Consultation outcome

Proposal to develop a social researcher level 6 apprenticeship

Updated 9 March 2023

1. Level 6: Social Researcher apprenticeship

1.1 UOS reference number

ST1341

1.2 Core and options

No

1.3 Level of occupation

Level 6

1.4 Route

Business and administration

1.5 Typical duration of apprenticeship

48 months

1.6 Is this an integrated apprenticeship?

Integrated degree

1.7 Target date for approval

Friday 29 September 2023

1.8 Resubmission

No

1.9 Would your proposed apprenticeship standard replace an existing framework?

No

1.10 Occupation Profile

This occupation is found in… the public, private and third sector organisations, from small through to large employers, including central and local government, research organisations, charities, think tanks and academia.

The broad purpose of the occupation is… to provide robust research and analysis that forms the foundation for social policy or broader public policy development, implementation, and evaluation, impacting important decisions that seek to ensure the best possible investment of public money and outcomes for members of society.

Social Researchers use a range of research and analysis methods to advise on research designs and assess the appropriateness of different methodologies. They are responsible for evaluating the quality of evidence. They critically assess problems, drawing on their social research expertise and knowledge to evaluate the strengths and limitations of different research approaches.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with… internal teams such as other researchers, economists, statisticians, methodologists, operations, policymakers, procurement, finance, and IT.

They also interact with external stakeholders, including customers, project collaborators, service providers, research participants and other members of the public. Building and maintaining relationships is critical to the Social Researcher role; they support and oversee colleagues during all stages of the research process and work with a range of colleagues, customers, and stakeholders.

An employee in this occupation will be responsible for… a variety of duties such as: systematic evidence reviews; design and implementation of qualitative and quantitative research; developing primary data collection tools such as surveys, depth-interviews and focus groups. They will manage and monitor fieldwork and controlled trials, have responsibility for data management and quality control, and undertake data analysis using specialist software packages. They carry out reporting, dissemination, and synthesis of research findings. Evidence from these activities is used to brief policymakers and customers, to provide informative and timely insights to inform decision making.

Typically, Social Researchers work independently, either leading on a whole project or on some elements of research within a wider project, but they will also work as part of the wider research team on other duties. They may have staff management responsibilities. Social Researchers must comply with relevant legislation and regulation in order to carry out primary data collection or to access sensitive data. Social Researchers work within and deliver to the budget and costs of their projects but do not have overall budgetary responsibility.

Social Researchers may be office-based or work remotely or in a hybrid working environment. They are sometimes required to travel for their work.

1.11 Typical job titles

• Research executive
• Research officer
• Senior research executive
• Social researcher
• Researcher

1.12 Occupation duties

Duty

Duty 1: Explain the value of social research to potential customers to encourage them to make use of it and make sure they use it appropriately. OTJ Training (days): 5

Duty 2: Advise on the best approaches, such as piloting, trialling, or large-scale research, and methods, such as qualitative, quantitative or both, to meet a research brief or invitation to tender. OTJ Training (days):15

Duty 3: Problem formulation with stakeholders to design research and evaluation questions using social research tools, such as logic mapping and theory of change. OTJ Training (days): 10

Duty 4: Conduct desk research and/or literature reviews, such as rapid evidence assessments or other systematic approaches, to build the evidence base on a particular subject. OTJ Training (days): 20

Duty 5: Develop or respond to the commissioning and subcontracting of social research projects, working within relevant commercial frameworks. OTJ Training (days): 5

Duty 6: Design and deliver a social research or evaluation project in line with professional guidance, such as central government guidance on quality assurance and evaluation. OTJ Training (days): 20

Duty 7: Manage project progress to ensure quality and meet agreed timescales and budgets. OTJ Training (days): 10

Duty 8: Design, conduct and analyse qualitative research such as depth interviews, focus groups, participatory and deliberative research, to draw out detailed, thematic insights for customers and stakeholders. OTJ Training (days): 30

Duty 9: Design and undertake quantitative research using appropriate statistical software and statistical significance tests. OTJ Training (days): 30

Duty 10: Report and present social research findings to customers, following standards for publication appropriate for a diverse public audience. OTJ Training (days): 10

Duty 11: Manage and develop others, prioritising and delegating tasks in line with project objectives. OTJ Training (days): 10

Duty 12: Build and maintain professional networks to ensure successful delivery of projects, identify opportunities for further collaboration and promote social research outside of their business area. OTJ Training (days): 10

Duty 13: Delivers research projects using a range of digital tools and software. OTJ Training (days): 10

1.13 Knowledge, skills and behaviour (KSB) categories

• Research
• Sustainability
• Data analysis
• IT and digital
• Quality
• Project Management
• Communication
• Procurement

1.14 Qualifications

Does the apprenticeship need to include any mandated qualifications in addition to the above-mentioned English and maths qualifications?

Yes

How many unique qualifications are you looking to include?

1

Are the qualification(s) Ofqual regulated

Yes

What criteria will you submit the qualification/s against?

Degrees

Does the mandated qualification cover need to be achieved early in the apprenticeship or closer to the end?

End

Will one or more qualification require integration with the EPA

No

Professional recognition

This standard aligns with the following professional recognition: The Market Research Society for Member

Regulated occupation: Is this a statutory regulated occupation?

No

1.15 Typical entry point to the apprenticeship

Please indicate what level of competence, if any you would typically expect the individual to have already acquired before they commence this apprenticeship. This could be expressed in the form of any job roles they would typically already have undertaken, any qualifications they would typically have passed or any experience they would typically have acquired, or a combination of these.

Entry requirements will be decided by individual employers. Candidates might typically have three A levels or equivalent relevant Level 3 qualifications. Apprentices without Level 2 English and Maths will need to achieve this prior to taking the end-point assessment. This apprenticeship is also open to applicants with other relevant qualifications or previous experience.

1.16 Transferability

You may wish to detail the breadth of employer types who will be directly and indirectly involved with the group.

The duties listed are based on examples of recent job descriptions gathered from a range of organisations and across the breadth of the sector supplemented by input from our Social Research Trailblazer Group members. This was based on their understanding and application of existing, new, and emerging practices for the role.

The Trailblazer Group represents large and small employers from different parts of the sector, these include:

• Representation from small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large and national organisations including central government departments and agencies

• Employers who recruit, train and employ Social Researchers

• Professional membership bodies for Social Researchers

To this end the Trailblazer Group is confident that an individual will be able to undertake the role of Social Researcher in all employers within the sector. As we progress with the development of the standard and assessment plan we will consult more broadly through the Trailblazer Group network. We have consulted with key stakeholders within the wider Social Research community to ensure that anyone undertaking this occupational standard will have transferable skills which would allow them to take up roles within all sectors.

1.17 Typical number of annual starts

Confirm expected number of starts per year across England, not just with employers in your group.

37

1.18 End-point assessment methods likely to be used to assess competence against the KSBs as a whole

• Project
• Presentation
• Discussion
• Interview

1.19 Stand-alone occupation

Social Researcher is a recognised role and stand-alone occupation, with an online job search revealing demand for the role within the wider employment sector. This role would sit in the Business and Administration Occupational Maps. It is not currently a role on the Occupational Maps, however it would fit within the Management and Administration Pathway.

The Trailblazer Group reviewed other apprenticeship standards and confirmed that no other existing standard provides full competence required for the occupation of Social Researcher. The Trailblazer Group is very keen to support the need for a bespoke occupational standard for the Social Researcher profession.

We have also taken the opportunity to review other standards and compare them to this role:

• Market Research Executive

• Operational Researcher

The mapping reveals that these existing standards refer to distinct and separate occupations and would not enable an individual to demonstrate competency as a Social Researcher. A Social Researcher possesses knowledge of advanced theory and methods, and is responsible for the delivery of complex social research projects, the policy implications of which impact on members of society. They are responsible for leading on both design and delivery of social research projects. To deliver such research, a Social Researcher uses techniques unique to the Social Researcher role. This includes, for example, the use of probability sampling to allow inferences to be made from a sample to a wider population. Social Researchers also need to be able to prepare reports for publication on social policy or broader public policy evidence that are accessible for decision makers, and a diverse public audience.

1.20 Employer directory

Have you nominated an organisation to appear on the employer directory for this apprenticeship?

Yes

Do you need grading exemption?

No

Name of EQA provider

Office for Students (OfS)

1.21 Progression Routes

Progression routes for individuals completing this apprenticeship will vary depending on the nature of the employer (i.e., government, research agencies, third sector) but there are many similarities in the typical progression routes. Individuals may choose to specialise within one type of employer, but many work across these contexts over the course of their career.

Individuals will be part of an established framework for professional progression, usually by moving up through various grades from junior analyst to senior research director, or organisation equivalent. The next grade for those who have completed the apprenticeship scheme will usually be a manager role leading larger, more complex and/or more challenging research projects, supporting wider team and organisational management, and contributing to more stretching business development goals or larger scale commissioning of research projects.

Social Researchers will work within and across several different policy areas and use different research methodologies, to gain a breadth of experience and technical expertise, as they progress in their careers. They may later choose to specialise in a particular policy area (or within agencies focus on a particular type of methodology i.e., qualitative, or quantitative research).

Social Researchers are expected to undertake continuous professional development (CPD) to enhance their research technical skills (as well as core organisational skills and behaviours). CPD largely consists of on-the-job learning and development opportunities, typically agreed through line management chains to provide stretching and challenging work-based goals. Whilst CPD and learning and development options vary between type of employer and between organisations, formal training is also often available and funded, with a wide selection of research-specific and ‘softer skill’ external courses available (e.g., management, writing skills, presentation skills).

Social Researchers will also often hold membership of relevant bodies, such as the Market Research Society (MRS) and the Social Research Association (SRA). These bodies also offer further training, qualifications, and development opportunities. Social Researchers also have opportunities to progress through and gain professional qualifications e.g., the MRS Accredited master’s degree.

1.22 Is the occupation niche or emerging occupation?

No

1.23 Involved employers

Department for Work and Pensions, Kantar public, Ministry of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Ipsos UK, Department for Education, HMRC, Ministry of Justice, Office for National Statistics, National Centre for Social Research, Home Office, Institute for Employment Studies, IFF Research, Basis Research