What is off-the-job training? Apprenticeship rules for providers

Off-the-job training is the part of an apprenticeship where the apprentice learns something new in work time, away from their normal tasks. For learner support teams, it is where much classroom-style adjustment happens.

What counts as off-the-job training under the apprenticeship rules?

Government guidance defines it as training that is not on-the-job training, received by the apprentice during normal working hours (their paid hours, excluding overtime) to achieve the apprenticeship standard. To count, an activity must teach new knowledge, skills or behaviours, be directly relevant to the standard, take place in normal working hours and not be an excluded activity. Examples include lectures, simulation, online learning, mentoring, shadowing and industry visits.

Several things do not count. These include initial assessment, progress reviews, standalone English and maths qualifications, examinations, travel time in most cases, and training outside paid hours.

How does off-the-job training apply in FE and apprenticeships?

For apprenticeships starting up to 31 July 2025, the minimum was 20% of normal working hours, with hours capped at 30 per week for funding. For starts from 1 August 2025, the guidance says each standard has a published minimum number of hours, reduced for evidenced prior learning but never below 187 hours, and the minimum duration is 8 months. Always check the guidance for your apprentice’s start date.

For learners with SEND, the guidance does not set a separate minimum. It does say that extra time or one-to-one support from the provider can count where the four tests are met. That affects planning: if a learner needs adjustments in how off-the-job training is delivered, such as smaller steps, extra explanation time or a different format, plan these in the training plan, and record what was delivered. Our guide on learning support funding for apprenticeships covers the separate learning support payment, and reasonable adjustments for apprentices covers the duties.

Providers should also link training adjustments to the later end-point assessment.

What is a common misconception about off-the-job training?

The popular shorthand is “one day a week”. That was never a rule, and for current starts the requirement is a number of hours for the standard. Another misconception is that off-the-job training must happen away from the workplace. It can take place at the workplace, as long as it is separate from the apprentice’s normal duties. A third is that off-the-job hours are a cost the employer can ignore: they are paid working hours.

Where can you find the official source?

Read the Apprenticeship off-the-job training guidance and the apprenticeship funding rules for the current funding year on gov.uk. The ESFA used to publish these; it closed in March 2025 and the Department for Education now owns the guidance. Take care with older web pages that still show the old 20% rule as the only requirement.