TESS Group × NQual
Real work, assessed quickly. The combination that gets your apprentice from project to result without a long wait.
Update, 1 October 2026: this article first explained our move to BCS in April 2026. New TESS AI apprentices are now assessed by NQual, so we have rewritten it. BCS remains an approved option for ST1512, and still awards the BCS Foundation Certificate in AI inside the programme.
First, what is an EPAO?
If you're new to the apprenticeship system, this is worth two minutes of your time. Every apprenticeship in England involves two distinct organisations. The training provider (in our case, TESS Group) is responsible for the teaching, coaching, portfolio building and pastoral support across the programme. The End-Point Assessment Organisation, or EPAO, assesses whether the apprentice has actually met the occupational standard and awards the final grade.
The split is deliberate. The final judgement on an apprentice does not rest with the people who taught them. It's the same principle as external examining at university. The EPAO decides whether your apprentice earns a Pass, a Distinction, or falls short.
On the current version of the standard, ST1512 v2.1, the assessment has two parts: a workplace project, submitted as a written report or as a presentation with questions, and a professional discussion. Both are graded Pass or Distinction.
Why NQual
NQual is an Ofqual-recognised assessment organisation (recognition number RN6041) and is on the government register of end-point assessment organisations for ST1512, versions 2.0 and 2.1. It won Team of the Year at the Federation of Awarding Bodies awards in 2025. For an AI and automation apprenticeship, four things matter most:
- Speed. NQual's average is five working days from assessment to result.
- Preparation. Mock questions, preparation materials and revision guides, plus an apprentice support pack, so nobody walks in guessing.
- Responsiveness. Assessment queries are answered within 48 hours.
- One named contact. NQual gives us a dedicated service manager, so registration and scheduling run through one person.
What this means for the apprentice
Real work, not an exam paper. The project is the work they did for you: a problem they spotted, the AI or automation they built, and the result. The professional discussion is a conversation about that work and the decisions behind it.
No long wait. With results back in an average of five working days, they are not left in limbo after the assessment.
They know what good looks like. NQual's mock questions and revision guides sit alongside their TESS skills coach and Coachy, our AI tutor, which rehearses professional discussions out loud.
Less travel. Assessment runs online where the assessment plan allows, so there is no trip to a test centre.
Quick answers. If anything is unclear mid-assessment, assessment queries are answered within 48 hours.
What this means for employers
Proof they can do the job. The project and discussion are built on live AI and automation work in your business, so the grade reflects capability you can use, not performance in a test centre.
No separate assessment bill. End-point assessment is paid from the same apprenticeship funding as the training, within the £18,000 funding band.
Certified sooner. Fast results mean completion is not held up waiting for a grade.
Works for teams across England. Online assessment where the plan allows keeps time away from the job down for dispersed teams.
Set up for the current standard. NQual is approved for ST1512 v2.1, the version new apprentices start on.
Prefer another assessor?
Employers choose the end-point assessment organisation; that is how the apprenticeship rules work. NQual is our standard partner. On open cohorts, 1st for Awarding and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, are also available, and both are approved for ST1512. Closed employer cohorts use NQual or 1st for Awarding. Whichever you choose, the BCS Foundation Certificate in AI stays inside the programme.
How TESS Group and NQual work together
TESS Group delivers every day of the learning journey: live online workshops, modules built around real workplace projects, 1-to-1 coaching, portfolio development, the embedded qualifications and Gateway readiness. NQual runs the end-point assessment and makes the final grading decision. Your TESS skills coach handles the assessment admin with NQual, so your team stays focused on the work.
Which TESS apprenticeships does this cover?
The AI & Automation Practitioner Level 4 (ST1512) and the editions built on it.
Our other apprenticeships use the assessment organisations best suited to their standard.
Frequently asked
Does this change the cost of the apprenticeship?
No. End-Point Assessment is funded as part of the apprenticeship, drawn from your DWP Digital Account for levy-paying employers, or the government co-investment for smaller employers. The apprentice pays nothing.
How quickly do results come back?
NQual's average is five working days from assessment to result.
What if my apprentice needs to resit part of the assessment?
NQual has a published resit and retake process. Your TESS skills coach supports every apprentice through it.
What about apprentices already on programme?
Your skills coach will confirm which assessment organisation is handling each apprentice's end-point assessment.
Related Reading
Frequently asked questions.
What is an EPAO in an apprenticeship?
EPAO stands for End-Point Assessment Organisation. It assesses whether an apprentice has met the occupational standard and awards the final grade, Pass or Distinction, separately from the training provider.
Who is NQual?
NQual is an Ofqual-recognised assessment organisation (recognition number RN6041, EPAO711) that runs apprenticeship end-point assessment and awards regulated qualifications. It is on the government register for ST1512 and won Team of the Year at the Federation of Awarding Bodies awards in 2025.
Which TESS Group AI apprenticeships use NQual as EPAO?
NQual is the standard end-point assessment organisation for TESS Group's AI and Automation Practitioner Level 4 (ST1512) and the editions built on it, including AI for Operations Leaders and AI for Team Leaders. On open cohorts employers can choose 1st for Awarding or BCS instead.
Does the apprentice pay for the assessment?
No. The End-Point Assessment fee is included in the apprenticeship funding, drawn from the employer's DWP Digital Account or the government co-investment. The apprentice pays nothing toward the EPA.