Course overview

Business administrators have a highly transferable set of knowledge, skills and behaviours that can be applied in all
sectors. The role may involve working independently or as part of a team and will involve developing, implementing, maintaining and improving administrative services. Business administrators develop key skills and behaviours to support their own progression towards management.

The Business Administration, Level 3 (standard) will give apprentices the opportunity to develop the following knowledge and skills:

Skills:

IT:
- Skilled in the use of multiple IT packages and systems relevant to the organisation in order to: write letters or emails, create proposals, perform financial processes, record and analyse data. Examples include MS Office or equivalent packages. Able to choose the most appropriate IT solution to suit the business problem. Able to update and review databases, record information and produce data analysis where required.

Record and document production:
- Produces accurate records and documents including: emails, letters, files, payments, reports and proposals. Makes recommendations for improvements and present solutions to management. Drafts correspondence, writes reports and able to review others' work. Maintains records and files, handles confidential information in compliance with the organisation's procedures. Coaches others in the processes required to complete these tasks.

Decision making:
- Exercises proactivity and good judgement. Makes effective decisions based on sound reasoning and is able to deal with challenges in a mature way. Seeks advice of more experienced team members when appropriate.
Interpersonal skills.
- Builds and maintains positive relationships within their own team and across the organisation. Demonstrates ability to influence and challenge appropriately. Becomes a role model to peers and team members, developing coaching skills as they gain area knowledge.

Communications:
- Demonstrates good communication skills, whether face-to-face, on the telephone, in writing or on digital platforms. Uses the most appropriate channels to communicate effectively. Demonstrates agility and confidence in communications, carrying authority appropriately. Understands and applies social media solutions appropriately. Answers questions from inside and outside of the organisation, representing the organisation or department.
Quality.
- Completes tasks to a high standard. Demonstrates the necessary level of expertise required to complete tasks and applies themself to continuously improve their work. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Shares administrative best-practice across the organisation e.g. coaches others to perform tasks correctly. Applies problem-solving skills to resolve challenging or complex complaints and is a key point of contact for addressing issues.

Planning and organisation:
- Takes responsibility for initiating and completing tasks, manages priorities and time in order to successfully meet deadlines. Positively manages the expectations of colleagues at all levels and sets a positive example for others in the workplace. Makes suggestions for improvements to working practice, showing understanding of implications beyond the immediate environment (e.g. impact on clients, suppliers, other parts of the organisation). Manages resources e.g. equipment or facilities. Organises meetings and events, takes minutes during meetings and creates action logs as appropriate. Takes responsibility for logistics e.g. travel and accommodation.

Project management:
- Uses relevant project management principles and tools to scope, plan, monitor and report. Plans required resources to successfully deliver projects. Undertakes and leads projects as and when required.


Knowledge:

The Organisation:
- Understands organisational purpose, activities, aims, values, vision for the future, resources and the way that the political/economic environment affects the organisation.

Value of their skills:
- Knows organisational structure and demonstrates understanding of how their work benefits the organisation. Knows how they fit within their team and recognises how their skills can help them to progress their career.

Stakeholders:
- Has a practical knowledge of managing stakeholders and their differing relationships to an organisation. This includes internal and external customers, clients and/or suppliers. Liaises with internal/external customers, suppliers or stakeholders from inside or outside the UK. Engages and fosters relationships with suppliers and partner organisations.

Relevant regulation:
- Understands laws and regulations that apply to their role including data protection, health & safety, compliance etc. Supports the company in applying the regulations.

Policies:
- Understands the organisation's internal policies and key business policies relating to sector.

Business fundamentals:
- Understands the applicability of business principles such as managing change, business finances and project management.

Processes:
- Understands the organisation's processes, e.g. making payments or processing customer data. Is able to review processes autonomously and make suggestions for improvements. Applying a solutions-based approach to improve business processes and helping define procedures. Understands how to administer billing, process invoices and purchase orders.

External environment factors:
- Understands relevant external factors e.g. market forces, policy & regulatory changes, supply chain etc. and the wider business impact). Where necessary understands the international/global market in which the employing organisation is placed.

Behaviours- What is required (Role-model behaviours and positive contribution to culture):

Professionalism:
- Behaves in a professional way. This includes: personal presentation, respect, respecting and encouraging diversity to cater for wider audiences, punctuality and attitude to colleagues, customers and key stakeholders. Adheres to the organisation's code of conduct for professional use of social media. Acts as a role model, contributing to team cohesion and productivity – representing the positive aspects of team culture and respectfully challenging inappropriate prevailing cultures.

Personal qualities:
- Shows exemplary qualities that are valued including integrity, reliability, self-motivation, being pro-active and a positive attitude. Motivates others where responsibility is shared.

Managing performance:
- Takes responsibility for their own work, accepts feedback in a positive way, uses initiative and shows resilience. Also takes responsibility for their own development, knows when to ask questions to complete a task and informs their line manager when a task is complete. Performs thorough self-assessments of their work and complies with the organisation's procedures.

Adaptability:
- Is able to accept and deal with changing priorities related to both their own work and to the organisation.

Responsibility:
- Demonstrates taking responsibility for team performance and quality of projects delivered. Takes a clear interest in seeing that projects are successfully completed and customer requests handled appropriately. Takes initiative to develop own and others' skills and behaviours.


Additional Information:
- This apprenticeship is work based, apprentices will have individual block release sessions for English and Maths Functional Skills if required.

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for this apprenticeship will be decided by each employer but typically five GCSEs at Grade 4 or higher are required.

How will I be assessed?

Part 1: Knowledge Test
- The apprentice undertakes a multi-choice test to last a maximum of 60 minutes and include 50 equally weighted multi-choice questions with four possible answers each. The assessment should typically be passed before the apprentice progresses to the interview and presentation.

Part 2: Portfolio Based Interview
- The interview is for 30-45 minutes and graded by the Independent End-point Assessment Organisation (EPAO). The Portfolio of Learning provides a structure for this conversation. The Portfolio should provide at least one piece of evidence for each of the minimum KSBs outlined in the Assessment Methods and Grading annexed table. This should be submitted to the EPAO a month prior to interview. Evidence is gathered on-programme and the employer should facilitate this through relevant tasks and support, as outlined in the annexed table. The training provider should support where needed. The employer and training provider should review the Portfolio with the apprentice and make a judgement on whether they should be progressed to EPA. The interview assesses understanding and learning shown in the Portfolio; the Portfolio is not directly assessed.

Part 3: Presentation
- The apprentice delivers a presentation to the EPAO on a project they have completed or a process they have improved. The presentation lasts 10-15 minutes, with a further 10-15 minutes for a Q&A session. The project is completed from month 9 of the apprenticeship and should be completed prior to EPA being triggered.