Employer adjustments software for apprentices: only what employers need

An apprentice spends most of their time at work. Many of the adjustments that matter, such as protected study time, a quiet space or written instructions, are delivered by the employer. Inclusion Studio is being built to involve employers in a way that is useful to them and respects the learner’s privacy. This page describes the planned design. It is in development for the pilot.

What problem does employer adjustments software for apprentices solve?

Training providers often email employers a long summary that includes more than the employer needs. Or they share nothing, and the employer does not know what has been agreed. Either way, the adjustment is not delivered, and the apprentice repeats their story to each new line manager.

The aim is a middle path: tell the employer what to do, not why. See our guides to working with employers on adjustments and reasonable adjustments for apprentices.

How will employer collaboration work, step by step?

1. The provider and apprentice agree the workplace adjustments. These are recorded in the support plan and marked as workplace actions.
2. The apprentice sees what will be shared. The employer-facing wording is shown to them first.
3. The employer contact is invited. An account is created with a narrow role tied to this apprentice’s employer.
4. The employer sees a short summary. The adjustments agreed, any timing, and what the employer is asked to do. Nothing else about the apprentice’s support.
5. The employer records their actions. For example “study time protected this week” or “quiet space not available, alternative offered”.
6. The provider sees the update. Missed or changed actions flow into delivery tracking and recovery.
7. Reviews include the employer’s input. At review, the employer can say what has been practical. The apprentice remains the central voice.

Our employer adjustments summary template shows what a minimal, privacy-respecting summary looks like on paper.

What does an employer need to know, and not need to know?

If an employer needs to know more to make an adjustment work, that should be an explicit, agreed disclosure, not a default.

Who sees what?

Permissions are enforced on the server by organisation, relationship and field. An employer contact is linked to a specific apprentice, with access to a restricted view.

• Employer contact: workplace adjustments for their apprentice and their own actions.
• Apprentice: everything about themselves, including what the employer sees.
• Provider staff: according to their roles.

Employer contacts cannot export a learner’s history and cannot search other learners. See permissions and roles.

What about Access to Work?

Access to Work can fund workplace support for disabled people, including some apprentices. It is separate from provider support and from employer adjustments. Inclusion Studio does not apply for it. Read our guide to Access to Work for apprentices.

What is in the prototype today, and what is being built?

In the prototype: a fictional learner, Leo B., has “Protected study time” trialled with the employer and a next step to confirm the study slot. The record is shown from the tutor’s view. There is no employer account or view.

Being built for the pilot, where a pilot provider needs it: employer access is included only if it is essential to that provider’s pilot and passes the same security and privacy checks as everything else.

• A narrow employer contact role.
• Employer-facing summary of workplace adjustments.
• Employer action recording.
• Learner visibility of what is shared.
• Employer input at review.

Not planned: employer access to full learner history, or to anything beyond workplace adjustments, by default.

Who is this for?

Apprenticeship providers whose learners spend most time at work. Employers who want clear, usable instructions. Apprentices who want control over what their employer learns. See apprenticeship providers and employers.

What does this look like in practice? (fictional example)

A fictional apprentice agrees that her employer should provide written instructions for new tasks and a regular weekly check-in. The provider records both as workplace actions. The apprentice reads the wording that will be shown to the employer and approves it. Her line manager is invited and sees a one-page summary of those two actions and the provider contact, with no reason given and no other history. After two weeks, the manager records the check-in as done and the written instructions as not yet in place. The provider sees this and the tutor calls the manager to help. This is a fictional example, not a real employer.

Related guides and next steps

• Working with employers on adjustments
• Access to Work for apprentices
• Join the pilot.