PARS Frequently Asked Questions
About PARS
What is PARS?
PARS is a brand new, first of its kind, professional recognition scheme for qualified apprentices. It has been created by the Association of Apprentices (AoA) and the Chartered Institution for Further Education (CIFE).
PARS recognises the unique educational route that is an apprenticeship and rewards those who complete their programme for the skills they have gained and their commitment to continuous development and professional standards. Recipients will receive a certificate and the right to use a post-nominal designation (letters after their name).
Is PARS an accreditation?
No. PARS is not an accreditation with membership of a professional body, a qualification in its own right or an assessment of competence. It is a one-off recognition of an apprentice’s achievement at a specific point in time and is complementary to academic, industry-specific or occupational professional recognition.
Who is eligible?
Applicants must:
- Have completed an apprenticeship in the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales) on or after 1 January 2019
- Be in possession of their full apprenticeship completion certificate from the relevant certifying authority for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales
- Have the support from their employer or industry-linked sponsor
What awards are available?
Apprenticeship Level Award Name Post-nominal designation
Level 2 (Eng/NI/Wales)
Level 5 (Scot) Certificate of Standard Apprenticeship CSA
Level 3 (Eng/NI/Wales)
Level 6 (Scot) Certificate of Advanced Apprenticeship CAA
Levels 4 & 5 (Eng/NI/Wales)
Level 7 & 8 (Scot) Certificate of Higher Apprenticeship CHA
Level 6-7 (Eng/NI/Wales)
Level 9-11 (Scot) Certificate of Graduate Apprenticeship CGA
How much does it cost?
Fees have been set based on the size and scope of application at each level. AoA and CIFE are not-for-profit organisations and committed to keeping costs to a minimum. Fees will be reviewed every six months to ensure they remain as low as possible.
What do I receive?
Successful applicants will receive a digital certificate by email and a hardcopy certificate in the post. You will then have the right to use the relevant post-nominal designation for the level of award achieved.
What are the benefits to apprentices?
- Gain Recognition for the skills you have gained during your apprenticeship and validate your achievements: your award and post-nominals serve as a valuable signpost for both you and those you work with.
- Get Professional Validation: your PARS post-nominals demonstrate your commitment to professional standards, showcase your transferable skills and credentials and strengthen your reputation, increasing your professional identity and enhancing your credibility with stakeholders.
- Boost Your Career Advancement: having PARS post-nominals distinguishes you in your field and more widely. It demonstrates your commitment to continuous development, enhancing your employability and making you stand out to your employer or potential employers, opening doors for career progression.
- Access Networking Opportunities: PARS gives you lifetime membership of the Association of Apprentices, connecting you to a community of like-minded professionals who have completed their apprenticeships. You can attend networking events and access online platforms to share experiences, continue your learning and build valuable contacts.
- Contribute to Apprenticeships: PARS provides a tangible example of how apprenticeships benefit individuals and employers. Your accomplishments can help new and existing apprentices aspire to achieve their apprenticeship and helps employers to understand the assets apprentices are to their business.
How is PARS judged?
The application gives you an opportunity to tell us about the experiences, achievements and skills that have resulted from your apprenticeship. It is the critical part of your PARS application. Where there are free text questions it means that we want to hear and understand more from you in your own words.
Our judges are seeking answers which are honest, authentic and truly reflective of your impact and experiences as an apprentice, but there are no right or wrong answers. They consider applications very carefully. If an applicant provides all the information requested and answers the questions appropriately, then they will pass. If insufficient information has been provided, then the applicant will be contacted to request they update their application form.
What is the Association of Apprentices?
The Association of Apprentices (AoA) is a social enterprise dedicated to empowering the UK’s talented apprentice community. As the leading apprenticeship membership organisation, we go beyond traditional support systems, offering a unique blend of professional development and social connectivity.
Their innovative platforms provide apprentices with unparalleled access to:
- Networking opportunities that foster lifelong professional relationships
- Cutting-edge career development tools for continuous growth
- A sense of community that strengthens the apprentice voice across industries
What is CIFE?
The Chartered Institution for Further Education (CIFE) is the only Royal Chartered body for technical and professional further education. It was established by Royal Charter to highlight and promote the excellence of further education and skills training providers and celebrate individual contribution to the advancement of vocational, technical and professional education in England.
Membership is corporate and encompasses organisations across the whole Further Education sector and includes colleges, higher education institutions (HEIs) and independent training providers (ITPs). Members must have strong track records and a commitment to high standards in the delivery of skills needed in modern Britain, a firm ethos of collaboration for the benefit of their key stakeholders and excellence in leadership and governance.
The CIFE works alongside industry to influence and shape the national skills system in order to ensure that technical and professional education is understood as a critical driver of economic development and growth within local communities and the country at large. This work enables the CIFE increasingly to engage at the highest levels of government and to collaborate and share best practice.
The Application Process
How do I apply?
You can apply via the PARS online platform. The application form has been designed to be as straight forward as possible. Those who have completed a L2 or L3 (Eng/NI/Wales) or a L5 or L6 (Scot) apprenticeship will have fewer questions to answer than those at higher levels.
You will need to upload a digital copy of your apprenticeship certificate as part of the application process and will not be able to submit your application without it.
How long does it take to complete?
Although individual applicants vary in how long they spend on the application form, most take under an hour. The form is shorter for Level 2 and Level 3 applicants, so it will probably take up to 30 minutes to complete.
Can I save part of my form and come back to it later?
Yes, once you’ve registered your account on the first screen, your application form will auto-save, so you can exit the form and come back to it later.
Can I use AI to help complete the application form?
You can use AI tools to get you started or to help finesse the wording you are using. However, the PARS application form requires you to reflect on your apprenticeship and provide personal examples. PARS is not a test of how well you write or providing a perceived ‘correct answer’ to a question – it needs to come from you and your personal experience of your apprenticeship. If a judge suspects that answers to questions have been generated by AI, they may request the applicant to provide additional information or to re-write the queried response.
What certificate should I upload?
You will need to upload the official apprenticeship completion certificate sent to you by the relevant issuing authority for your UK nation.
England: Apprenticeships are certificated by the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE). Degree apprenticeships (at level 6 and upwards) certificates may be issued on behalf of IFATE by the degree awarding university, but it must clearly state that the apprenticeship has been completed. See an example image here.
Northern Ireland: Apprenticeships are certificated by ApprenticeshipsNI and also show the branding of the Department for the Economy. Degree apprenticeships (at level 6 and upwards) may receive a combined certificate issued by the degree awarding university, but it must clearly state that the apprenticeship has been completed. See an example image here.
Scotland: Apprenticeships are certificated by the Federation for Industry Sector Skills & Standards on behalf of Modern Apprenticeships Scotland. The certificate will also display the brands of Skills Development Scotland, the SAAB (Scottish Apprenticeships Advisory Board) and the SCQF in the footer. Degree apprenticeships (at level 9 and upwards) may receive a combined certificate issued by the degree awarding university, but it must clearly state that the apprenticeship has been completed. See an example image here.
Wales: Apprenticeships are certificated by the Federation for Industry Sector Skills & Standards on behalf of the Welsh Government and will display the Apprenticeships & Prentisiaethau branding. Degree apprenticeships (at level 6 and upwards) may receive a combined certificate issued by the degree awarding university, but it must clearly state that the apprenticeship has been completed. See an example image here.
I don’t have my completion certificate. What do I do?
Your official apprenticeship completion certificate from the relevant issuing authority is the official evidence that you have gained the apprenticeship, and it is required as part of the PARS application process.
If you only recently completed your apprenticeship then your certificate may be on its way to you. If you believe you should already have your completion certificate but haven’t received it, ask your training provider to help you.
Unfortunately, AoA and CIFE are unable to assist individuals in gaining their completion certificates.
What if I have completed more than one apprenticeship?
If you have completed more than one apprenticeship then you should apply for the award related to the highest level that you have achieved, so you would only have one set of letters after your name. If you gain one PARS award, and then a few years later gain another one at a higher level, then that post-nominal would replace the one at the lower level.
I live in England but my training provider is based in Scotland. Which award level am I applying for?
If you aren’t sure which nation your apprenticeship is from and therefore which award level you’re applying for, you will need to check your completion certificate. Once you know which issuing authority created your certificate you will know which award level you are applying for.
Who can act as my supporter? And what do they need to do?
We ask you to provide the name and contact details for someone we can contact in the rare event we need to carry out additional checks of information provided in your application. The supporter should be a professional or person in authority such as your manager, the apprenticeship lead at your workplace, your training provider or another industry-linked person.
You’ll need to provide their name, role and contact details, so you will need their permission to share this data with us. They won’t have to provide any information or statements for the application process itself.
How long will it take for application to be processed?
We aim to respond to all applicants within 6 weeks of submitting their application form.
Certification
How will I know if my application has been successful?
We aim to respond to all applicants within 6 weeks of submitting their application form. Once the review process has been completed you will receive an email from PARS advising of the outcome. At this point your details will be passed into our certification process and your certificate will be prepared.
When do I receive my certificate?
Once you application has been accepted and you have received the initial notification of the outcome, your details are passed to our certification team and your digital and printed certificates are prepared.
Within a few weeks, you will receive an email with a unique URL & pin which will give you access to view and download / save your digital certificate as a PDF.
Your physical printed certificate will be printed and dispatched to the address provided in your PARS application a few days later.
What happens if I forget or lose the URL or pin for access to my digital certificate?
If you lose the link to the certificate portal, you can go to our certificate portal homepage, https://awards.fecharter.org.uk/and click the “Recover Login” link.
You will be asked to enter your email address (the one you supplied with your PARS application) and request an access-recovery email.
Alternatively, you can also email us here and we’ll help you to re-set your login to the certification portal.