Seetec X Southend City Council
Seetec supported Southend City Council to embed off-the-job (OTJ) training into real organisational priorities as part of Abbey’s Project Management apprenticeship. This approach enabled Abbey to apply learning directly through live projects while meeting all apprenticeship requirements.
About Southend City Council
Southend City Council delivers a wide range of services to support local communities and residents. As part of its commitment to workforce development, the Council uses apprenticeships to build capability, support professional growth, and develop future talent.
Abbey is currently completing a Project Management Apprenticeship, supported by her line manager, a workplace mentor, and Seetec as the training provider.
The Challenge
Making OTJ training meaningful
Like many employers, Southend City Council recognised that off-the-job (OTJ) training can feel challenging to manage if it is treated as separate from day-to-day work.
The Council wanted to ensure OTJ hours were:
✔ Clearly evidenced against the apprenticeship standard
✔ Proportionate and well-managed
✔ Valuable to both the apprentice and the organisation
They were keen to avoid OTJ becoming a “tick-box” exercise and instead wanted learning to translate into real capability and contribution.
The Solution
To address these challenges, we supported Southend City Council in adopting a learner-led model aligned with our apprenticeship policy and programme requirements. Abbey self-manages and records her Off-the-Job (OTJ) training hours, providing regular updates to her line manager to ensure clarity and proportionality.
Abbey is supported by an assigned mentor, who we coordinate with to provide routine guidance mapping college learning to practical workplace opportunities. Duties are flexed across the duration of the programme to allow dedicated learning time and focused development.
“We’ve taken a structured, learner-led approach that aligns with SCC’s apprenticeship policy and the programme standard. Abbey self-manages and records her off-the-job (OTJ) hours, updating her line manager regularly.”
– Carol, Southend City Council – HR Consultant
1. OTJ learning embedded into live projects
Rather than creating artificial learning tasks, OTJ activity was embedded into projects Southend City Council was already planning to deliver. This allowed Abbey to gain practical experience while meeting apprenticeship requirements.
Examples include:
- Researching and drafting a business case that has been accepted by management and is now moving into implementation.
- Leading the Council’s Long Service Awards project, providing Abbey with her first experience of leading a project team.
This approach has strengthened Abbey’s planning, stakeholder engagement, and governance skills, while contributing meaningful outcomes for the organisation.
“Our experience shows that OTJ learning works best when it is integrated into real business priorities rather than treated as an add-on.” – Employer
2. Cross-departmental experience and support
From the outset, it was agreed that Abbey could work cross-departmentally where appropriate. This approach has broadened her experience while keeping OTJ activity distinct from business-as-usual responsibilities.
Key enablers include:
- Regular line manager and mentor support
- Access to experienced Project Managers for guidance and feedback
- Flexibility to align learning with live organisational activity
3. Tutors who go the extra mile
Support for Abbey is personalised, patient, and learner-focused. Tutors work closely with her to understand both her apprenticeship requirements and the practical context of her day-to-day role, ensuring learning remains meaningful and directly applicable.
“The tutors have been really helpful and receptive. They spend extra time with our colleagues to make sure they understand the business.” -Abbey, Southend City Council Project Management Apprentice
Early Impact and Benefits
Although Abbey’s apprenticeship is still in progress, early outcomes are already evident: strengthened planning, stakeholder engagement, and governance skills, growing confidence, and her first experience of leading a project team. Importantly, OTJ learning is being treated as a genuine value-add rather than just a compliance exercise.
Southend City Council anticipates that the full impact of OTJ training will become clearer as Abbey progresses and takes on new projects.
Abbey’s Experience as a Project Management Apprentice
Abbey explains that OTJ hours have supported real-time learning and practical application. She highlights that OTJ activity has helped her connect apprenticeship learning to live work, while developing both technical and interpersonal skills.
She also notes that OTJ projects have increased her understanding of council-wide processes and how her role contributes beyond her immediate team.
“The OTJ hours have given me opportunities to learn in real time and with practical experiences, bringing subject matters I am working on at the stage of the apprenticeship into the projects in line with opportunities which have arisen within the council.”
-Abbey, Southend City Council Project Management Apprentice
Looking Ahead
Although it is still too early to measure the full organisational impact, Southend City Council expects that the continued application of OTJ learning will support both Abbey’s ongoing development and future service improvements across the organisation.
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