Welcome to 1st for EPA. We’re an established, Ofqual-recognised end point assessment organisation (EPAO). We’re known for making EPA smooth, easy and transparent for apprentices, providers and employers.
We recognise EPA is new to apprentices – and many employers – so we make sure everyone feels supported every step of the way.
Choose 1st for EPA
We offer:
Great service – we’re responsive, have flexible EPA booking, and run intro sessions for providers.
Guidance – we have guidance for apprentices, providers and employers for each of the standards we assess. This includes:
- Employer EPA Overview
- Apprentice Toolkit
- Training provider on-boarding session
- Mock knowledge tests
- Standard-specific apprentice guidance on preparing for EPA, what to expect and how to show their abilities.
- Blog with regular advice.
Feedback – all apprentices get feedback on how they’ve performed in addition to their grade. Results are issued within two weeks of assessment. And in the case an apprentice fails, we give detailed feedback against the assessment criteria to help them prepare for a resit. What’s more, we give training providers regular feedback reports to help them improve their delivery. This includes common areas of weakness and allows them to prepare their apprentices and maximise their chance of passing first time.
See the employers who choose us at the bottom of this page.
What are the next steps?
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Meet us
We welcome contact from employers and are always happy to chat about our approach and what we can offer. If you’d like to have a video call and see our guidance or meet our team, send us an email.
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Use us
If you decide to use us, inform your training provider. We contract with them so you can rest assured everything is handled. Once the contract is signed, we run an on-boarding session with the provider to introduce them to their account manager and talk them through our processes, timescales and guidance.
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Common questions
We don’t have any annual fees, we don’t have an application process, and there is no minimum number of apprentices you must put through us each year. We keep EPA as simple as possible, with the focus on the apprentice.
Guidance on our standards
Our Employer Overviews give an overview of what EPA involves and what your involvement is as the employer. View and download them here:
What do others say?
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Big thanks to colleagues at 1st for EPA for your supportJD Sports
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1st for EPA were brilliant. Their information on what criteria we needed to hit to pass my EPA was simple and easy to follow. On the day of my EPA my assessor was so lovely and definitely put my nerves at ease as we went through my presentation and professional discussionApprentice
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The team at 1st for EPA made everything super straight forward and went out of their way to be helpful. The actual accessor I had was friendly and reassuring, which in a high-pressure assessment is amazing for calming those nerves. Would 100% recommendApprentice
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Thanks for all of your support. Nothing short of amazing!Stockton Riverside College
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The most comfortable and confident I have ever felt in an exam conditionApprentice
