L7 - Digital and Technology Solutions Specialist

2. Professional Discussion

The Professional Discussion will focus on assessing how the core knowledge, skills and behaviours outcomes have been achieved and will not relate to the Project Report.

A standard framework of Professional Discussion questions will be defined by the end-point assessment organisation and must cover the outcomes specified.

There should be a minimum of four questions covering the main themes of the core skills, knowledge and behaviours (business and change management, professional competencies, leadership and technology management).

The independent assessor will use the questions to verify that outcomes have been met and will explore any gaps or areas of uncertainty following their reading of the portfolio.

The Professional Discussion should give the apprentice the best possible opportunity to get the best possible result. The purpose of the Professional Discussion is to gather sufficient evidence, primarily by discussing the work submitted in the portfolio, against all the identified knowledge, skills and behaviours for the independent assessor to determine whether the minimum standards have been achieved or not and whether they have been significantly exceeded to inform the decision about the grade to be awarded. The independent assessor will grade this method in accordance with the descriptors.

The apprentice uses their portfolio to answer questions in the professional discussion and may also reference other work they have undertaken in the workplace. The Professional Discussion will not reference the Project Report, as this evidence has already been assessed. Both the independent assessor and the apprentice will have access to the portfolio before and during the Professional Discussion and the apprentice can also bring any additional documentation they may want to use.