Thriving Through DBA Gateway | by Kelly Mossman

You are now approaching the end of your apprenticeship journey - and it’s time to prepare for your Gateway meeting!

Your Gateway meeting marks the official end of your Multiverse apprenticeship, it is a great achievement to have gotten this far, and a testament to all your hard work. The purpose of this meeting is for you, your coach, and your apprentice manager to confirm what is already known, and that you are ready to begin the End Point Assessment process. The Gateway meeting is a compliance requirement for the successful completion of the programme. 

What happens during the Gateway meeting?

• Celebrate achievements with your AM and Coach
• Sign the OTJ declaration form (Apprentice, AM, Coach)
  • Ensuring your OTJ is above 100% and in line with compliance requirements
• Sign the Data Technician Level 3 Gateway Form (Apprentice, AM, Coach)
  • Confirming your chosen Scenario Demonstration task 
  • Listing contact information for you and AM 
  • Recording your availability for the next two months to book in EPA
  • Signing off to ensure you have met programme requirements and are ready to proceed to EPA
• Submit your completed Portfolio on Applied 
  • Upload the Portfolio and Evidence Tracker to the correct Folder on Applied 
• Complete Surveys
  • End-point Survey 
  • Gateway Survey 

How can I be proactive in preparing for Gateway?

To ensure you are feeling confident going into your Gateway you should use your CS12 meeting with your coach as a mini Gateway meeting. To show proactivity, consider setting an agenda with your coach. 

Agenda Ideas:

• Finalise Portfolio (send to coach 2-3 days ahead of CS12 and ask for feedback)
• Read through Scenario Demonstration options with your coach and discuss 
• Go over expectations for Gateway and set a date
• Outline any final EPA-related questions 

In the month between CS12 and Gateway, you should prioritise making final updates to your portfolio and preparing for the EPA. Familiarise yourself with these resources and use them to help you prepare effectively. 

1.  Assessment Plan  - This document outlines exactly what to expect in your EPA. Pages 12-15 show you how you will be graded in both methods of assessment.
2. Assessment Criteria Guidance - This document breaks down the Assessment Plan into a checklist. Use this to ensure you have all the necessary points in your Portfolio before submitting in the Gateway meeting.
3. OTJ Compliance Guide - This document outlines OTJ compliance. Use this to check your OTJ log and ensure you are ready for Gateway with a 100% compliant OTJ log

Final Gateway Checklist

• Have a completed Portfolio (and Portfolio Tracker) that is ready to submit
• Include the Employer Statement in your Portfolio
• Ensure OTJ is completed and in compliance with this guide
• Make sure you have completed all your Progress Review Forms
• Have your Functional Skills
• Have your availability for the next two months prepared (the question will ask when are you NOT available for your EPA)
• Please note that you will be sent Pandadoc forms on the morning of your Gateway. Do not complete these forms ahead of time, these will be completed within the Gateway meeting. If you and your apprentice manager haven’t received the forms by 9:00 am on Gateway day, inform your coach ASAP.

GOOD LUCK! 

Kelly Mossman is a Digital Business Accelerator coach at Multiverse.