Your team member has started a Multiverse apprenticeship, and part of their journey includes something called Off-the-Job (OTJ) training. Here's what you need to know to support their success - and maximise the return on your organisation's investment and your team’s time commitment.

Off-the-Job (OTJ) training is protected time for your apprentice to learn and develop the skills, knowledge, and behaviours they need to excel in their role. It's a requirement from the Department for Education, and it happens during their normal working hours - not in addition to them.

Your apprentice will spend around 6 to 8 hours per week on OTJ activities. This is time dedicated to their professional growth, and it directly benefits your team and organisation.

Supporting OTJ isn't just a compliance requirement - it's an investment that pays off. Your apprentice is building critical AI, data, and tech skills that they'll apply directly to their work. Apprentices who complete their OTJ on track are more confident, productive, and engaged. When your apprentice succeeds, your team wins.

Ensure your apprentice has the space to complete 6–8 hours of OTJ each week during working hours. Some weeks will be busier than others - that's normal. What matters is that they reach 100% of their required hours by Gateway (the final stage before their end-point assessment, where they demonstrate everything they've learned).

Not all OTJ happens in a workshop. Your apprentice's learning time splits between structured learning and applying that learning in practice.

Activities that count include:

Application of learning

If they are learning or practicing something new that is relevant to their apprenticeship during working hours, it likely qualifies as OTJ training.

You can read more in the Apprentice support article:
​Understanding Off-The-Job (OTJ) Training for Your Apprenticeship.

A simple "How's your apprenticeship going?" goes a long way. Ask about what they're learning and how they're applying it. Consider setting up a bi-weekly stand-up to spend 15-30 minutes seeing how it’s going and discussing any ways you can support them. And importantly: celebrate small wins - even saving the team 30 minutes is impactful, and can have a large cumulative effect.

Your apprentice is responsible for logging their OTJ hours on the Multiverse platform, but your support makes it easier. Encourage them to log as they go rather than waiting until the end of the week or month. If they're falling behind, help them identify opportunities to catch up. The sooner they address it, the easier it is to get back on track.

These activities don't count as OTJ hours:

Falling behind on OTJ hours creates real challenges. It's difficult to catch up retrospectively, and they cannot proceed to Gateway if they're behind on hours, which delays completion. If your apprentice is struggling, encourage them to speak to their Multiverse coach or reach out to Atlas in the Multiverse Platform for support.

Your apprentice's success is a shared responsibility. By protecting their learning time, helping them spot opportunities, and checking in regularly, you're not only supporting their development - you're strengthening your team and contributing to your organisation's goals.