can perform in the occupation and can demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard. The end-point assessment takes place at the end of the apprenticeship after all the on-programme training has been completed and after the ‘gateway’ has been passed.

The End Point Assessment process is described in the plan published by the Institute for Apprenticeships. This consists of two components, a work-based project report and a professional review.

• Work-Based report project - will comprise 4,000 words (+/- 10% plus references, appendices and abstract). It must draw on appropriate references from academic and professional sources and use Harvard Referencing System to support this. Appendices to the report may be used to provide. • The Professional Review will synoptically assess knowledge, skills and behaviours as detailed in the published standard. The professional review is assessed through a formal presentation followed by an interview. The professional review panel (the panel) will consist of two members, an independent assessor and an industry expert nominated by the apprentice’s employer. The independent assessor will be responsible for the grading of the End Point Assessment.

Overview

Apprentices should have 96 UCAS points plus Maths and English at GCSE C/4 or above. You can find out more about the tariff and qualification options from the UCAS tariff table. Individual employers will set the selection criteria for their apprenticeships. Entry to the course requires evidence of successful study at Level 3, A-Level, or equivalent. English and Maths at Level 2 (GCSE) are also expected. Other relevant qualifications or prior experience may be considered as an alternative if the above criteria are not met. Government funding rules require that an apprentice must: have the right to live and work in the UK be in employment, paid at least the legal minimum wage have a written and signed agreement for the apprenticeship with their employer. The minimum duration periods for an apprenticeship set in each Apprenticeship Standard, is based on an apprentice working a minimum of 30 hours per week. Where the apprentice works fewer than 30 hours, the minimum duration of the apprenticeship must be increased on a pro-rata basis.

Qualifications

Entry Requirements

• GCSEs: GCSE in Maths and English at grade C/4 or above.
• A-levels: Level 3, A-Level, or equivalent.

Selection Criteria

All apprentices must be interviewed, assessed and offered a position by an employer before being admitted to the apprenticeship programme. After acceptance by an employer, the University of Cumbria will require a formal application, which it will assess according to the programme entry criteria.