EPA Standard
Data Analyst
Now available for registration!
Benefit from:
- complete EPA within 8 weeks of Gateway acceptance
- results and feedback on each assessment method within 5 working days
- an allocated Relationship manager on hand to support you at all stages of EPA.
Assessments for apprentice success: Project titles are provided at the start of the Gateway window – for both employer and apprentice to decide the most relevant project that will allow the apprentice to demonstrate occupational competency.
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Level 4 
£15,000 24 months
1. What the role entails
A Data Analyst can be with any employer, in any sector, that uses data to make business decisions. The broad purpose of the occupation is to ascertain how data can be used in order to answer questions and solve problems. Data analysis is a process of requirement-gathering, inspecting, cleansing, transforming and modelling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions and supporting decision making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names. In today’s world, data analysis plays a crucial role in making decisions more evidence based, and helping organisations to operate more effectively. Data analysis is a fast-moving and changing environment and Data Analysts need to continue to stay abreast of, and engaged with, changes and trends in the wider industry, including data languages, tools and software, and lessons learnt elsewhere.
2. On-programme assessment
Apprentices must spend a minimum of 12 months on-programme. Before entering Gateway, the apprentice must complete the following on-programme assessment requirements:
- Level 2 Functional Skills English and maths or equivalent qualifications
- a completed Portfolio of Evidence to underpin the Professional Discussion.
3. Gateway requirements
The end-point assessment (EPA) period should only start once the employer is satisfied that the apprentice is consistently working at or above the level set out in the occupational standard and they are deemed to have achieved occupational competence. In making this decision, the employer may take advice from the apprentice’s independent training provider (ITP), but the decision must ultimately be made solely by the employer.
4. End-point assessment
The end-point assessment (EPA) for Data Analyst contains two methods of assessment:
Project with Presentation and Questioning
The Work-based Project is designed to give the Data Analyst the opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) mapped to the assessment method within their day-to-day work and may cover the following project ideas to enable them to demonstrate competence:
- patterns / trends and predictions
- presenting statistical analysis results to inform decisions
- optimising data models using statistical measures.
The Project is compiled after the apprentice has gone through Gateway. The Project itself will typically take 6 weeks and the report write up a further 2 weeks. Apprentices will then prepare and deliver a Presentation to the Independent End Point Assessor (IEPA) based upon the Project, that appropriately covers the KSBs assigned to this method of assessment.
The Project will be submitted in the form of a 3500 word report (+/- 10%). The Presentation will last for 20 minutes (+10% at the discretion of the IEPA) and the apprentice will then take part in a Question and Answer session lasting 20 minutes (+10% at the discretion of the IEPA.)
Grading: the Project with Presentation and Questioning is graded Fail, Pass or Distinction.
Professional Discussion underpinned by a Portfolio of Evidence
The apprentice will compile a Portfolio of Evidence to be submitted at Gateway, mapped to the KSBs associated with this assessment method. The apprentice will then complete a Professional Discussion with the IEPA to demonstrate the KSBs. The IEPA will ask a minimum of 10 open questions. The Professional Discussion will last for 60 minutes (+10% at the discretion of the IEPA to allow the apprentice to complete their last point).
Grading: the Professional Discussion will be graded as Fail, Pass or Distinction by the IEPA.
5. Grade aggregation table
| Project with Presentation and Questioning | Professional Discussion with a Portfolio of Evidence | Overall Grade |
| Pass | Pass | Pass |
| Pass | Distinction | Merit |
| Distinction | Pass | Merit |
| Distinction | Distinction | Distinction |
A Fail in any assessment method will result in a Fail overall.
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?
Following the completion of the Data Analyst apprenticeship, apprentices may wish to progress onto more specialised data qualifications, including undergraduate degree courses or higher-level apprenticeships.
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.