1st for Awarding (previously 1st for EPA) Reviews 116

I recently completed my Level 4 Marketing Executive apprenticeship and overall found the process to be clear and smooth. The assessors were very supportive and made me feel comfortable throughout.

I did find parts of the EPA assessment guide slightly confusing, as some sections appeared to contradict one another. For example, I understood that I was allowed to bring notes to my professional discussion, however on the day my assessor was unsure whether this was permitted unless they had been submitted in advance. The issue was quickly resolved, as he contacted the relevant team and confirmed that I was able to use them.

I had a great coach and she help me throughout the journey to achieve merit in the apprenticeship I did. The authorising body conducted a fair and professional interview.

A great end-to-end experience whilst gaining my qualification through the 1st for Awarding / 1st for EPA assessment process. The assessment process was laid out well in terms of structure and communication and I felt informed of the next steps at each assessment stage throughout the process, and had positive interactions throughout as I went through the final assessment stages for my L4 Marketing Executive qualification.

Communication is good. I honestly thought I had messed up my EPA as did not how to answer the assessor's questions but I got a distinction so don't worry if you think the same - the result may not reflect your feelings about how the assessment went.

My experience with 1st for Awarding was very positive. Communication was clear throughout the assessment process, and I always knew what to expect at each stage. The instructions and deadlines were easy to follow, and the assessors were professional and fair. I felt supported and informed from start to finish, which helped reduce a lot of stress. Overall, the process was smooth and well-organised.

I had a really positive experience with 1st for Awarding. I had to reschedule my final assessment due to some personal circumstances and the team couldn’t have been more understanding or accommodating. They handled everything quickly, professionally, and with genuine kindness, which really took the stress out of the situation.

It’s rare to find a company that treats people with such empathy and flexibility. I’m really grateful for their support and would absolutely recommend 1st for EPA to anyone looking for a smooth and supportive assessment process.

Great overall experience, my assessor made me feel at ease and whilst I found it challenging I excelled and showcased what I had learnt over 2.5 years. Thank you!

Throughout my EPA Exam today I thoroughly enjoyed it with my Assessor. He helped me feel at ease throughout the assessment, explained everything clearly and overall, it was a pleasant and at ease experience. Their FAQ/Support Resources in the portal massively helped prepare for the assessment. They support their pupils throughout the stages of the EPA every step of the way. If your choosing 1st for EPA as your end point assessment provider I would highly recommend them. Now it's the case of waiting for results, hopefully they don't take too long :).

- Autumn

lovely assessor my my exams on 14.07.2025, made me feel comfortable and at ease, Did not feel like an exam in a strict setting even though it was. Very nice to have my nerves eased.

The assessor made me feel at ease during my professional discusssion, and was able to rephrase the questions when needed. I recieved the grading for both my consultative project and professional discussion really quickly afterwards which was great :)

1st for EPA was great, they were supportive during the assessment when I had questions and they made the assessment easier, but which made it lighter and bearable. An improvement I would suggested was the system we used, goTo, it’s user friendly but it’s a slow and I experience connection and audio issues. Apart from that, I would strongly recommend 1st for EPA and the assessors are lovely and they provide as much information as possible!

I liked how the assessor was very clear about the instructions of the assessment and he made me feel comfortable. However in my end point assessment exam I believed I was supposed to have access to my digital notes so I was surprised to find I wasn't able to have access to anything, it may be unfortunate if someone else came across the same issue in their assessment in the future.

The whole team were very supporting with loads of resources available.

The textbooks and online learning was comprehension with plenty of video lectures too. Regular tutorials ensured I always had opportunity to ask any questions needed.

The gentleman conducting the assessment was very calm and reassuring. Having now completed the assessment I would have a big gap ( days) between assessments. May be this could be advised when booking it.
Also please let the the apprentice choose the communication platform. I would have been much more comfortable on TEAMS.
When I contacted the help line to ask to swap to TEAMS, there was no response , I still haven had a response from them.

I’ve had a positive overall experience with 1st for EPA. Although I initially failed the professional discussion part of my Level 4 Data Analyst EPA, I received constructive feedback that helped me prepare for the re-sit. During the re-sit, the examiner, Jeremiah, was very supportive. He made me feel relaxed and answered all my questions at the beginning, which really boosted my confidence. Thanks to that, I was able to perform much better and I ended up getting a distinction.

My experience with 1st for EPA was via my Apprenticeship with Cambridge Marketing College. The communications were clear and consistent.

The reminders before deadlines were helpful.
During my professional discussion, my assessor made me feel really comfortable and explained everything thoroughly to me. I thank her for making a me calm my nerves.
The 1st for EPA portal has some really helpful resources on there too.

I found that the exams are straightforward and that they're not just interested in you meeting the criteria, but what you have accomplished over the apprenticeship.

My experience with 1st for EPA has been excellent. My learning program ran smoothly. They have a wealth of resources for students to prepare for Gateway and EPA. When I had questions, they always responded in a timely manner. When it came time for the assessments, the advisor was friendly and made me feel comfortable from the start. Thank you for a good experience

Absolutely fantastic 15 months for myself! Submerged into an area I wasn't familiar with, but have enjoyed every second of studying. Every individual i've dealt with over my qualification have been so easy to deal with at every point, breaking down all the information I needed and answered any queries I had within a quick turn around. I never once felt I couldn't ask for help or wasn't supported along the journey. Thank you.