Welcome to your apprenticeship! This is an exciting time where you’ll be earning a wage while learning the skills for a fantastic career. A huge and essential part of this journey is something called Off-the-Job Training, or OTJT.
But what is it? How much do you get? And what activities actually count?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. An apprenticeship is a real job with a formal, structured training programme, and OTJT is a protected and legal requirement of that programme. This guide will break down everything you need to know about this vital part of your development.
What Exactly is Off-the-Job Training?
Let’s start with the basics. The official definition says Off-the-Job Training is:
Training which is received by you, the apprentice, during your normal working hours, for the purpose of achieving the knowledge, skills and behaviours of your apprenticeship.
Think of it like this: your ‘on-the-job’ time is when you’re performing your regular duties and contributing to your team’s output.
‘Off-the-job’ training is dedicated time for you to step away from your productive job role to learn the new skills and theory that will make you an expert in your field.
Crucially, this must happen within your normal paid hours. You should never be expected to complete your OTJT in your own unpaid time.
To make it super simple, any training activity must pass four key tests to count as OTJT:
- Is it teaching you new knowledge, skills, or behaviours?
- Is it directly relevant to your specific apprenticeship?
- Is it taking place in your normal working hours?
- Does it exclude activities that aren’t eligible (like progress reviews or exams)?
How Much Training Will I Get? The 20% Rule Explained
The government has set a minimum threshold for OTJT to ensure every apprentice gets the high-quality training they are entitled to.
For the vast majority of apprentices, the rule is that at least 20% of your normal working hours must be spent on OTJT over the planned duration of your apprenticeship.
For Full-Time Apprentices
If you work 30 hours or more per week, your OTJT is calculated based on a 30-hour week. This means you are entitled to an average of 6 hours of off-the-job training every week (20% of 30 hours).
For a typical 12-month apprenticeship, this works out to a minimum of 278 hours of training. Here’s the calculation:
- 52 weeks in a year
- Minus 5.6 weeks of statutory holiday leave
- Equals 46.4 working weeks
- 46.4 weeks x 6 hours per week = 278.4 hours
For Part-Time Apprentices
If you work fewer than 30 hours per week, you are still entitled to the 20% training, but your apprenticeship duration will be extended to ensure you receive the same total volume of training as a full-time apprentice. You get the same great training, just delivered over a longer period.
Remember: This is an average. Your training plan might be flexible, with more training in some months and less in others to fit around your employer’s needs.
What Counts as OTJT? (And What Doesn’t!)
It’s really important to know which activities contribute to your training hours. Your training plan, which you’ll agree on with your employer and us at MITSkills, will set this out clearly.
✅ What’s Included?
Off-the-job training is varied and can be delivered in many ways! Eligible activities include:
- Teaching of theory: This could be lectures, role-playing, online courses, or simulation exercises.
- Practical training: Shadowing a colleague, getting mentored, going on industry visits, or even participating in competitions like WorldSkills.
- Learning support: Getting extra one-to-one time with your tutor to help you stay on track.
- Writing assignments: Time spent writing assignments or reports that help you apply theoretical knowledge to your job role.
- Revision: Time spent revising for an exam or assessment that is part of your apprenticeship.
❌ What’s Excluded?
Some activities, while important, don’t count towards your minimum OTJT hours because they don’t involve learning new occupational skills. These are:
- English and maths training: If you need to complete Functional Skills in English or maths, the time for this is in addition to your OTJT.
- Initial assessment and onboarding: Time spent at the start of your programme to assess your existing skills and complete paperwork.
- Progress reviews: Regular meetings with your tutor and employer to discuss your progress.
- Exams and other testing: The assessment itself doesn’t count, though the revision beforehand can.
- Training not relevant to your apprenticeship: For example, a company-specific software training that isn’t part of your apprenticeship standard.
How, When, and Where Will My Training Happen?
One of the best things about modern apprenticeships is their flexibility. Your training will be tailored to suit you and your employer.
When?
Your training doesn’t have to be the same day every week. It can be delivered in various ways:
- Day Release: The traditional model of one day per week with your training provider.
- Block Release: Concentrated training, for example, one full week every month.
- Front-Loaded: A large amount of training at the beginning of your apprenticeship to get you up to speed quickly.
- Mixed Model: A flexible plan that might involve more training during quiet periods at work and less during busy times.
Where?
“Off-the-job” does not have to mean “off-site”. Training can happen in a variety of places:
- At your workplace: In a training room, a separate area, or even at your workstation, as long as you are focused on learning new skills and not your usual work tasks.
- At a provider location: Such as one of our dedicated MITSkills training centres.
- Online: Through distance learning, virtual classrooms, and e-learning platforms.
Who Delivers It?
While MITSkills is ultimately responsible for your training programme, some elements might be delivered by your employer, especially if they have specialist industry knowledge or equipment. This will all be agreed upon in your Training Plan.
Your Training, Your Rights
As an apprentice, you are entitled to this training. It’s locked in through two key documents:
- The Apprenticeship Agreement: This is your contract with your employer. It confirms their commitment to release you for the agreed-upon OTJT hours.
- The Training Plan: This is a three-way agreement signed by you, your employer, and MITSkills. It’s a detailed plan of all the training you will receive and is a “living document” that can be updated as you progress.
At MITSkills, we work closely with you and your employer to create a training plan that not only meets the rules but is also engaging, effective, and right for you.
If you ever have any questions or feel you aren’t getting the training time you’re entitled to, please speak to your tutor. We are here to support you every step of the way.