This guide provides the standardised procedure for Apprentices to record Off-the-Job (OTJ) Training hours within The Platform. Some hours are now logged automatically (see "Hours That Log Automatically" below). The Apprentice can also log, check, edit and delete hours by chatting with Atlas (see "Log, Edit or Delete OTJ Hours with Atlas" below). Maintaining an accurate, real-time log is a mandatory requirement to ensure compliance with Department for Education (DfE) standards and to maintain Apprentice eligibility for Gateway.

Prerequisites for Logging OTJ

Before attempting to log hours, the Apprentice must verify the following:

Platform Access: The Apprentice must log into The Platform at
home.multiverse.io.
Active Status: The 'Off the Job' tab in the left-hand navigation menu becomes active only after the official Flying Start date.
Timing: OTJ Training entries cannot be recorded for any dates occurring prior to the Flying Start milestone.

Step-by-Step Logging Instructions

1. Access the OTJ Tracker

The Apprentice should navigate to the 'Off the Job' tab. This dashboard displays current progress toward the OTJ Training target and houses the logging interface.

2. Define the Activity Scope

The Apprentice must determine if the learning activity occurred on a single day or across multiple dates.

Single Day Entry: Enter the specific date of the activity.
Multiple Days Entry: Toggle the 'Multiple Days' switch. The Apprentice may then select any combination of dates from the calendar. These dates do not need to be consecutive.

3. Enter Activity Details

For every OTJ Training submission, the Apprentice must provide the following data points:

Activity Description: A clear summary of the learning achieved and its relationship to the apprenticeship KSBs (Knowledge, Skills, and Behaviours).
Category Selection: The most accurate OTJ Category (for example, Training at your work, Portfolio work or Module learning or revision) selected from the dropdown menu. The full list is in "OTJ Categories" below.
Duration:
- For Single Day entries: Record the exact hours and minutes spent.
- For Multiple Days entries: the Apprentice can either apply the same duration to all selected dates or input different durations for each specific date.

4. Final Submission and Validation

Upon clicking 'Submit', The Platform generates an individual entry for every date selected. The Apprentice should submit log entries immediately following the completion of an activity to ensure the Coach and the Employer have visibility into real-time progress.

Log, Edit or Delete OTJ Hours with Atlas

The Apprentice can log, check, edit and delete OTJ Training hours by chatting with Atlas on The Platform. Atlas is an additional route. The 'Off the Job' tab still works in the same way. Every Apprentice can use Atlas to log OTJ hours. The Apprentice Manager and candidates cannot log OTJ hours through Atlas.

How to Log an Entry with Atlas

Follow these steps to log a new OTJ Training entry with Atlas.

Open Atlas on The Platform and ask Atlas to log OTJ hours.
Answer the questions from Atlas about the activity, the OTJ category, the time spent and the date.
Check the draft entry that Atlas shows in the chat. If Atlas finds a similar existing entry, confirm whether the new entry is the same one or a separate one.
Confirm the draft. Atlas asks the Apprentice to confirm that the learning took place during working hours, then saves the entry as a final log.

A draft entry does not count towards OTJ hours. Only a confirmed log counts. The status on each entry card in the chat shows whether the entry is a draft or confirmed. The Apprentice can come back to a draft and confirm it later.

Atlas dates each entry using the timezone of the Apprentice. The Apprentice can log several entries in one conversation. Atlas does not support bulk upload. To log the same activity across several dates at once, use the 'Multiple Days' option on the 'Off the Job' tab.

How to Edit or Delete an Entry with Atlas

Ask Atlas to find the entry, for example "the entry from Tuesday".
Ask Atlas to make the change, or to delete the entry.
Confirm the deletion when Atlas asks. Cancel at this step to keep the entry.

Atlas can edit or delete any entry the Apprentice can see on the 'Off the Job' tab. This includes entries logged on the tab and hours that logged automatically.

OTJ Categories

The 'Off the Job' tab and Atlas both use the following OTJ Categories.

Workshop, bootcamp, or delivery or learning session.
Training at your work.
Apprenticeship-related learning.
Applying apprenticeship learning to work.
Cohort collaboration.
Portfolio work.
Apprenticeship assignment or project.
Module learning or revision.
Exam revision or assessment work.
Communicating with my coach.
Multiverse Community.

Shadowing a colleague is not a separate category. Use Apprenticeship-related learning for this activity. Atlas suggests this category if the Apprentice asks for shadowing.

Date Rules and Breaks in Learning

Atlas applies the same date rules as the 'Off the Job' tab. An entry dated before the Flying Start date or after the Gateway date shows as non-compliant. During a Break in Learning (BIL), Atlas cannot create, edit or delete entries. Atlas explains this if the Apprentice asks.

Hours That Log Automatically

The Platform now records some OTJ Training hours automatically. The Apprentice does not need to create a manual entry for these activities.

Workshops and delivery sessions

When the Apprentice completes a live session, The Platform logs the scheduled session duration automatically. A confirmation appears on leaving the session. If the Apprentice attends for less than the full duration, they must edit the entry to show the actual time spent.

Learning units

When the Apprentice submits a unit, The Platform prompts them to confirm the hours and minutes spent. The entry saves once the Apprentice confirms the time. A confirmation message appears when the log has saved. Automatic entries appear in the OTJ log immediately as Confirmed.

Sessions appear as "Delivery session on [date]" under the category "Workshop, bootcamp, or delivery or learning session". Units appear as "Unit: [unit name]" under "Apprenticeship-related learning". All other learning activity, for example self-study or portfolio work, still requires a manual entry using the steps above.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Question	Answer
Question: When should the Apprentice log OTJ hours?	Answer: The Apprentice should log hours as soon as an activity is completed. Immediate logging prevents retrospective errors and ensures the progress dashboard remains accurate for the Coach.
Question: Can the Apprentice log OTJ hours by chatting with Atlas?	Answer: Yes. The Apprentice can log, check, edit and delete OTJ hours by chatting with Atlas on The Platform. The 'Off the Job' tab still works in the same way, so the Apprentice can use either route.
Question: Does a draft entry in Atlas count towards OTJ hours?	Answer: No. Only a confirmed log counts towards OTJ hours. The Apprentice can come back to a draft in Atlas and confirm it later.
Question: Can the Apprentice Manager log OTJ hours for the Apprentice through Atlas?	Answer: No. Only the Apprentice can log OTJ hours, either on the 'Off the Job' tab or through Atlas.
Question: Why is the 'Off the Job' tab missing from the navigation menu?	Answer: The tab remains hidden until The Apprentice reaches their Flying Start date. If the tab is still missing after this date, the Apprentice should contact the Coach for assistance.
Question: Is there a minimum detail required for the Activity Description?	Answer: Yes. The Apprentice must provide a clear summary of the specific knowledge or skill gained. This level of detail is required to satisfy Department for Education (DfE) audit standards.
Question: Can the Apprentice log hours for a workshop that took place on a Monday and a Thursday in one submission?	Answer: Yes. By using the 'Multiple Days' toggle, the Apprentice can select non-consecutive dates (Monday and Thursday) and submit them simultaneously.
Question: If the Apprentice spent three hours on Self-Study on Tuesday and one hour on Wednesday, does this require two separate submissions?	Answer: No. If the activity description is the same, the Apprentice can select both dates and input different time durations (3 hours and 1 hour respectively) within a single submission.
Question: How can the Apprentice correct a mistake made during a multiple-day submission?	Answer: Because The Platform creates individual entries for each date, the Apprentice can navigate to a specific date in the log to modify or delete that individual entry without affecting the other dates in the batch. The Apprentice can also ask Atlas to find, edit or delete the entry.
Question: Why was an onboarding unit not logged automatically?	Answer: Units completed before the Flying Start date do not prompt for OTJ time. This is expected behaviour. Units completed on or after the Flying Start date prompt as normal.
Question: Does the Apprentice need to edit an automatic session entry?	Answer: Only if the Apprentice attended for less than the scheduled duration. The Apprentice should edit the entry in the OTJ log to show the actual time spent.
Question: Why are dates greyed out in the OTJ log, or why does an entry show “no start date”?	Answer: The Apprentice can only log OTJ hours for learning that happens on or after the programme start date. Dates before that date are greyed out. Any entry dated before it shows as non-compliant or “no start date”. If the start date looks wrong, the Apprentice should contact Support through the chat on the Support Hub.
Question: I'm getting a "before start date" or "after end date" error and can't log my hours — what should I do?	Answer: This usually means the Flying Start or Gateway date recorded on your account doesn't match your actual apprenticeship dates. Contact Support with: (1) the specific date(s) you're trying to log, (2) your actual/expected Flying Start date, and (3) a screenshot of the error — this lets us check and correct your account setup without extra back-and-forth.

How to Log Off-the-Job (OTJ) Training Hours