A Break in Learning (BIL) is an agreed pause in your apprenticeship. This article explains what happens to your account, your progress, and your Off-the-Job (OTJ) hours while you are on a break and when you return. Read it if you are about to take a break, are on one now, or have recently come back.
What a Break in Learning Is
A Break in Learning (BIL) is a formal, approved pause in your apprenticeship. You agree it with your Coach and your employer. While you are on a break, you step away from learning and your apprenticeship timeline stops. Your place on the programme is held for you.
What Happens During Your Break
While your break is active, your programme status changes to "On BIL". During this time three things apply:
You do not attend delivery sessions.
You are not set assignments.
You do not log Off-the-Job (OTJ) hours.
Your completed work stays on your record. A break does not delete your history or your progress.
What Happens to Your Off-the-Job (OTJ) Hours
Your Off-the-Job (OTJ) target pauses for the length of your break. The target stops increasing on the day your break starts. It does not build a backlog of hours while you are away.
When you return, your target resumes from where it paused. Multiverse revises the dates on your training plan to reflect the break. The total number of OTJ hours you need stays the same as if you had not taken a break.
What Happens to Your Completed Modules and Projects
Your completed modules and projects stay visible in your learning history. A break does not remove work you have already finished.
If you return into a new version of your programme or a new Cohort, some completed items may need to be re-mapped to your current pathway. Your Coach confirms what already counts and what, if anything, you need to revisit. Speak to your Coach before you redo any work.
What Happens When You Return
Your Coach and a Multiverse Operations Specialist begin your return roughly two weeks before your agreed return date. When you come back:
You may be assigned a new Cohort, a new Coach, or both, so that you continue from the right point.
Your training plan dates are revised to reflect the break.
You pick up your learning from where you paused.
If you are on a degree programme and missed content during your break, you may be able to defer an assessment. Ask your Coach about an Extenuating Circumstances (EC) form.
If Something Looks Wrong After Your Break
Sometimes figures or progress display incorrectly after a return. For example, your OTJ hours or completed modules may not look right at first. If this happens:
Take a screenshot of what you see, including the date.
Contact your Coach or Multiverse support through the Help centre.
Describe what looks wrong and what you expected to see.
Support checks your record against the correct figures and arranges a fix where needed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Questions | Answers |
Question: Do I lose my progress when I take a Break in Learning? | Answer: No. Your completed work stays on your record. Your progress is held while you are away and resumes when you return. |
Question: Do my Off-the-Job (OTJ) hours keep counting down during my break? | Answer: No. Your OTJ target pauses on the day your break starts. It does not add a backlog of hours while you are away. |
Question: Will I have the same Coach when I come back? | Answer: Not always. You may be assigned a new Coach or a new Cohort so that you continue from the right point in the programme. |
Question: My hours or modules look wrong since I returned. What should I do? | Answer: Take a screenshot, then contact your Coach or Multiverse support through the Help centre. Describe what looks wrong and what you expected to see. |
Question: I am on a degree programme and missed an assessment. Can I get more time? | Answer: Possibly. Ask your Coach about an Extenuating Circumstances (EC) form, which can defer an assessment deadline. |