EPA Standard
Public Sector Compliance Investigator and Officer (PSCIO)
Level 3 
£4,000 18 months
1. What the role entails
The role of the Public Sector Compliance Investigator and Officer (PSCIO) is to understand, investigate and negotiate with individuals and organisations who, by accident or with intent, may not be complying with or are deliberately evading regulation or law. The broad purpose of the occupation is to protect the UK’s public interest, money and services; drive improved customer compliance that supports the honest majority who meet their obligations and make it hard for the dishonest minority; identifying potential acts of criminality and supporting civil or criminal proceedings.
2. On-programme assessment
Before entering Gateway, the apprentice must complete the following on-programme assessment requirements:
- A completed Portfolio of Evidence to underpin the Professional Discussion
- Level 2 English and maths.
3. Gateway requirements
The employer, independent training provider (ITP) and apprentice make the decision to take the apprentice through Gateway. The apprentice must complete all the on-programme elements before they enter Gateway.
4. End-point assessment
The EPA for Public Sector Compliance Investigator and Officer (PSCIO) contains three methods of assessment:
Professional Discussion underpinned by a Portfolio
Lasting for 90 minutes (+10% at the discretion of the Independent End-Point Assessor), the Professional Discussion will be appropriately structured to draw out the best of the apprentice’s competence and excellence. It will focus on the Portfolio the apprentice completes during the on-programme phase of the apprenticeship, and the Independent End-Point Assessor (IEPA) will seek to gain assurance of the apprentice’s competency by questioning.
The apprentice should submit the Portfolio to us within 2 weeks of Gateway.
Grading: the Professional Discussion underpinned by a Portfolio is graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction.
Case Study Test
Case Studies assess the apprentice’s competence from a different perspective, setting the apprentice fictitious scenarios and seeking their response. Each Case Study will be sufficiently complex as is appropriate for Level 3 and represent the case progression of likely situations the apprentice will encounter in their work. The open-book test will consist of 5 scenario-based questions based on one Case Study, with 180 minutes given to complete the test.
Grading: the Case Study is graded Fail, Pass or Distinction.
5. Grade aggregation table
|
Professional Discussion |
Case Study |
Overall grade |
| Fail | Fail | Fail |
| Pass | Fail | Fail |
| Fail | Pass | Fail |
| Fail | Distinction | Fail |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Pass | Distinction | Pass |
| Distinction | Pass | Pass |
| Distinction | Distinction | Distinction |
A Fail in any method will result in an overall Fail.
6. Completion and certification
We’ll activate certification once the apprentice has successfully completed all EPAs, and the IEPA has verified this. Working with the apprenticeship certificate issuing authority, we’ll ensure the apprentice receives their certificate.
7. What next?
Once the PSCIO apprenticeship is completed, typical job titles include Compliance Officer, Regulatory Officer, Casework Investigator, Compliance Investigator, Compliance Manager and Assistant Inspector.
Why NCFE?
We’re an approved End-Point Assessment Organisation (EPAO) specialising in EPA delivery across health, education, early years, digital, social care, finance and business apprenticeship standards. We offer flexible and reliable EPA solutions supported by sector expertise, guidance documents and proactive service and support.