Improvement Technician Level 3 Apprenticeship

Improvement Technicians are responsible for delivery and coaching of improvement activity within an area of responsibility, often associated with Lean and Six Sigma methodologies. They can be found across all industry sectors and functions including automotive, banking, engineering, food products, IT, property, retail, telecoms local and County Councils, NHS, voluntary / charity, utilities, pharmaceuticals, insurance, hospitality etc.

Typically, Technicians work as a member of an operational team to resolve problems – preventing re-occurrence, engaging others in issues affecting them and to support the improvement of performance. Typical activities include:

• Engaging team members in the identification of improvement opportunities and relevant countermeasures and controls
• Initiating and facilitating improvement activities through to confirmed resolution
• Providing local expertise in business improvement methods and basic tools to team

The apprentice must receive off-the-job training for a minimum of 6 hours per week. The hours will be pro rata for part time learners. There are many activities that can be calculated towards the off-the-job training hours such as; Shadowing a colleague, Online Learning, Internal Training, Team Meetings and Appraisals/1-2-1 Visits.

Compliance
Legislative and customer compliance requirements including environment and health and safety.

Team formation and leadership
Improvement team roles and responsibilities in a change environment
Self-development: Different sources for knowledge development.

Project management
Project charter, Gantt chart, reporting documentation, Red Amber Green (RAG) status, communication (verbal and non-verbal channels) and implementation plans.

Change management
Roles of the manager and leader within change. Influencing, reinforcement and coaching principles.

Principles & methods
Six Sigma principles per ISO13053 (International Organisation for Standardisation), interim containment actions, Lean principles.

Project selection and scope
Selection matrix, scoping tree
Problem definition: Exploratory data analysis, data collection planning, problem and goal statements.

Process mapping & analysis
Supplier Input Process Output Customer (SIPOC), process mapping, value and waste analysis, performance metrics – discrete data

Data acquisition for analysis
Data stratification, sampling theory, data types, variation types and sources, data collection tools, operational definition and principles of measurement error.

Basic statistics and measures
Control charts – discrete data.

Process capability and performance
Capability analysis – continuous data.

Root cause analysis
Histograms.

Experimentation
Active analysis versus one factor at a time, Plan-Do-Check-Act.

Identification and prioritisation Brainstorming, selection criteria.

Sustainability and control
Process.

Compliance
Work in accordance with organisational controls and statutory regulations.

Communication
Share improvement progress through appropriate reporting.

Project management
Plan, manage and implement improvement activities. Identify and support management of risks. Develop the business case for improvement activity and implementation.

Change management
Engage through communications. Reinforce – positively and negatively. Effectively coach peers.

Principles and methods
Use a structured method and appropriate improvement tools engaging with subject matter experts to deliver business benefits.

Project selection and Scoping
Identify and scope improvement projects and establish clear measurable objectives.

Problem definition
Develop a problem/opportunity statement supported by validated data.

Voice of the customer
Apply techniques to identify customers, their requirements and translate these to metrics.

Process mapping & analysis
Apply process mapping tools to visualise processes, analyse process performance establishing key insights for performance improvement.

Lean tools
Apply techniques such as identification and removal of 8 wastes, 5S (Sort, Shine, Set, Standardise, Sustain), standard work, kaizen, visual displays and controls, error proofing, preventative maintenance.

Data acquisition for analysis
Develop data collection plan and validated measurement processes to understand performance.

Basic statistics & measures
Establish patterns and trends in data over time using tally, pie, run/trend and pareto charts.

Data analysis-statistical methods
Identify common and special cause variation.

Process capability & performance
Analyse product/process performance using good quality data.

Root cause analysis
Use cause and effect diagrams, technique of 5 whys and graphical analysis to understand and verify root causes.

Identification & prioritisation
Identify and prioritise improvement solutions.

Benchmarking
Recognise the value of sharing best practice.

Sustainability & control
Create control and reaction plans with detection measures, identify opportunities to embed changes to leverage benefit to the business.

Drive for results
Clear commitment for identifying opportunities and delivering improvements, pays attention to detail.

Team-working
Helps when asked, works effectively in a diverse team, considers impact of own actions on others, motivates peers.

Professionalism
Acts in a moral, legal and socially appropriate manner, aligns behaviours to the organisations values, trusted to working on own when appropriate.

Continuous development
Acts upon feedback, reflects on performance and has a desire for learning.

Safe working
Ensures safety of self and others, challenges safety.

The End Point Assessment (EPA) will only commence once the Employer, Apprentice and Smart Training Advisor are confident that the apprentice has developed all the knowledge, skills and behaviours defined in the apprenticeship standard and that these are clearly evidenced through the progress review meetings and records. The independent end point assessment ensures that all Apprentices consistently achieve the industry set professional standard. The EPA can commence at any point once the apprentice is competent and after the twelve-month minimum period of learning and development. Prior to independent end point assessment the functional skills English and maths components of the apprenticeship must be successfully completed.

Multiple choice examination
This is to assess the knowledge elements of the standard.

Project report, presentation and questioning
This is to holistically assess KSBs across the standard –based on the apprentice’s improvement project(s) as contained in the project portfolio.

Professional discussion
This is underpinned by the apprentice’s log, to holistically assess KSBs across the standard.