The 6 Hours Off-the-Job Rule — What Counts, How to Evidence It

Worried about finding 6 hours a week for your apprenticeship? Good news: it’s an average across your entire programme up to EPA (End-Point Assessment). Some months—especially early training and the run-up to EPA—will be heavier. Others (when you’re deep in your project and eLearning) are lighter. The key is to do some learning every month and log it properly.

Below is a plain-English guide to what “off-the-job” actually means, what counts, what doesn’t, and how our monthly portal makes tracking effortless.

What is “off-the-job” learning?

Off-the-job (OTJ) learning is guided development you complete during paid working hours that directly builds the Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs) of your apprenticeship. It is not overtime or homework. Think of it as your ring-fenced time to learn, practise and evidence capability you don’t normally use day-to-day.

The 6-hours rule in practice

• It’s an average: ~6 hours per week across the whole apprenticeship up to EPA.
• You must do something every month: hours can flex, but zero months are not OK.
• Front-loaded reality: Expect more hours in the early training phase and toward EPA preparation; fewer in the middle while you focus on project delivery and eLearning.

What counts as off-the-job (examples)

If it develops new KSBs for your standard, it likely counts. Typical, eligible activities include:

• Inductions to new tools/processes tied to your apprenticeship
• Working on your improvement projects (major and minor) when you are learning or applying new methods
• Virtual or face-to-face training (e.g., Green Belt modules)
• Group work (workshops, problem-solving sessions)
• Learning via articles, webinars, videos, or recommended texts
• Research for your project or to write up a paper/case study
• Online learning / eLearning modules and knowledge checks
• Seminars / workshops run internally or by providers
• Coaching by your apprenticeship provider (e.g., monthly MBB coaching)
• Mentoring or shadowing a specialist in a role you aim to perform
• Teach-backs / presentations of your project or tools to colleagues
• Reflective practice: learning logs, personal development reflections, action plans

Tip: When in doubt, ask, “Does this activity build KSBs I don’t already use in my normal role?” If yes—and it’s during paid hours—it usually counts.

What doesn’t count

• Routine duties that are part of your normal job description
• Mandatory training unrelated to your KSBs (e.g., generic annual compliance not linked to the standard)
• Unpaid learning outside working hours (unless your employer formally reassigns paid time)

How to evidence your hours (the easy way)

We provide a simple monthly portal where you record OTJ time by category (e.g., Training, Coaching, Project Work, eLearning, Research, Reflection). You’ll see:

• A running total against your minimum requirement
• Clear category breakdowns you can export for reviews
• Space to add brief notes (what you learned/produced)

This gives you proof of learning for your apprenticeship file, evidence for performance reviews, and a tidy audit trail for EPA.

How to make OTJ hours effortless

• Book it like a meeting: Create a recurring 30–60 minute “Learning Blocks” in your diary.
• Log little-and-often: Add hours after each activity—don’t wait for month-end.
• Bundle activities: Turn project tasks into learning by using new tools (e.g., MSA, capability, root-cause analysis) and logging them.
• Use the portfolio mindset: Attach artifacts (charter, data plan, control plan) to your portal notes.
• Leverage teach-backs: Present a tool or your findings to your team; it’s great learning and strong evidence.

Quick FAQs

Do I have to hit exactly 6 hours every week?
No. It’s an average across the full programme up to EPA. But you must do some learning every month.

Can project work count?
Yes—when you’re learning/applying new KSBs (not routine BAU execution).

Does coaching count?
Yes—provider coaching (e.g., your MBB sessions) is OTJ learning.

Do reflections count?
Yes—short learning logs and action plans are valid, valuable evidence.

Final word

The 6-hours rule is designed to be achievable. With the monthly portal tracking your categories and totals, you’ll know exactly where you stand—and you’ll build a rich portfolio of evidence that proves your growth, satisfies apprenticeship requirements, and supports your performance reviews and career progress.

Do a little every month, log it as you go, and let the portal do the maths.