PAL announces funeral care end-point assessment

Professional Assessment Ltd (PAL), a provider of services for training organisations and employers delivering apprenticeships and adult learning, has expanded its offer of end-point assessments to now include apprentices in the funeral services sector. 

The launch comes as previously there had only been one end-point assessment organisation (EPAO) in the funeral care apprenticeship space. 

According to PAL, this left the sector “vulnerable to disruptions and apprentices at risk of not having their full needs met”.

The specialist offer has been created by working closely with experts including subject matter specialists, The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).  

Many of the assessment plans also include a range of options tailored to the apprentice, including choices for live assessments or simulated elements. These simulated scenarios closely match challenging environments and experiences apprentices will have to face on a day to day basis.

Paul Kelly, qualifications director at PAL, said: “A broad range of skills are required to work in funeral care, so we’ve ensured that our assessments reflect that. Not only do apprentices have to be aware of the full range of services their organisation provides to deliver a good service, they must have interpersonal skills that will be tested when supporting people when they are at their lowest.

“Our decision to offer funeral service assessments is based on our goal to more widely support apprentices, training providers and employers. Through working in this sector, we will look at how we can raise the profile of the specific standards, guaranteeing quality support across the whole industry outside of the assessments we deliver.”