In this new thought leadership series, Apprenticeship Insights partners with Accelerate People to bring you expert commentary from Samantha Sawyer (CEO) and Zac Aldridge (Executive Director). Each edition provides timely analysis on policy developments, regulatory changes, and strategic shifts affecting apprenticeship delivery — written by two of the most experienced voices in the sector.
👉 Don’t miss the main edition — click here for the full update.
—By Zac Aldridge, Executive Director at Accelerate People
“For too long, digital innovation in assessment has been treated as optional — a ‘nice to have’ rather than a driver of real change. But with increasing demand for speed, fairness, and rigour in apprenticeship delivery, that mindset is no longer fit for purpose”.
At Accelerate People, we assess digital apprentices — which means our work sits at the intersection of compliance and innovation. We’re proud to be one of a small number of organisations participating in Ofqual’s Innovation Pilot, exploring how technologies like AI and machine learning can responsibly support and enhance assessment practices.
This work has made one thing clear: used properly, technology doesn’t just make assessment faster. It makes it better.
🚀 From Process Bottlenecks to Real-Time Assessment
We know that assessment logistics can be a major point of friction — for providers, for apprentices, and for assessors. That’s why we built AP Comply, a platform that automates assessor scheduling in real time. By scanning availability across teams, we’re now booking assessments in seconds, not days — without compromising quality or flexibility.
Expect more timely feedback, greater transparency, and improved satisfaction across all parties. This kind of automation isn’t a shortcut — it’s a strategic enabler.
🔍 Amplifying Human Judgement with AI
One of the most promising developments is our work on AP Assess, an AI-powered platform that supports assessors by surfacing relevant evidence from apprentice submissions. This doesn’t replace human decision-making — it enhances it.
Assessors still make final judgements. But AI helps them navigate large volumes of data more effectively, improving both the speed and the synoptic depth of assessment. In many cases, we now issue grades within 24 hours, subject to moderation. That’s a step-change — not just operationally, but pedagogically.
🧭 What This Means for the Sector
As we work with Ofqual to understand how innovation can align with regulatory integrity, several themes are emerging for the wider sector:
AI can strengthen—not dilute—professional judgement
When designed well, technology supports assessors to focus on what matters: interpreting evidence in context.
Automation is about capacity, not shortcuts
Streamlining process overhead allows more time for meaningful interaction and reflective assessment.
Speed must never come at the cost of quality
Our innovations are built to meet – and exceed – current SLA expectations, while preserving rigour and fairness.
🧠 Looking Ahead: A Smarter, Safer Assessment Ecosystem
We’re only at the beginning of this journey. The future of assessment will be shaped by how effectively we balance innovation with trust, flexibility with consistency, and efficiency with depth.
This is why our team includes not just assessors, but machine learning engineers and AI specialists. We’re not adapting old systems for a digital age — we’re building new ones, from the ground up, with quality and equity at their core.
Soon, we launch AP Gateway, our first external platform designed to bring this vision to the wider ecosystem. But this isn’t just about new tools — it’s about a new mindset. Technology isn’t a bolt-on. It’s becoming the foundation.
🔗 Connect with Zac on LinkedIn to continue the conversation.
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👀Coming Next Week
We’ll be spotlighting the launch of AP Gateway — Accelerate People’s first external-facing platform. We will also feature a special piece from Samantha Sawyer (CEO), reflecting on her direct involvement in shaping the platform. Samantha will share what this milestone means for the sector and how it supports a more modern, learner-first approach to assessment.
Stay tuned — it’s a significant step forward for digital innovation in apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship Insights: is a ClickZ Media publication in the Education division