L7 - Senior Professional Economist

1.1. Detailed requirements

The work-based project should be designed to ensure that the apprentice’s work meets the needs of the business; is relevant to their role; and allows the relevant KSBs to be demonstrated for the EPA. The project’s subject, title and scope will be agreed between the employer and the EPAO.

The employer will ensure it has a real application to their workplace and the EPAO will ensure it meets the requirements of the EPA (including suitable coverage of the KSBs assigned to this assessment method).

Apprentices will present the outcome of their project in the form of a report, with any supporting materials including, for example, appendices, excel workbooks, model runs, system maps, references and diagrams.

The project must entirely be the apprentice’s own work; however, the apprentice should have access to a work-based mentor and academic supervisor, appointed by the employer and Queen Mary respectively.

The work-based project should be in the form of an electronic written report. The work-based project may be based on any of the following:

• a specific problem
• a recurring issue
• an idea/opportunity
• specific piece of analysis relevant to the workplace

As a minimum all work-based projects must include:

• Non-Technical Executive Summary
• Introduction
• Aims, objectives and project scope
• Literature review or state of the prior art
• Research methodology
• Research and findings
• Project outcomes
• Recommendations and conclusions

The work-based project will have a word limit of 8,000 with a tolerance of plus or minus 10% (at the apprentice’s discretion). Appendices, references, diagrams etc. will not be included in this word count. The non-technical executive summary is included in the word count. The work-based project must map, in an appendix, how it evidences the relevant KSBs for this assessment method.

The project will reference things such as:

• The approach to planning and completion of the work-based project, including what will be delivered on completion of the work-based project.
• The application of the knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the outcomes in the occupational standard.
• Evidence of learning and of clear outcomes for the apprentice and their organisation
• The scope and context, supportive background research, results and analysis, conclusions and recommendations.

The apprentice will be required to document their assumptions and to highlight the consequences of those assumptions, enabling them to demonstrate their understanding of economic theories, and the application of their thinking and problem-solving skills

The project must entirely be the apprentice’s own work (though the apprentice will have access to a work-based mentor and academic supervisor. The project must include a plagiarism statement where the apprentice confirms that this report is their own work, is not copied from any other person’s work (published or unpublished) and has not previously been submitted for assessment anywhere. They must confirm that they have read and understood the EPAO’s regulations on plagiarism.