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LEAN SIX SIGMA & QUALITY APPRENTICESHIPS

Capella, an Ofsted Good Provider, is a main provider on the Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR), for the Improvement and Quality standards.

Our apprenticeships start at Level 3 and go all the way up to Level 6, which is a degree-level programme. This enables organisations to develop talent from career starters to senior leaders and upskill their existing workforce. Providing high-quality training throughout an employee’s career.

Our enrolment and delivery for levy-funded apprenticeships is completely flexible. Enrol one or more people through our open-registration programmes, scale the impact of your Improvement Apprentices with in-house groups of 12-16 people, or upskill your suppliers and partners as part of an effective Supply Chain Programme.

Do you work for the NHS? The NHS Leadership Academy‘s collaboration with Capella means that the Edward Jenner and Mary Seacole NHS Leadership Awards can now be delivered alongside the Improvement apprenticeships, helping the NHS Leadership Academy meet the aims of the NHS People Plan.

For those looking to become members of a Professional Body, as a Capella Improvement or Quality Apprentice, you’ll be entitled to a free membership application to the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI). Learners will qualify for Practitioner status, on successful completion of their apprenticeship. Benefits of joining the CQI, include access to fantastic member-only resources, to support career development, and professional networking and mentoring.

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Lean Six Sigma Apprenticeships

The Improvement standards are in line with the Lean Six Sigma Belts, meaning that once you complete the course, you’ll receive two certificates: one from the Institute for Apprenticeships and the other reflecting the equivalent Lean Six Sigma certificate at the relevant level (Yellow, Green, Black, or Master Black Belt).

These standards represent a combination of Lean, Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma, Project Management, Change Management, and Leadership. This comprehensive approach is designed to provide your team with the necessary knowledge, abilities, and attitudes required for Continuous Improvement.

Our dedicated apprenticeship team deliver online information sessions twice a week where you can find out more about these apprenticeships.

Reserve a Seat on Our Next Online Information Session

Level 3 Improvement Technician

Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification

Summary: The Improvement Technician program is aimed at people who want to develop basic problem-solving and process improvement methods and tools, project management skills, teamwork skills, and interpersonal skills.

Suitable for: Process Operators, Team members, Team workers, First Line Team Leaders, Customer Support

Duration: 14 – 18 months

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Level 4 Improvement Practitioner

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification

Summary: The Improvement Practitioner apprenticeship is for people who want to develop higher-level skills in problem-solving, process improvement, project and change management, team leadership, and coaching.

Suitable for: Specialists such as Project Controllers, professionals such as Accountants and Engineers, and Second Line Leaders/Managers

Duration: 14 – 18 months

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Level 5 Improvement Specialist

Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certification

Summary: Improvement Specialist is designed for those who want to develop a continuous improvement strategy, deploy and manage it, use advanced tools for complex problem-solving, and coach and mentor others.

Suitable for: Senior Managers, Team Leaders, Specialists such as Project Controllers and Quality Engineers, as well as Professionals such as Accountants.

Duration: 14 – 18 months

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Level 6 Improvement Leader

Master Black Belt Certification

Summary: Improvement Leader is the ideal programme for those who want to develop Continuous Improvement Strategy and Leadership, Advanced Tools for higher-level data analysis, Training, Coaching and Mentoring.

Suitable for: Leaders who want to develop a strategic approach to Continuous Improvement.

Duration: 18 – 24 months

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Quality Apprenticeship Standards

At Capella, we deliver the Level 4 Quality Practitioner apprenticeship standard. This standard includes modules on quality planning, quality assurance, quality control, and continuous improvement. It is designed to build capability and confidence in deploying best-in-class quality tools and practices.

Level 4 Quality Practitioner

Summary: Level 4 Quality Practitioner is designed to build capability and confidence to deploy best-in-class Quality practices, enabling fulfilment of contractual and regulatory requirements and continuous improvement in customer and stakeholder satisfaction.

Suitable for: Project Quality Engineer, Quality Assurance Officer, Quality Engineer, Quality Officer, Supplier Quality Engineer

Duration: 14 – 20 months

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Capella: An Ofsted Good Provider

Our Ofsted Good Provider rating is the culmination of our team’s hard work and dedication. The result reflects Capella’s commitment and passion to improve continuously and our desire to offer learners the highest-quality training experience.

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Maths and English Requirements for Apprenticeships

As part of their programme, apprentices need to achieve qualifications in Maths and English – these are known as Functional Skills. However, if the apprentice has completed these qualifications before, they’ll be exempt so long as they’re able to present original copies of certificates that meet or exceed Maths and English requirements.

Examples of Maths and English certificates you can provide that meet or exceed the requirements for our apprenticeships include:

GCSE Grade A*- C/9-4
CSE Grade 1
Functional Skills Level 2

Don’t qualify for an exemption? Don’t worry – Capella has got you covered.

Those who don’t have the required level will be supported by Capella so they can achieve these during their programme. They’ll just need to make sure they’re in place before they take their end-point assessment.

Functional Skills English and Maths programmes – Subcontracting Arrangements

If apprentices also need to enrol for Functional Skills English and Maths programmes alongside their main programme, we work closely with our selected sub-contractor, to deliver this since they have specialist expertise including links to awarding bodies. To support this arrangement, we completed a robust due diligence and contracting process and we conduct regular programme and contract reviews to ensure all requirements are, and continue to be, met in full.

Prior to confirming any sub-contract delivery, we agree the use of sub-contractors with employers, confirming details in the contract schedule, including the reason for sub-contracting, all services to be sub-contracted and how we determined the associated costs.

Reserve a Seat on Our Next Online Information Session

Why do Capella subcontract Functional Skills English and Maths?

What is the level of subcontracting?

How does Capella manage the funding for sub-contracted programmes?

How do apprentices access subcontracted Functional Skills English and Maths?

How does Capella effectively oversee subcontracted Functional Skills English and Maths?

What is the value added in subcontracting Functional Skills English and Maths?

Did you know?

Your company doesn’t have to pay an apprenticeship levy for your team members to do an apprenticeship with co-investment
Apprenticeships can add huge value to your business
Capella were the trailblazers for the Improvement and Quality Apprenticeship Standards
People with a higher-level qualification can still do an apprenticeship
We have a dedicated team to support our apprenticeship programmes

Our funded programmes are completely flexible. We have options for open registration for 1 person or more, in-house groups for 12-16 people, and Supply Chain programmes to engage and upskill your suppliers and partners.

Reserve a Seat on Our Next Online Information Session

Co-investment

Co-investment is a great option for a non-levy paying company, or if you’ve run out of funding in your account. With co-investment, employers pay 5% of apprenticeship course costs, with the government contributing the remaining 95%. This applies to both existing and newly recruited staff members; anyone can complete an apprenticeship

Value-add

Whatever the age or competence of your workforce, you can use the apprenticeship levy to make valuable improvements in skills and drive achievement of KPIs for any process, delivering improvements in Safety, Quality, Cost, Delivery and Environmental performance.

Trailblazers

We were involved in developing the Apprenticeship Standards and Assessment Plans for the Improvement suite and Quality Practitioner, so we have a clear and complete understanding of them. This means we’re able to share best practice and deliver rich learning programmes whether you’re one person joining our open-registration programmes or an in-house group of 12-16.

Higher-level Qualifications

Providing they are gaining new skills, people with a higher-level qualification can still do an apprenticeship. In example, learners can have a degree in an unrelated topic, such as music or history, and they’d still be eligible to apply for one of our Improvement or Quality apprenticeship programmes.

How to Use Lean Six Sigma to Improve Your Business

In this short video, our Director Consultant, Dennis Crommentuijn-Marsh, gives you a quick introduction in to Lean Six Sigma and how you can use it to improve your business. Dennis delves into the Improvement Cycle, exploring methodologies such as Lean Six Sigma and DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve, Control).

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NHS Leadership Academy

The NHS Leadership Academy‘s collaboration with Capella means that the Edward Jenner and Mary Seacole NHS Leadership Awards can now be delivered alongside the Improvement apprenticeships, helping the NHS Leadership Academy meet the aims of the NHS People Plan.

This includes the recent Messenger review, which looked at ways of ensuring a consistent approach to leadership development at all levels within the NHS. It also addresses the need for a more consistent and substantive career development pathway from recruitment through to mid-career and beyond.

It’s also the first time the NHS Leadership Academy has been able to offer a full suite of apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 6 with the option to complete the NHS Leadership Awards alongside. The Improvement standards include a blend of Lean, Six Sigma, Design for Six Sigma, Project Management, Change Management, and Leadership. At each level, the standards are designed to equip learners with essential Continuous Improvement knowledge, skills, and behaviours.

Explore NHS Improvement Apprenticeships

NHS Leadership Academy is able to offer the full suite of Improvement apprenticeships from Level 3 to Level 6 with the option to complete the NHS Leadership Awards alongside. This is a great opportunity to reduce the time it takes for learners to complete these qualifications separately. The overlap of leadership and management content, covered in the Improvement Standards and the NHS Leadership Awards, enables us to do this.

Capella tutors are qualified Lean Six Sigma experts with practical experience working with learners within healthcare and the NHS. Learners will have regular 1 to 1 coaching sessions throughout their Edward Jenner or Mary Seacole programme, where the tutor will provide support and regular progress updates.

Our NHS Clients

We already work with the NHS and have delegates on programmes from the following NHS Trusts: Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust,
NHS Arden and GEM, Wye Valley NHS Trust, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Foundation Trust, NHS England and NHS Improvement, University of Leicester NHS Hospital, Devon Partnership NHS Trust, Camden and Islington NHS Foundation, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NHS Worcestershire Acute Hospitals.

You’ll also find us on the Salisbury Framework, meaning we’ve met the stringent supplier requirements and have demonstrated that we are a quality training provider.

Reserve a Seat on Our Next Online Information Session

NHS Leadership Awards can now be delivered alongside our Improvement apprenticeships

Helping the NHS Leadership Academy meet the aims of the NHS People Plan, the collaboration with Capella means you’re able to experience the following programmes alongside an Improvement Apprenticeship:

Edward Jenner Award

The Edward Jenner content has been recently refreshed and is designed for those who are new to health and care or aspiring leaders at the start of their leadership journey. Helping to build a strong foundation of leadership skills.

Explore Edward Jenner Programme (NHS Leadership Academy)

Mary Seacole Award

The Mary Seacole content has also been refreshed recently and is aimed at first-time leaders in healthcare. It includes 12 modules covering leadership fundamentals, leading for improvement and management skills.

Explore Mary Seacole Programme (NHS Leadership Academy)

Recruiting an Apprentice

Both the Improvement and Quality standards can be used to recruit apprentices, as a progression route into an organisation, or wider industry, once completed.

You’ll need to register for an apprenticeship account to recruit an apprentice. You can do this here: Create an Apprenticeship Service Account.

You can reserve government funding using your account to help cover apprenticeship training and assessment costs. You may also be able to benefit from a transfer of funds from a larger business.

You can advertise your apprenticeship for free on find an apprenticeship, the official government website for apprenticeship opportunities in England, which is used by thousands of registered candidates.

Capella also provide Apprenticeship Levy guidance to help you with the compliance, admin and management of your Levy-funded programmes.

Safeguarding and Prevent Policy Intent

Provide a safe, supportive, open and transparent environment for all people to learn, develop, and work.
Create a safe space for free and open discussion and disclosure, recognising that an individual may not disclose everything all at once and that maintaining an open dialogue is therefore important.
Take a “zero tolerance” approach to all forms of abuse (including sexual violence, sexual harassment and peer on peer abuse) (See Appendix 4 for further information)
Foster good relations between people sharing a common characteristic and those who don’t share that characteristic, and create a fully inclusive environment that is free from all forms of bullying, harassment and discrimination (see Capella’s Equality, Diversity and Dignity at Work Policy for further information)
Promote and reinforce fundamental British Values, founded on tolerance and respect for others.
Ensure that all apprentices/delegates, Associates, Advisory Board Members and Training Delivery Sub-Contractors are:
– aware of the risks of abuse, radicalisation and extremism
– remain vigilant regarding these risks at all times
– understand the process to raise concerns (no matter how small or low-level these may be perceived to be), and of how these will be handled (see Appendix 1)
Identify any individuals who may be suffering, or are likely to suffer, abuse or harm (including harmful sexual behaviour, sexual harassment and/or online abuse) and ensure these instances are reported and actioned appropriately, ensuring that the individual is the central focus.
Stay abreast of changes in published guidelines on Safeguarding, Safe Recruitment and the Prevent Duty.
Comply with all regulations and statutory duties in relation to Safeguarding, Safe Recruitment and the Prevent Duty.
Help to promote educational outcomes for all, and support activities linked to promoting/delivering the Education Inspection Framework (EIF), in particular those relating to Behaviour and Attitudes.
Promote a sense of community cohesion both within our provision and within the wider external community.
Challenge poor practice and inappropriate behaviour (including between peers) where identified (See Appendix 4 for further information regarding peer-on-peer abuse)
Ensure that “everyone is responsible” for fulfilling the purpose and aims of this policy.

Go to Apprenticeship Hub for All Policies

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