As National Apprenticeship Week 2026 gets underway, we’re getting ready to celebrate the sixth year of CILIP Pathways supporting fantastic apprentices in the Library and Information sector.

This week we’ll be reflecting on the success apprentices have achieved over the last year and looking forward to the exciting things to come in 2026 for apprentices across our sector.

Looking back at 2025

2025 was a great year for apprenticeships in the UK. According to the Department of Education, participation in apprenticeships was up 4.1 per cent on the previous year, and completion was up a huge 11 per cent. This trend was reflected in the library and information sector, with 10 per cent more successful apprentices coming through assessment this last year.

Apprenticeships are key to the continued success of the library and information profession, with more routes into the sector and more opportunity for long term progression being created.

Celebrating success

Many of our apprentices over the last year have overcome challenges and progressed in their career because of their dedication to their work and studies. With the support of their employers and training providers, they are reaping the rewards of their success.

Natalia Ciesielska’s story

“I was able to do my Level 3 Library, Information and Archives apprenticeship through my employer. There is a lot to it, but I learnt about the different types of libraries and archives, as well as diving in deeper into my job role which helped me understand what I could do to be better at my job and develop the provisions my workplace offers to patrons.

“The entire course was very interesting, well laid out and therefore paced well. I had a brilliant tutor and when it came to my project, I had the support to make it successful, and it went much better than I expected! I have felt very proud of myself for doing and passing this apprenticeship, and since finishing I have had the offer of changing my job role from Librarian to Learning Resource Centre Manager!”

Looking forward to the future

One of the biggest growth stories in apprenticeships over the last year has been higher apprenticeships. Learners starting their level 6 or 7 journey increased 15 per cent last year according to government statistics. We look forward to welcoming our first Level 7 Archive and Record Management learners for assessment later this year.

We caught up with some Level 7 learners who shared some insights into their learning journeys so far.

Chelsea Taylor’s Story

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Level 7 ARM apprenticeship so far. During the apprenticeship, I have been given opportunities to develop that I might not have received otherwise.

My favourite aspect of the apprenticeship has been our in-person visits to other organisations. These have been extremely valuable in developing knowledge of how different types of archives run, their collections and getting archive store envy! Coming into the last year of the apprenticeship, I am now looking forward to getting stuck into my work-based project.”

Be part of the success!

For more information on CILIP Pathways, the standards we assess, and our expert assessment services you can find details here or you can contact us on email.

CILIP Pathways celebrates 3 years of assessing Level 3 Library, information and archive services assistant apprenticeship.

It is hard to believe it has been 3 years since the first apprentices passed through their end point assessment and achieved their L3 Library, information and archive service assistant apprenticeship, but that is where we are this month.

CILIP has been re-connecting with apprentices to find out where they are and what they have been doing since completing their apprenticeship, here is what some of them had to say:

Kate Bettis

Kate works in the House of Lords Library and has stayed in the same positions since gaining her apprenticeship, but she’s decided to study further and is undertaking an MA.

Georgina Knightly

Georgina works in a school library and told us:

“I am still in the same place but have used all the new found knowledge to develop and grow my Learning Resource Centre provision. In addition I have become a duty curator at the Little Gem Museum, Waddacar. Here I have started to curate all the books and get them online. This is a long term project that will take a number of years and is allowing me to learn about developing specific collection.”

Violaine Reinbold

“I have recently moved roles and am now a neighbourhood engagement and delivery officer (library manager) at Didsbury library, still with the Manchester library service.”

Jake Hooson

Jake is still a library assistant within Lancashire Libraries but has gone on to further study with an MA. He tells us:

“I am still working as a Library Assistant for Lancashire County Council, but I have gone on to study for an MA in Library and Information Management at Manchester Met. I'm studying part time for two years and am just over halfway through the second half of my first year.”

Isabel Fitchett

Isabel was a library assistant in a public library but has since gained a new position working in Lancashire’s School Library Service and is really enjoying being a new area of libraries.

Tom Saye

As we celebrate National Apprentice Week, Tom Saye, Library Assistant, East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust, shares his experience of how an apprenticeship opened the door to a new career.

STUDYING history at university, the library quickly became my best friend, with hours spent searching the shelves in search for books, or asking librarians for obscure articles on Oliver Cromwell. Little did I know while studying that I would end up being the one that would help people find the information they needed.

"The biggest surprise I found in doing this apprenticeship was the variety of topics covered."

However, it was during the Covid-19 pandemic when I really started thinking about different careers I wanted to pursue. The more I looked into it, the more I came to realise that a job within a library would suit me. As I started searching for library assistant jobs, I came across a post for an apprenticeship role in a library sector I was not expecting: The NHS.

I began researching more into the NHS library world, quickly becoming impressed with the scope of opportunity, and therefore decided to apply for the apprenticeship. Despite various Covid restrictions, I was able to have a face-to-face interview and this was a hugely positive experience and gave me a great impression from the start. I started my apprenticeship at Colchester Hospital Library (part of East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT)) on 8 February 2021.

The official title of the apprenticeship was a Level 3 in Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant Apprenticeship, and Let Me Play (LMP) facilitated it. I had regular one-to-one online meetings with a tutor. Early on in the apprenticeship my tutor changed, which although was a little unsettling at first, I struck up an excellent rapport with my new tutor (Thomas) who was very engaging and encouraging.

The biggest surprise I found in doing this apprenticeship was the variety of topics covered. I will admit one reservation I initially had was would I find an apprenticeship challenging enough. However, over my 12 assignments, I was able to cover a wide range of topics, from cataloguing and metadata to customer service and marketing. Having this variety also proved useful when it came to my end assessment. I was able to use the knowledge I had built up over the first year and apply that to developing our new library website. This project included conducting research, building the website and doing user-testing. I passed the Apprenticeship in May 2022 and was able to use this research to create our new website, which we launched in September 2022.

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Find out more about CILIP Pathways and apprentice routes into library, information and knowledge management careers.

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Having off-the-job hours was also another major benefit of doing the apprenticeship. This meant I was able to experience other departments of the hospital. I spent a day with the Medical Records Team, and this a was great learning experience, understanding the mammoth task of both retrieving physical paper records as well as uploading patient records to online platforms. This experience helped reinforce the theoretical aspects of the apprenticeship I had been learning, such as, excellent record keeping, file archiving and information governance.

One of the challenges of doing the apprenticeship was, that for the first year, I was on an apprenticeship wage, which meant taking a pay cut. This did mean reconsidering my finances and budgeting more. However, I knew that taking an apprenticeship would be an investment that had strong potential to lead to more opportunities.

Lastly, all I would say to people is to not to be afraid to apply for an apprenticeship role. The day I submitted my application I had been turned down from another job and this rejection nearly made me not want to go through that process again. In the end, I thought “I have nothing to lose by applying” and I am so glad I did because I think I have found the sector for me. The apprenticeship has enabled me to apply for a Masters in Library and Information’s Services, and I look forward to starting this in September.

Look out for more Apprenticeship Stories in Information Professional over the coming months.

To find out more about apprenticeships and how they can help you – whether as an employer or an apprentice, visit www.cilip.org.uk/CILIPPathways.

CILIP Pathways has been officially approved by Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to join the Register of End Point Assessment Organisations (EPAOs) to assess the Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Service Assistant apprenticeship standard.

CILIP Pathways now enters an ESFA designated development window to finalise all the resources, processes and guidance required for the first apprentice assessments in February 2021.

Nick Poole, CILIP CEO said, “We are delighted to announce that CILIP Pathways has won approval to offer independent assessment of the Level 3 Library, Information and Archive Services Assistant apprenticeships.

The single clearest message from our recent Library, Information and Knowledge Management (LIKM) Professionalism Review was a strong desire for the sector to diversify quality routes into the profession, and with the appointment of CILIP Pathways as the EPAO for the standard we now have all the tools necessary to make this vision a reality. ”

Jo Cornish, CILIP Pathways Director adds, “This is fantastic news for the sector as whole and particularly for those looking to build their careers. I’m incredibly proud to be working to open up the profession by providing alternative routes in as this is absolutely key to tapping into a wider pool of talent for the library, information and knowledge community.

By removing barriers and allowing people to earn whilst they learn, apprenticeships offer the opportunity for the LIKM profession to attract and retain the diverse talent we need to deliver excellent services now and for the future.”

The Level 3 standard covers a wide range of professional skills, including digital skills and information literacy. It defines the activities of LIAS Level 3 apprentices as:

“LIAS Assistants help users find the information and resources they need in order to resolve their specific query. They work with people from all parts of society and the workforce, providing essential digital and analogue information services – issuing and returning materials, organising collections, answering research and information queries, improving customers’ literacy skills, – quite often at the forefront of innovation.”

Over the next two years, CILIP will be working with employers across the sector to encourage engagement with and adoption of this standard as well as working in partnership with the sector to explore the development of a higher level Apprenticeship standard.

Employers of information, knowledge or library workers in England can support the work on the higher level apprenticeship by completing this short survey by the 14th August.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/T6Q39JP

About CILIP Pathways

CILIP Pathways provides quality assessment services for apprenticeships. CILIP Pathways is (company number 12497166), a subsidiary trading arm of CILIP (Registered charity number 313014). CILIP Pathways is governed by a majority independent board of directors, staffed by experts in the library, information and knowledge sector and has a team of qualified independent assessors. EPAO number EPAO568.

The Level 3 Standard can be viewed in full on the Institute for Apprenticeships’ website here: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/library-information-archive-services-assistant/

CILIP’s Head of Sector Development Jo Cornish explains how ­CILIP is working with the library and knowledge workforce to ensure there are more ways into the job, while maintaining standards. For CILIP that means the creation of a new apprenticeship scheme that will deliver an alternative route into the career alongside a new definition of professionalism.

The recent CILIP Library, Information and Knowledge Management (LIKM) Professionalism Review provided a great opportunity to examine with the community how we develop skills in the workforce. The single clearest message from across the LIKM workforce was a strong desire for the sector to diversify quality routes into the profession.

This broadening of routes, but with no compromise on quality, was seen as key to opening up the profession to a wider pool of talent. From all quarters there was understanding that is not just acquiring knowledge and qualifications that makes someone a professional, how those skills are applied in practice and reflected upon is just as important.

Apprenticeships offer a perfect opportunity to achieve this. They combine formally acquired knowledge and on-the-job learning. They are developed to strict employer-led standards, have robust assessment, provide a formal qualification and of course allow people to earn and learn.

This recognised need in the LIKM profession and the introduction of the Government Apprenticeship Levy in April 2017 created the perfect storm to drive the development of apprenticeship Standards in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland retain their own arrangements.

Perfect conditions

The Apprenticeship Levy requires employers with a payroll of over £3m to pay into a fund for apprenticeships. The only way to draw down on that money is to fund an apprenticeship. At the same time, the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) created new development processes. All new apprenticeships were developed as Standards, with existing apprenticeship Frameworks being phased out. IFATE carefully controls the Standards permitted for development and the rules to govern the process.

Every Standard must be a unique offering and the creation must be employer-led. This avoids a proliferation of overlapping Standards, or Standards that are not fit for the­employers’ needs. Each Standard includes a distinct set of skills, knowledge and behaviours for a specific profession or workforce sector. IFATE also encourages the employer-led development groups, known as Trailblazers, to work with the relevant professional associations to make sure Standards dovetail with ongoing professional development opportunities. Standards can be developed from Level 2 (roughly GCSE equivalent) up to a Level 7 (Masters equivalent).

A Standard to unite them

In 2017, CILIP facilitated an employer Trailblazer group to create a Standard for both the LIKM profession and Archives and Records Management profession. This wider professional group was referred to as LARKIM (Libraries, Archives, Records, Knowledge and Information Management). The Trailblazer group had representatives from across LARKIM and from organisations of all different sizes. It also had cross sector representation including Health, Higher Education, Legal, Government and Further Education library and information service. The Archive and Records Association (ARA) and CILIP were both involved in supporting the Trailblazer work. It is very important the Standards are developed in consultation with all key stakeholders and on behalf of the employers in that profession. After wide consultation with LARKIM employers and on the advice of IFATE, the Trailblazer group set to work creating a Level 3 apprenticeship Standard suitable for the whole LARKIM profession. Although IFATE naming conventions meant the Standard needed a shorter title. After careful consideration, all Trailblazers agreed that the title Library Information and Archives Services Assistant (LIAS) Level 3 apprenticeship fit the bill.

The Trailblazers chose to use the CILIP Professional Knowledge and Skills Base (PKSB) as the foundation for the development of the Standard and its associated assessment plan. The IFATE process is very involved and assessed at three “gateways” to make sure it is robust. In December 2018, IFATE approved the LIAS Level 3 Standard for use. This was a huge moment of celebration for the Trailblazer group, ARA and CILIP. The LARKIM profession now has an entry-level apprenticeship route to qualification.

Getting an apprentice

The levy money can be used to fund apprenticeships for existing employees (provided they are genuinely learning new skills) or for new apprenticeship posts. There are limits on what the levy can ­cover though, for example, the apprentice’s wages cannot be funded by the levy.

Apprenticeships are available to people of any age provided they are over 16 and spend 50 per cent of their working hours in England. Apprentices are paid a salary for the duration of their apprenticeship. They must spend 20 per cent of their time in off-the-job training.

The employer is the owner of the process. They create the apprenticeship opportunity and fund the wages. They secure levy money to fund the apprenticeship. The employer needs to:

• Provide an apprenticeship role where 80 per cent of the time is spent in workplace practice
• Enable 20 per cent of the apprentice’s time in off the job training
• Procure an approved training provider to deliver off the job training
• Procure an approved end point assessment organisation (EPAO) to assess the apprentice.

Apprenticeships last for a minimum for 12 months and the Level 3 LIAS Standard is intended to be completed in 18 months.

The IFATE website and Gov.uk website provide excellent guidance on using the Standard and how to find approved training providers and EPAO. CILIP has created a subsidiary called CILIP Pathways that is in the process of registering as the EPAO for this Standard.

New opportunities

There is huge interest and demand for apprenticeships and so there are several standards currently in development, and which will be relevant for our profession. As we looked at Level 3, it was clear that skills from across the LARKIM profession could be included in one Standard. There is enough crossover at this level to keep the standard relevant, but as higher levels are reached there is a need to focus on more sector-specific skills and so three additional standards are being created.

Emma Markiewicz, Head of Archives Sector Development at the National Archive, is the Trailblazer Chair for the Level 7 Archives and Record ­Manager Apprenticeship Standard. She sees ­apprenticeships as essential for a thriving sector, and points out that those taking part can be confident they will come out of the scheme with the skills employers are looking for. She said: “This apprenticeship will provide a positive additional route for anyone looking to develop a career in archives and records management and will attract new talent to help build a thriving and resilient archive ­sector. The trailblazer development process ensures that we are creating a new style of apprenticeship, based on sector needs and employer requirements”.

In the Information Management sector, Stuart McLean, UK Manager of Automation and Information Manager at Fluor, is the Trailblazer Chair for the Level 4 Information Manager Apprenticeship Standard. He points to the evolution of Information Management as a distinct discipline over the years, and says that providing career development pathways into and through IM is invaluable.

He says: “As a practising Information Manager for over 20 years in the energy, chemicals and infrastructure industries, there has been a common theme of explaining what Information Management is. In recent years, I have seen my profession beginning to be recognised as a distinct discipline in its own right. It is evolving at a rapid pace as technology platforms evolve as well as the reliance on data and information in driving industry and business performance. The desire to create a formal entry route, to have broader recognition of this discipline, and to formalise the expectations around training and development to me are key in setting the path forward. As well as opening up professional recognition for individuals.”

The third strand is the Level 7 Health and Care Intelligence Specialist apprenticeship, and the Trailblazer Chair for this is John Battersby, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at Public Health England.

The creation of a new stream of entry and continued development as people progress through their careers is ­addressing a series of historical issues about consistency, according to John. He says the new standards will drive well-structured training and provide eligibility for ongoing professional recognition and registration, adding: “For many years there has been a concern from across the analytical and health information community that they have not had access to consistent and structured training in health intelligence” he says. “Staff have had to learn on the job.

“The opportunity to develop new ­apprenticeship standards has opened the door to addressing this issue. This standard will, for the first time, offer health and social care employers an opportunity for new and existing staff to undertake structured training as analysts and information managers. Those completing the standard will be eligible for professional registration as analysts; something that has not been available until now.”

These three new Standards are at various stages of development and will soon be ready for use:

Level 4 Information Manager – ­approved for use, awaiting a registered EPAO

Level 7 Health and Care Intelligence Specialist – awaiting final approvals

Level 7 Archives and Record Management – in development

Next steps for CILIP

There is strong support in the LIKM profession to develop a higher-level ­apprenticeship at Level 6 or Level 7. CILIP is facilitating a group of ­interested stakeholders that we hope will become a Trailblazer.

Head of Sector Development, Jo Cornish, also intends to develop paths to Chartered Professional Registration for LIAS apprentices.

Apprenticeships provide applied learning opportunities. The commitment between the apprentice and employer creates a real sense of mutual purpose and benefit, which fuels commitment to the role, organisation and the profession. It can aid retention and inspire future learning. By removing barriers and allowing people to earn whilst they learn, apprenticeships offer the opportunity for the LIKM profession to attract and retain the diverse talent we need to deliver excellent services now and for the future.

The most important voice:

In the absence of a library-specific Standard, Lancashire Libraries have been using the Customer Service Standard for cohorts of apprentices for some time. The creation of the new LIAS Level 3 opens a new opportunity for the service, and its apprentices.

Nana Montord, one of Lancashire’s current crop of apprentices explains how her experience has helped her develop.

She said: “I had not really thought about the ubiquitous nature of technology and how incapacitating it is to not be familiar with it. A woman came in and told me of her fear of the internet, her isolation and difficulty with mobility issues making it impossible to eat a healthy diet, as she was not able to get to the larger grocery store.

“I aided her to become familiar with technology. It was so fulfilling to see how her life transformed! By the end, she was ordering her grocery shopping to be delivered, communicating with family continents away and positively excited about the future! We often take for granted the privileges our skills provide and it is only through helping others gain the skills that we can truly appreciate what we are lucky enough to know and access. This apprenticeship has allowed me to work in a great team and make a real life difference to the community. This is an amazing opportunity and I cannot wait to see what the rest of my time here brings!”