EDUCATION

Ju ly / August 2016 www.cicm.com46 The recognised standard in credit management www.cicm.com July / August 2016 47The recognised standard in credit management

YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO GET QUALIFIED1. WHAT IS SIGNIFICANT ABOUT THIS LEVEL 3

APPRENTICESHIP?This is the new Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standard for advanced credit controllers and debt collection specialists, developed by senior credit and collections managers with the support of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management (CICM) and the Credit Services Association (CSA). The Apprenticeship Standard is based on current job descriptions and covers essential knowledge, skills and behaviours. 2. WHO IS THE APPRENTICESHIP FOR?The apprenticeship is for a range of people, including apprentices who have completed the Level 2 apprenticeship, new starters of any age, and experienced employees who would like to be recognised as being fully qualified. 3. WHAT DOES THE APPRENTICESHIP

INVOLVE?The 2-year Level 3 Apprenticeship programme combines study towards a Level 3 professional qualification with work-based learning towards the Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard, including one of three specialist areas chosen from credit risk, advanced collections, or debt recovery and enforcement.

Your learning provider and employer will agree with you a work-based learning programme which involves increasingly complex work. The programme is likely to include a range of learning activities, depending on your role and company, such as job shadowing, attending training and industry events, dealing with more complex queries or accounts, writing or reviewing procedures, presenting to the team on your area of work, completing project work, preparing and delivering training for new starters. You will be expected to keep up-to-date by reading relevant industry briefings and keeping a record of this experience and any other learning that you complete.

During the programme you will work towards one of four qualifications: CICM Level 3 Diploma in Credit Management or Debt Collection, CSA Level 3 Diploma for the Debt Collection Industry or IFS Level 3 Certificate in Consumer Collections. The way that you study and the areas that you cover will depend on the qualification that you choose. Your apprenticeship learning provider will be able to advise on this.

When you have passed your Level 3 qualification and completed your work-based learning programme, your apprenticeship learning provider and employer will decide if you are ready to go for the final apprenticeship end-assessment. This involves a professional discussion and completion of one assignment which will help you showcase your knowledge, experience and skills. Your learning provider and employer will provide support for both of these activities.

During the professional discussion, a CICM examiner, who is an experienced credit or collections manager, will ask you more about your experience and areas covered in your assignment to check that your knowledge, skills and behaviours meet the requirements set out in the Apprenticeship Standard. 4. IF I AM EXPERIENCED, WHAT ARE THE

BENEFITS?You will be involved in an intensive 2-year learning programme which will get you qualified and give opportunities to take on more complex work. The knowledge that you gain will raise your confidence and performance and give you recognition as an expert for your area of work. 5. I HAVE ALREADY PASSED SOME RELEVANT

QUALIFICATIONS, WILL THESE COUNT?Yes, your learning provider will recognise any relevant prior learning or qualifications which will mean that you may complete the apprenticeship in a shorter time.

6. WHAT IS CICM’S ROLE IN THE DELIVERY OF THE APPRENTICESHIP?

The Institute will be the Apprenticeship Assessment Organisation which means CICM Awarding Body examiners will mark your assignments and conduct your professional discussion. Also CICM will deliver specialised qualification tuition for some apprenticeship training providers if you opt to include CICM professional qualifications in your apprenticeship. See details about training providers on the CICM website. 7. WHO CERTIFICATES THE APPRENTICESHIP?The Federation for Industry, Skills and Standards (FISSS) will certificate your apprenticeship. 8. HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?The cost of the apprenticeship will depend on the amount of government funding that you receive. Your company will receive more support if you are aged 16 – 18 years or the company has less than 50 employees. Further information will be available on the CICM website in coming months but if you would like to know more at this stage, please contact apprenticeship@cicm.com for guidance and to be referred to the learning provider of your choice for a more detailed discussion. 9. HOW CAN I FIND A TRAINING PROVIDER?You will be able to find an approved advanced credit controller and debt collections specialist apprenticeship training provider on the Skills Funding Agency apprenticeship website and the CICM website once arrangements are finalised. 10. IF I DO NOT LIVE NEAR A LEARNING PROVIDER,

CAN I STILL STUDY FOR THE APPRENTICESHIP?Yes. FWD Training is working with CICM to deliver the apprenticeship in a way which includes virtual classrooms and training days led by experienced CICM teachers for CICM Diploma programmes so that no matter where you are based you can access high quality, specialised tuition. FWD Training has similar arrangement with the CSA for the supported CSA Diploma programme and the IFS for their unsupported online consumer collections course. 11. HOW WILL MY TRAINING PROVIDER SUPPORT

ME?Your training provider will advise on funding and manage the end-to-end process including helping you recruit apprentices, arranging training and assessment. 12. IF MY COMPANY DELIVERS APPRENTICESHIPS

OR I HAVE ANOTHER PREFERRED TRAINING PROVIDER, HOW CAN THEY FIND OUT MORE ABOUT REQUIREMENTS?

CICM can advise on requirements and put your apprenticeship provider contact in touch with the best person for advice about delivery of the professional qualification included in your apprenticeship. 13. HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE?See the CICM website for news updates. You can also email apprenticeship@cicm.com or telephone 01780 722909. 14. HOW CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE

LEVEL 2 APPRENTICESHIP FOR CREDIT CONTROLLERS/COLLECTORS?

You can find FAQs about the Level 2 Credit Controller/Collector Apprenticeship on the CICM website or email apprenticeship@cicm.com for more information.

LEVEL 3 ADVANCED CREDIT

CONTROLLER AND DEBT COLLECTION SPECIALIST APPRENTICESHIP FAQS