Before you start
Whether you are an apprentice or an employer, gaining a clear understanding of what is required at the start of an apprenticeship is key to ensuring a successful experience. Here, you’ll find all the essential information you need as you begin the Building Control Apprenticeship.
Apprenticeship standard
The Building Control Surveyor Apprenticeship standard is a good place to start when understanding what will be learnt on an apprenticeship. Within it you will find:
- An overview of tasks and duties for a Building Surveyor
- The knowledge, skills and behaviours expected to be shown by the apprentice by the end of the apprenticeship
- Building Control Surveyor assessment plan
Apprenticeship journey
Managing an apprenticeship can feel complex and challenging. To support this, we have created a clear visual guide that outlines your journey with us.
On programme
Apprenticeship Team
Each apprentice is assigned an Apprenticeship Outcomes Officer (AOO) as their main contact during the practical period, providing guidance, support, and monitoring progress towards end-point assessment (EPA). AOOs hold regular progress review meetings, support both apprentices and employers, ensure compliance with training and assessment requirements, oversee safety and wellbeing, and manage gateway documentation.
Key responsibilities of the AOO include:
- Monitoring and overseeing apprentice progress and personal development through regular online meetings
- Offering information, guidance, and signposting support to both the apprentice and employer
- Managing regulatory compliance of off-the-job training (evidence of learning) and EPA documentation during the on-programme phase
- Identifying, monitoring, and overseeing matters related to safety and wellbeing
- Coordinating timely and fully audited gateway documentation
Please note that the AOO does not handle academic queries or review assignment feedback. These should be submitted, by the apprentice, via the Student Central platform.
It is essential that the AOO is notified immediately of any changes in circumstances, for example, a change of employer, pathway, or personal details.
Progress reviews
Throughout the apprenticeship, progress reviews are conducted involving the apprentice, line manager, and AOO to ensure alignment with the apprenticeship standard and funding requirements. Their purpose is to monitor progress against knowledge, skills, and behaviours (KSBs), confirm readiness for gateway and EPA, and ensure appropriate support is in place.
Reviews take place at intervals of no more than 12 weeks and focus on identifying risks to timely completion, addressing support needs, and maintaining compliance with off-the-job training and wider regulatory requirements. The AOO also liaises with the university’s academic delivery teams regarding the qualification element of the apprenticeship.
Academic study
Below are the modules that apprentices will study throughout their apprenticeship.
Introduction to the Built Environment 1
Appreciate how legal, political and social issues shape our sector and its role in the economy. Understand the project lifecycle and the RIBA Plan of Work. Identify the industry’s stakeholders and professions and your chosen profession’s key responsibilities in meeting client objectives.
Introduction to Sustainability
Explore the causes of climate change and the challenges of sustainable development, with particular focus on the construction and property sector. Examine the relationship between property and the environment along with the criteria used to measure sustainability in relation to finished construction projects.
Professional and Business Practice
Gain an understanding of the organisational structures within the sector. Appreciate the role of business planning and the accounting concepts that support decision making. Consider the importance and benefits of client management, professionalism, ethical practice and diversity in the workforce.
Establish a foundation knowledge of buildings, the environment and technology, also considering them from a sustainability perspective. Develop your communication skills and construction literacy with real-world examples of construction projects, including traditional masonry and roof construction.
Introduction to Regulatory and Built Environment Law
Dive into the legal and regulatory requirements that relate to the construction and property sector, along with the legal environment in the context of planning, design and occupation and health and safety as it relates to both design and construction activity.
Introduction to the Built Environment 2
Gain familiarity with your chosen discipline and develop basic discipline specific knowledge and skills. Undertake a discipline specific task that will develop your understanding of client’s objectives, industry sources of information and the benefits of collaborative practice.
The relationship between a building’s design, environment and occupants is complex. With the overarching theme of human comfort, break down the individual factors – heat, air moisture sound and light within these aspects of a building, and how each of these factors affect one another, in the context of domestic or office environments.
Retrofit is a crucial function for keeping existing buildings in use and fit for purpose. Explore the range of different retrofitting project types and associated issues while developing the knowledge and skills required to appraise and develop retrofit and refurbishment solutions.
Explore the core competencies of building control you’ll need to become a member of relevant professional bodies. Examine requirements for site inspections of building work, with reference to legislation like the Building Safety Act 2022, and apply these standards to different scenarios.
Building Pathology and Conservation Principles
Build an understanding of building pathology – the study of building decay, defects and performance failure. Develop your ability to effectively diagnose and evaluate a range of common building defects through inspection, testing, survey and analysis.
Design and Environmental Science
The relationship between a building’s design, environment and occupants is complex. With the overarching theme of human comfort, break down the individual factors – heat, air moisture sound and light within these aspects of a building, and how each of these factors affect one another, in the context of domestic or office environments.
Commercial Building Pathology and Practice
Analyse building pathology and surveying technologies in the context of commercial structures. Identify, examine and provide technical solutions to key defects in commercial buildings. Understand the role of technology and information management as they apply to building surveying services.
Fire safety is a key competency in the industry . Study the nature of fire, the relevant regulations and standards, methods of protection and means of escape in relation to domestic and commercial buildings.
Assessing the use of a building or venue to ensure public safety is a core skill of building control surveyors. Examine legislation and guidance and apply these principles to scenarios involving sports grounds, licensed premises and concert venues.
Develop your research skills and present your self-directed investigation and research in the form of a case study. Reflect on the knowledge, skills and behaviours you have developed during your studies and the experience and training you’ve received from your workplace.
Consolidate your knowledge and skills by working in multi-disciplinary groups in a project scenario. This project will help you identify the procedures required for the adaptation and refurbishment of a building based on a client’s brief.
Building Surveying and Maintenance Practice
Explore building surveying practice and enhance your ability to recognise, analyse and remedy building maintenance issues, so that you can provide professional advice regarding different types of surveys, and maintenance and building adaptation.
Develop your research skills and present your self-directed investigation and research in the form of a case study. Reflect on the knowledge, skills and behaviours you have developed during your studies and the experience and training you’ve received from your workplace.
Building Control End Point Assessment
Having achieved the mandatory requirements of the integrated apprenticeship programme, prepare for and undertake the EPA. Collate and present evidence to demonstrate your achievement of the Standard’s KSBs competencies. Attend a panel interview led by an independent assessor and industry expert.
Off-the-job training
Apprentices must complete a set number of off-the-job (OTJ) training hours specific to their Apprenticeship Standard, as introduced from Autumn 2025. Throughout the practical period, apprentices are required to record all eligible learning activity in the OTJ Training Diary. This diary will be reviewed regularly by your AOO to ensure compliance with the Apprenticeship Funding Rules.
Apprentices must complete a minimum of 20% of their contracted weekly working hours as OTJ training. As from Autumn 2025 this requirement has changed to a set number of hours for each Apprenticeship Standard.
Apprentices must ensure that OTJ learning is evidenced every calendar month across the full practical period.
Failure to provide evidence of OTJ activity for one full calendar month or more will result in the programme being paused and Virtual learning Environment (VLE) access restricted.
OTJ training must teach new knowledge, skills or behaviours that form part of the apprenticeship standard and must take place during normal working hours. Examples of eligible activities include:
- Scheduled teaching sessions, workshops, and lectures
- Practical training or skills development outside the usual job role
- Shadowing, mentoring or supervised practice that supports the standard
- Writing assignments, preparing for assessments or completing reflections
- Participating in simulations, role-play or workplace-based projects
- Attending webinars, online training or professional discussions
Only activities that relate directly to the apprenticeship KSBs and take place within normal working hours may be counted as OTJ training.
The apprentice individual training plan determines the mandatory minimum number of OTJ training hours required for each apprenticeship. These hours must be completed and recorded to maintain funding eligibility and support successful progress through gateway to EPA.
The University OTJ diary is provided at the beginning of the apprenticeship by your AOO and must record:
- The type of activity completed and what was learnt
- The hours spent (date and time)
- How the activity links to the apprenticeship KSBs/modules
Monthly and accurate completion of this diary is essential. It will be checked throughout the apprenticeship to ensure continued compliance with funding rules.
Journey to EPA
As apprentices progress towards EPA, it is essential that they are fully supported in demonstrating their competence against the required standards. This stage of the journey focuses on consolidating learning, evidencing practical experience, and preparing for final assessment through structured guidance and review. Central to this process is the collaboration between the apprentice, their employer, and the University Technical Team, ensuring that all requirements are met and that the apprentice is confident, capable, and ready to succeed.
Technical support
Technical Managers work with the AOO to support and guide the apprentice and workplace mentor/employer through the portfolio of evidence – ensuring they are ready for EPA.
The Technical Managers will regularly review the portfolio entries (and supporting evidence) and provide feedback – this will ensure that the apprentice achieves the knowledge skills and behaviours required for the apprenticeship standard.
Portfolio of evidence
The portfolio of evidence and a OneDrive folder will be issued when an apprentice starts their journey to EPA.
The portfolio of evidence is an excel diary used by apprentices to document their experience, progress and achievements during their apprenticeship.
The Apprentice will receive a link to a pre-recorded webinar ‘Get started on your EPA’ and an invite to a Q&A session with the Technical Managers.
Employers will need to support their apprentice in completing the portfolio, ensuring they get a range of experience, and support them to collect evidence to demonstrate the required knowledge, skills and behaviours.
The portfolio of evidence will be used to support logbook completion during the EPA.
Gateway
This section explains what to expect at gateway, the steps involved, and how both apprentices and employers can prepare.
The apprentice must meet the following requirements:
- Achieved a Level 2 in English and maths
- Completed the formal academic learning as defined by their HEI, equating to 340 on-programme credits
- Completed any formal training plan agreed with their employer
- Has demonstrated sufficient competency in all the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) as defined in the Building Control Surveyor Apprenticeship Standard
- Completed a portfolio of evidence over a two year period.
The requirements can be found on page 4-5 of the Building Control Surveyor Assessment Plan.
To begin the EPA module on time, the apprentice must pass through Gateway before the semester starts. The following steps must be completed:
The apprentice and employer sign the form within two weeks of receipt and submit the completed OTJ training diary to the AOO
The line manager confirms that the portfolio of evidence and uploaded documents adequately cover the required KSBs
The apprenticeship delivery team audits the OTJ diary and requests amendments if necessary
The University upload the completed gateway form and supporting evidence for review by the EPAO (end-point assessment organisation)
Once approved the apprentice will receive notification from the University that they are through gateway, ready to commence their EPA.
The contents of the Gateway DocuSign envelope may vary slightly between cohorts, but typically include:
To be signed by the apprentice, employer, and University, confirming that the apprentice has completed the on-programme training and that the work is their own.
Signed by the apprentice, employer, and University to confirm the accuracy and authenticity of OTJ evidence.
University EPA contact information form
Used to update any personal details that may have changed since the start of the apprenticeship. Facilitating effective EPA communication and the destination of the Apprenticeship certificate on completion.
EPA
The EPA is managed by the EPAO, which in this instance in the University. The EPA is the final stage of the apprenticeship and is undertaken once all on-programme requirements have been achieved and the apprentice has been approved by the Training Provider (TP) and Line Manager for gateway.
The EPA module is comprised of 3 types of assessment. A logbook, an exam and a panel interview. The logbook is ungraded and underpins the panel interview, whereas the exam and panel interview are graded and count towards the final module result.
The logbook differs from the other assessments as this is initially worked on during the on-programme phase, under the term ‘Portfolio of Evidence’. The portfolio is an ongoing collation of evidence that can be used to demonstrate achievement of the relevant KSBs, as outlined in the assessment plan. Once through gateway, the portfolio is developed to include an introduction, a conclusion and 4-6 different projects derived from the previously collated evidence. All apprentices will have the opportunity to submit their logbook for formative feedback.
The plan evaluation report exam is a 4-hour examination, undertaken in exam conditions, that tests your ability to demonstrate your practical application of the relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) being assessed. All apprentices will have the opportunity to partake in a mock examination, with feedback from the Module Leader, prior to the plan evaluation report exam.
The panel interview is a 2-hour interview, conducted online, in the presence of an independent assessor, industry expert and University representative (acting as Chair). All apprentices will have the opportunity to book 1-2-1 sessions with the EPA Module Leader to help prepare for their panel interview.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)
The on-programme portion of the apprenticeship is the main learning and training phase, focussing on developing the core knowledge, skills and behaviours outlined in the apprenticeship standard and assessment plan.
Gateway is the final stage prior to EPA. At this point the apprentice, employer and training provider must all agree that the apprentice has completed all on-programme requirements and is ready to undertake the EPA.
EPA is the final, impartial, evaluation of an apprentice’s knowledge, skills and behaviours to determine occupational competence. The EPA must be passed for the apprentice to successfully complete their apprenticeship.
The Training Provider (TP) is responsible for the formal off-the-job training. The training provider works in collaboration wioth the employer to support the apprentice through this crucial on-programme phase. In this case, the TP is the University of the Built Environment and the formal training is the 340 credits taken on-programme, prior to Gateway.
An EPAO is an independent organisation that is responsible for conducting the final assessments for an apprenticeship. In this case, where the degree apprenticeship is integrated, the EPAO is the University of the Built Environment. You can contact the EPAO directly using epao@ube.ac.uk.
The EPAO is responsible for conducting assessments that verify if the apprentice has met the required competencies and standards for the apprenticeship. Assessment types vary depending on the standard but can include written exams, technical interviews and work-based projects.
The EPAO ensures that the assessment process is fair and consistent and meets the quality standards outlined in the apprenticeship standard and assessment plan. This contributes to maintaining the integrity and credibility of the apprenticeship.
The EPAO provides an independent assessment to ensure that the apprentice’s achievements are objectively evaluated, separate from the on-programme training provider or employer.
Once the EPA is completed, the EPAO confirms that the apprentice has met the apprenticeship requirements and requests final certification.
An apprentice must successfully achieve all Gateway requirements, as set out in the apprenticeship standard and assessment plan, prior to being assessed at Gateway for EPA. Commencement on the EPA cannot take place unless the EPAO has approved and signed off Gateway evidence and the training provider, employer and apprentice have agreed that the apprentice is ready to undertake the EPA.
The EPA module takes place over 26 weeks, commencing in line with the typical University semester start dates. The EPA module is longer than a typical University semester, due to the requirements set out within the apprennticeship standard and assessment plan.
The order of the assessments on the EPA module reflect the specific requirements as set out within the apprenticeship standard and assessment plan. For example, the panel interview must take place in the final two weeks of the module.
There are three types of assessment on the EPA module. A logbook, an exam and a panel interview. The logbook is ungraded and underpins the panel interview, whereas the exam and panel interview are graded and count towards the final module result.
The plan evaluation exam date and time is set in line with the requirements of the apprenticeship standard and assessment plan. The exam will take place in week 22 and must be under timed, invigilated exam conditions. Due to the nature of this assessment, there is only one exam date and time. You cannot request to take this on another day or at a different time.
Yes. The logbook is a crucial piece of work that underpins your panel interview and aids both you and the independant assessors to undertake this form of assessment. Your logbook is reviewed in full by the independent assessors conducting your panel interview and provides them with a chance to identify areas to focus on within your interview to give you the best possible chance to cover all relevant knowledge, skills and behaviours.
Yes. The current exam set up is a physical in-person exam that takes place on the Friday of week 22 at University of the Built Envronment in Reading. This is a long examination and the University have considered the need for an appropriate, dedicated quiet space. The University has a modern, sustainable, premises with comfortable break out spaces, first class facilities and on-hand tech support.
No. The panel interview will take place online, with yourself, two independent assessors and a represenatative from the EPAO (acting as Chair). The panel interview is two hours long and is usually conducted using Microsoft Teams.
More information on the Building Control Surveyor integrated degree apprenticeship standard and assessment plan can be found on Skills England. Here you will find the standard and assessment plan documents in full, the standard reference (ST0652), approval history, summarisation of KSBs and further information regarding the occupational profile, maximum funding and EQA provider (OfS).
Line manager guidance
Your support as a line manager makes a huge difference to the success of an apprenticeship. You play a key part in helping your apprentice learn through real, on-the-job training and develop the skills they need to succeed.
The guide below will help you understand what’s involved in your role and how you can make the most of the apprenticeship experience.
If you need any support, then please don’t hesitate to contact your dedicated Apprenticeship Outcomes Officer. If you are unsure who this is then please email: apprenticeshipmanagement@ube.ac.uk
