The Coders Guild

As-Is Process & Jobs to Be Done

Mapping the apprenticeship lifecycle from lead generation through to delivery - and what each persona needs at every stage.

Who's involved

Personas & Jobs to Be Done

Four perspectives on the same process. Click a persona to explore their jobs, pain points, and opportunities.

T
TCG Internal
Crispin, Francesca, Shelley, and Rob - each with distinct jobs but shared pain around disconnected systems and manual processes.
4 sub-personas
View details
E
Client / Employer
SMEs with 20-200 people, buying apprenticeships to upskill their team. Busy, expecting fast time to value, not form-filling.
Decision makers
View details
L
Learner / Apprentice
Existing employees on Level 4 programmes, balancing learning with their day job. Need clarity, relevance, and minimal admin.
On programme
View details
A
Auditor
DWP, Ofsted, compliance bodies. Want clean, consistent, accessible records. The stakes are existential - funding clawback is real.
Regulator
View details
T
TCG Internal
Four sub-personas running the apprenticeship business
Crispin (MD)
Francesca (Commercial)
Shelley (Compliance)
Rob (Operations)

Founded TCG 15 years ago. Wrote the curriculum, built the relationships. Wants to move to non-operational, growth-focused role but Allison's departure pulled him back in. His time is the scarcest resource.

Jobs to Be Done
When I'm building the pipeline, I want to generate leads that don't depend on my personal network, so the business can grow beyond my capacity.
When an employer shows interest, I want to qualify them quickly for commitment and fit, so we don't waste time on businesses that want a quick fix.
When we're selling, I want the company brand to carry the conversation, so I'm not the bottleneck in every deal.
When I'm planning cohorts, I want reliable pipeline visibility six weeks out, so I can book trainers and commit to start dates.
When I look at how we run internally, I want our operations to reflect the AI expertise we're teaching, so we're not undermining our own credibility.
Pain Points
Founder-led sales. Most conversions come through Crispin's personal brand and network. That's a ceiling on growth and a risk to exit ambitions.
No single source of truth. Information lives in Monday, Google Drive, email, and people's heads.
Still runs initial assessments and handles employer introductions despite wanting to be strategic.
Opportunities
AI skills gap assessment as a lead tool - employers experience TCG's expertise before signing anything.
Automated qualification from discovery call transcripts, reducing Crispin's time in every deal.
Pipeline dashboard with six-week-ahead visibility for trainer booking and cohort planning.
E
Client / Employer
SMEs, 20-200 people. Decision makers buying apprenticeships to upskill their team.
Jobs to Be Done
When considering upskilling my team, I want to understand what skills gaps we actually have, so I can make a business case.
When evaluating providers, I want to see evidence of quality before I commit, so I'm not taking a punt on box-ticking.
When working out funding, I want to know quickly whether we're using the levy, paying directly, or doing a transfer, so I can budget.
When I've decided to go ahead, I want the paperwork to be fast and painless, so my team can start learning.
When my apprentice is learning, I want to see progress against real skills that matter to my business, so I know it's paying off.
When something isn't working, I want early warning and a plan, so we can fix it before it's a problem.
Pain Points
Onboarding is compliance-led. First touchpoints after signing are forms, insurance certificates, and government system connections - not learning.
Payment type confusion slows things down. Levy transfers can block enrolment entirely.
Have to repeat information already given during sales because it doesn't flow through to delivery.
No self-service way to assess team skills gaps before committing. Quality difference invisible until after signing.
Opportunities
Skills gap tool as the entry point - get a capability map before any commitment. Experience AI in action.
Employer-facing progress dashboard with live visibility of apprentice development.
Onboarding redesigned around the learner, not compliance. Documents collected as a background process.
Hackathons and workshops for employer teams to drive cultural change beyond the apprentice.
L
Learner / Apprentice
Existing employees on Level 4 programmes, or recruitment candidates being matched to roles.
Jobs to Be Done
When told I'm doing an apprenticeship, I want to understand what's expected of me (time, portfolio, project work), so I can plan around my workload.
When filling in forms, I want to do it once and have it count, so I'm not repeating myself across systems.
When learning new skills, I want the content to be relevant to my actual job, so I can apply it immediately.
When recording hours and evidence, I want it to be quick and easy from my phone, so it doesn't feel like a second job.
When building my portfolio, I want clear guidance on what counts as evidence, so I'm not guessing.
Pain Points
Initial onboarding is form-heavy. Application, English/Maths, SGA, right-to-work - all in quick succession.
Experience fragmented across Slack, Google Drive, PICS, and the Laravel app. No single place.
Portfolio requirements uncertain - assessment approach may change, won't be confirmed until April 30th.
Some enrolled by employers who haven't explained the commitment. Expectations misaligned from day one.
Opportunities
Skills gap output from sales becomes the personalised learning plan from day one. No repeated data collection.
Single learner dashboard: progress, schedule, evidence, hours, next steps - one place.
Alumni community with structured CPD and peer learning. Relationship doesn't end at completion.
Talent pool for recruitment candidates - people who don't match one role get held for future opportunities.
A
Auditor
DWP, Ofsted, compliance bodies. Not adversarial by default - they want clean records and proof that learning is happening.
Jobs to Be Done
When reviewing records, I want every apprentice's documentation complete, consistent, and accessible, so I can verify compliance without chasing.
When checking a role's suitability, I want a job scan that maps clearly to the occupational brief, so I can confirm the right exposure.
When verifying off-the-job hours, I want accurate, timestamped records matching the training plan.
When assessing quality, I want evidence of KSB tracking and intervention when apprentices fall behind.
Pain Points
Documents stored across multiple systems (Google Drive, Monday, email) make completeness verification harder.
If information was captured verbally and never formalised, it doesn't exist for audit purposes.
Manual checking at scale will inevitably have gaps. Error rate goes up with volume.
Opportunities
Compliance-by-design - every record auto-checked for completeness at each stage. Missing documents flagged before they become findings.
Audit-ready record structure - single view per apprentice with all required documents, exportable and verifiable.
Government reporting outputs generated as a by-product of normal operation, not a separate process.
End to end

As-Is Process Map

The current apprenticeship lifecycle in 12 stages - from first contact to completion. Each stage shows who's responsible, what tools are used, and where things break down.

Stage 01
Lead Generation
Crispin, Francesca, Alex
10 channels: outbound email (CRM, Apollo, affiliate networks), Google Ads (search + display), LinkedIn Ads, cold calling, PR, events, advocates/referrals. Each channel has a different manual path into the CRM.
Monday.com CRM Apollo Sales Navigator Eventbrite Calendly
Founder-led sales. Highly manual data movement between tools. Apollo not providing expected value. Too many disconnected systems.
Crispin Francesca
Stage 02
Lead Processing & Qualification
Francesca, Alex, Crispin
Triage: company lead or individual learner? Quick outreach, qualify for genuine interest, role suitability, and which standard. Move to deal stage on CRM or discard/reroute.
Monday.com CRM Sales Navigator
Learner noise - individuals pretending to be employers. Domain language confusion. Conversation data not captured in the CRM.
Francesca Employer
Stage 03
Sales Conversion
Francesca, Alex, Crispin
Discovery calls via Calendly. Consultative discussion on needs, standards, headcount. Webinar follow-ups. Payment option discussion (levy, invoice, transfer, co-investment). Employer commits.
Calendly Monday.com CRM Eventbrite
Conversion process not fully mapped. Payment type not identified early enough - levy transfers can block enrolment. No consistent data capture from sales conversations.
Francesca Crispin Employer
Stage 04
Compliance Documentation
Francesca, Shelley
Post-conversion email triggers collection: job scan form (Word/Excel), employer liability insurance, health & safety docs, DAS connection instructions. Documents reviewed by Francesca then Shelley. Stored in Google Drive (standard > employer > apprentice). CRM stage updated to "enrolment onboarding".
Email Google Drive Monday.com CRM Job Scan (Word)
Documents in two places (CRM + Drive). Manual chasing. Job scan is a standalone document not integrated with anything.
Francesca Shelley Employer Auditor
Stage 05
DAS Connection
Francesca, Shelley
Check if employer has a DAS account. If yes, send connection request. If no, guide them through account setup. Confirm connection. If levy transfer needed, employer applies - can take weeks.
DAS (Gov) Email
Levy transfer is the major bottleneck. If not in place before cohort start, apprentice cannot be enrolled. Payment type discovered too late.
Shelley Employer
Stage 06
Apprentice Onboarding
Shelley, Crispin
Path A (existing staff): Collect details, initial meeting, send SGA (Google Form), English/Maths (BKSB via PICS), application form. Review results. Path B (recruitment): Post vacancy, filter applications, SGA pre-qualification, employer interviews, selected candidate joins Path A.
PICS / LMI BKSB Google Forms (SGA) Monday.com Google Drive
SGA is a standalone Google Form. Apprentices over-rate themselves. Sequential where it could be parallel. 60 manual reviews doesn't scale.
Shelley Employer Learner Auditor
Stage 07
Funding & Agreements
Shelley
Funding calculator (spreadsheet) populated from SGA results. Calculates price, duration, training hours, coaching sessions. Employer approves. Apprenticeship agreement signed (3 parties). Employer contract signed (2 parties).
Spreadsheet DocuSign PICS
Funding calculator is manual spreadsheet. SGA results manually entered. Multiple data transfers between disconnected systems.
Shelley Employer Learner
Stage 08
Handoff to Delivery
Francesca / Shelley → Rob
CRM deal stage updated. Compliance documentation confirmed complete in Google Drive. Delivery team picks up.
Monday.com CRM Google Drive
No formal handover trigger. Rob has no pipeline visibility. Information gaps - details from sales conversations don't transfer. Employer re-explains context.
Francesca Shelley Rob
Stage 09
Cohort Scheduling
Rob
Decision: does content exist? If no, 3-6 month content creation in parallel. Draft schedule, confirm trainers, share via spreadsheet, feed into Monday board. Felicity/Shelley map reviews. Syncs to Google Calendar.
Monday.com Google Calendar Spreadsheets
No pipeline visibility - 6 week trainer lead time but no early signal. Content creation has no documented process. Cohort size drives profitability (16 optimal).
Rob Shelley
Stage 10
Pre-Cohort Admin
Rob
Create Slack channel. Upload learner handbook and docs. Set up Google folders (recordings, slides). Grant learner access. Mostly manual - some automations but patchy.
Slack Google Drive
Largely manual with no checklist or SOP documented. Rob is new - needs Shelley and Felicity's input to fill blind spots.
Rob Learner
Stage 11
On-Programme Management
Rob, Shelley, Trainers
Review materials, keep content current, chase SME content, monitor retainer hours, trainer observations, one-to-ones, progress reviews, pastoral reviews. Needs dedicated mapping session
Monday.com Slack PICS / Aptem Google Drive
Biggest scale concern - managing 60 people on-programme is where quality suffers. SME management undocumented. Admin burden of reviewing paperwork doesn't scale.
Rob Shelley Learner Employer Auditor
Stage 12
Completion & Retention
TBC
End-point assessment, completion, ongoing employer relationship, cross-selling, alumni community. Not yet mapped
Slack (alumni)
Lifetime value not tracked. Cultural change not part of the process. Cross-selling and upselling not systematised. Effectively 0% post-apprenticeship commercial retention.
Crispin Employer Learner
Information movement

Data Flow

How information moves (or doesn't) between stages. Dashed borders show where data breaks.

Lead sources (10 channels) Manual entry Monday.com CRM
Each channel has a different manual path. CSV downloads, BCC emails, copy-paste.
Sales conversations Mostly lost In transcripts, emails, heads. Not in CRM.
Post-conversion email Employer provides docs Google Drive Disconnected from CRM
PICS (application, E&M) Disconnected Google Forms (SGA)
SGA and PICS hold related data but don't talk to each other.
SGA results Manual input Funding calculator (spreadsheet)
Agreements signed Informal handoff Delivery team
No structured signal. Rob has no pipeline visibility. BizDev and Delivery Monday boards are separate.
Monday.com (Delivery) Google Calendar Slack This bit works.
The core problem
Employer details, apprentice details, compliance status, funding status, and delivery schedule all live in different systems. There is no single view of "where is this apprentice in the process?" At 8 apprentices, people hold this in their heads. At 60, that breaks.
What moves where

Data Handoffs

At each transition between process stages, specific data objects and elements need to pass between people and systems. Click any data object to see the fields. Use this to agree what's needed at each handoff.

How data entities grow across handoffs
Each entity accumulates fields and relationships as it moves through the process. Wider bars show where data grows. Connected entities share the same Organisation or Apprentice root.
H01 Lead Gen H02 Qualify H03 Convert H04 Comply H05 Onboard H06 Fund H07 Schedule H08 Complete
Organisation
Organisation
+ DAS connection
+ cross-sell
Lead → Deal
Lead, Source
Deal, Contact, Interaction
Compliance
Compliance Doc, DAS
Agreement
Apprentice
Apprentice, SGA, Assessment, Application
Enrolment
Funding Calc, Enrolment
Enrolment(s)
Enrolment updated
Cohort
Cohort, Content Module
Session, Trainer, Progress, OTJ
Organisation is the thread from first contact to completion - created at lead gen, updated at conversion (DAS) and again at completion (retention). Enrolment is the junction that ties an apprentice to an organisation, a cohort, and a funding record. The empty columns show where entities aren't actively changing - but the data from earlier handoffs is still needed downstream. Click any cell to jump to that handoff's detail.
Handoff 01
Lead Gen
Qualification
Channels → Francesca
A lead arrives from one of 10 channels and needs to land on the CRM leads board with enough information for Francesca to triage: is this a company or a misdirected learner? Is it worth pursuing?
LeadCore
The opportunity record - source, channel, initial status
View fields
Lead SourceReferenceWhich channelLinkedIn Ads
ChannelShort TextSpecific sub-channelAI Webinar Mar 2026
StatusEnumAuto-set on creationnew
Contact NameShort TextName if org not yet createdSarah Williams
Contact EmailTextYahoo/Gmail = likely learner, not employers.williams@nexustech.co.uk
Is CompanyBooleanTrue = employer, False = individual learnertrue
Assigned ToShort TextWho works this leadFrancesca
First Contact DateDateWhen they first showed up2026-03-14
OrganisationCore
Company details - may be partial at this stage
View fields
NameTextCompany nameNexus Technologies Ltd
SectorShort TextIf known from enrichmentDigital Agency
Size BandEnumEmployee range - target is 20-200small (45 people)
WebsiteTextFrom Apollo enrichment or web formnexustech.co.uk
Lead SourceLookup
Attribution - which channel, what type
View fields
NameShort TextChannel nameLinkedIn Ads - Webinar
TypeEnumChannel categorypaid_ads
From: Apollo / Eventbrite / Web form / EmailTo: Monday.com CRM (Leads board)
Current break: Each channel has a different manual path. Eventbrite attendees downloaded as CSV, enriched in Apollo, entered one-by-one. No automatic flow from any source except the web form.
Handoff 02
Qualification
Conversion
Francesca → Francesca / Crispin
A qualified lead becomes a deal. The key data transition: we now know this is a real company, interested in a specific standard, with a contact we can work with.
DealCore
Created from qualified lead - the active sales opportunity
View fields
OrganisationReferenceConfirmed employerNexus Technologies Ltd
StandardReferenceWhich apprenticeshipAI & Automation L4
stageEnumInitial deal stagediscovery
No. of ApprenticesNumberHow many people3
Target Start DateDateCritical for cohort planning2026-05-12
Payment TypeEnumIdentify EARLY - transfers block enrolmentlevy_transfer
Recruitment RequiredBooleanDoes TCG need to find apprentices?false
Assigned ToShort TextDeal ownerFrancesca
ContactCore
The person at the org we're talking to
View fields
Full NameShort TextFull nameSarah Williams
EmailTextPrimary contact emails.williams@nexustech.co.uk
PhoneShort TextPhone number0113 496 2210
Job TitleShort TextRole at the companyOperations Director
Role TypeEnumContact's relationship to the dealdecision_maker
Primary ContactBooleanMain point of contacttrue
InteractionCore
Discovery call details - currently lost in transcripts
View fields
TypeEnumInteraction typecall
SummaryTextWhat was discussed3 staff for AI L4, start May. Using Python already. Want automation focus.
OutcomeTextResultInterested, needs board approval. Follow up next week.
Next ActionTextAgreed next stepSend programme overview + indicative cost by Friday
Transcript LinkTextRecording linkdrive.google.com/file/d/abc123
From: Monday.com (Leads board) / CalendlyTo: Monday.com (Deals board)
Current break: Conversation data not captured in the CRM. Payment type not identified early enough - levy transfers can take weeks and block enrolment.
Handoff 03
Conversion
Compliance
Francesca → Employer + Shelley
Employer commits. The post-conversion information email triggers compliance document collection. Everything Shelley needs to onboard should be captured or requested here.
Compliance DocumentCore
Three documents requested: job scan, ELI, H&S
View fields
TypeEnumDocument categoryjob_scan
StatusEnumSet when email sentrequested
Date RequestedDateTimeAudit trail (BR12)2026-03-20 14:30
Date ReceivedDateTimeWhen employer sent it back2026-03-25 09:15
Reviewed ByShort TextFrancesca then ShelleyShelley Needham
Review DateDateTimeAudit trail2026-03-26 11:00
File LinkTextGoogle Drive linkdrive.google.com/.../AI-L4/Nexus/job-scan.xlsx
DAS ConnectionCore
Apprenticeship Service account and funding route
View fields
StatusEnumAccount and connection statusconnection_requested
Levy StatusEnumLevy payer or non-levynon_levy
Transfer StatusEnumBR4: must be approved before startpending
Transfer AmountDecimalTransfer amount if approved£27,000
OrganisationUpdated
Additional org data now needed for compliance
View fields
Levy StatusEnumConfirmed levy statusnon_levy
Payment TypeEnumConfirmed payment routelevy_transfer
AddressTextFull address for contracts14 Wellington St, Leeds LS1 2DE
Company NumberShort TextCompanies House12345678
From: Monday.com CRM / EmailTo: Google Drive / DAS (Gov) / Monday.com (stage update)
Current break: Documents live in Google Drive, stage in CRM - no single view. Compliance document chasing is manual email. Information from sales conversations doesn't carry through.
Handoff 04
Compliance
Onboarding
Francesca / Shelley → Shelley + Apprentice
Compliance docs approved, DAS connected, funding route confirmed. Now the focus shifts to the individual apprentice - their details, assessments, and skills gap analysis.
ApprenticeCore
Created here - either from employer details or recruitment
View fields
Full NameShort TextFull nameJames Chen
EmailTextPersonal or work emailj.chen@nexustech.co.uk
PhoneShort TextContact number07712 345678
Date of BirthDateRequired for PICS1995-08-14
Current RoleShort TextJob title at employerJunior Developer
PathwayEnumHow they arrivedexisting_staff
StatusEnumInitial stateonboarding
Skills Gap AnalysisCore
Self-assessment against KSBs - currently a Google Form
View fields
StandardReferenceStandard being assessedAI & Automation L4
Date CompletedDateTimeWhen completed2026-04-02 16:45
StatusEnumProcessing statusunder_review
Needs Technical ReviewBooleanAuto-true if all ratings >= 5 (BR6)false
SGA RatingsJunction (M)One per KSBK1: 3, K2: 5, S1: 2, S2: 4, B1: 3...
AssessmentCore
English/Maths via BKSB + any additional learning needs
View fields
TypeEnumAssessment typeenglish
Result LevelNumberLevel achieved2
Meets MinimumBooleanL1 min for L4 apprenticeship (BR7)true
StatusEnumAssessment statuspassed
ApplicationCore
Formal PICS application with right-to-work verification
View fields
PICS ReferenceShort TextPICS system referencePICS-2026-0847
StatusEnumApplication statusverified
Right to Work VerifiedBooleanRegulatory requirementtrue
Evidence TypeShort TextEvidence providedUK passport
Verified ByShort TextWho checked itShelley Needham
From: Email / Google Forms / BKSBTo: PICS / Google Drive / Google Forms
Current break: SGA (Google Form), assessments (BKSB/PICS), and application (PICS) are all disconnected. SGA results manually entered into funding calculator. Sequential where it could be parallel.
Handoff 05
Onboarding
Funding
Shelley → Shelley + Employer
SGA and assessments complete. The funding calculator determines price and duration. Employer approves. Contracts get signed. This is where the enrolment entity is formally created.
Funding CalculationCore
Price, duration, hours - derived from SGA results
View fields
Duration (Months)NumberApprenticeship length13
Training HoursNumberTotal planned hours420
Prior Learning ReductionNumberHours removed (BR11)45
Coaching SessionsNumberPlanned sessions18
Funding RequestedDecimalMust not exceed max band£9,000
Employer ApprovedBooleanEmployer sign-offtrue
AgreementCore
Two contracts: 3-party apprenticeship + 2-party employer
View fields
TypeEnumAgreement typeapprenticeship_agreement
StatusEnumSigning statussigned
SignatoriesTextAll partiesTCG + Nexus Tech + James Chen
Date SignedDateTimeWhen fully executed2026-04-15 10:30
DocuSign RefShort TextDocuSign referenceENV-2026-04-0293
EnrolmentJunction
The key junction - ties apprentice to cohort, standard, org
View fields
ApprenticeReferenceWhoJames Chen
CohortReferenceWhich cohortAI-L4-2026-Q2
OrganisationReferenceWho's payingNexus Technologies Ltd
StandardReferenceWhat they're studyingAI & Automation L4
Enrolment DateDateFormal enrolment2026-04-18
StatusEnumBR3: one active onlypending
From: Google Forms (SGA) / Spreadsheet / DocuSignTo: PICS / Monday.com / Google Drive
Current break: SGA results manually entered into funding calculator spreadsheet. Calculator not connected to PICS. Multiple manual data transfers between disconnected systems.
Handoff 06
Funding
Delivery
Shelley / Francesca → Rob
The critical handoff. Everything Rob needs to schedule and deliver a cohort should transfer here. Currently the biggest information gap in the process.
CohortCore
The delivery unit - must exist before scheduling starts
View fields
StandardReferenceWhich programmeAI & Automation L4
NameShort TextCohort codeAI-L4-2026-Q2
Start DateDateRob needs 6+ weeks ahead (BR9)2026-05-12
Target SizeNumberAffects trainer booking10
Current SizeNumberCurrent confirmed (derived)7
StatusEnumPlanning → Confirmed at thresholdconfirmed
Enrolment(s)Junction
Who's in the cohort and their details
View fields
Apprentice Detailsvia ReferenceName, email, employer, roleJames Chen, Nexus Tech, Jr Developer
Organisation Detailsvia ReferenceCompany, contact, sectorNexus Tech, Sarah Williams, Digital Agency
SGA Summaryvia ReferenceSkills profile for trainersStrong K1-K3, weak S2-S4, avg 3.2/6
Funding Calculationvia ReferenceDuration, hours, sessions13 months, 420 hrs, 18 sessions
Content ModuleCore
Does the material exist? Rob's first decision point.
View fields
StandardReferenceFor which programmeAI & Automation L4
StatusEnumContent readinessready
SME OwnerShort TextWho's responsibleDr Anya Patel (retainer)
Last UpdatedDateTimeIs it current?2026-02-28
From: Monday.com (Sales CRM) / Google Drive / PICSTo: Monday.com (Delivery Schedule board)
Current break: No formal handover trigger. Rob has no pipeline visibility. Sales CRM and Delivery boards are separate. Employer context from conversations doesn't transfer. Rob needs 6 weeks lead time but gets no structured signal.
Handoff 07
Scheduling
On-Programme
Rob → Rob / Trainers / Learners
Cohort is scheduled, trainers booked, admin setup complete. The apprentice starts their programme. Data shifts from pipeline and compliance to delivery and evidence.
SessionCore
The delivery schedule - all planned sessions
View fields
DateDateSession date2026-05-19
TypeEnumSession typegroup_training
TrainerReferenceBooked 6+ weeks aheadDr Anya Patel
Content ModuleReferenceMaterial being coveredMod 1: AI Foundations
LocationEnumDelivery modeonline
Materials ReadyBooleanMaterials prepared?true
TrainerCore
Confirmed trainer for each session
View fields
Name & EmailShort TextTrainer contactDr Anya Patel, a.patel@ai-consult.co.uk
SpecialismTextWhat they teachAI & Automation, ML ops
TypeEnumEngagement typeexternal_sme
Max Hours/MonthNumberCapacity24
Progress ReviewCore
Ongoing - one-to-ones, pastoral, observations
View fields
TypeEnumReview typeone_to_one
DateDateTimeWhen it happened2026-06-03 14:00
NotesTextDiscussion and findingsGood progress on K1-K3. Struggling with S2 (data pipelines). Manager supportive.
ActionsTextAgreed actionsExtra 1:1 on data pipelines w/c 10 June. Pair with mentor at Nexus.
Next Review DateDateFollow-up date2026-07-01
Off-the-Job HoursCore
Compliance logging - timestamped, verifiable
View fields
DateDateWhen the learning happened2026-05-22
HoursDecimalHours logged3.5
Activity TypeEnumActivity categoryproject_work
DescriptionTextWhat was doneBuilt automated data pipeline for client reporting using Python + Airflow
Evidence LinkTextAudit evidence linkdrive.google.com/.../pipeline-screenshot.png
VerifiedBooleanChecked by coachtrue
From: Monday.com (Delivery) / Google CalendarTo: Slack / PICS / Laravel App / Google Drive
Current break: Pre-cohort admin mostly manual (Slack channel, Google folders, access). No checklist or SOP. On-programme management not yet mapped - biggest scale concern at 60 apprentices.
Handoff 08
On-Programme
Completion
Shelley / Trainers → TBC
Apprentice completes the programme. All evidence, hours, and KSB progress must be audit-ready. The relationship with the employer should transition to retention and cross-selling. Not yet mapped
EnrolmentUpdated
Status changes to completed, dates finalised
View fields
StatusEnumActive → Completedcompleted
Completion DateDateFormal completion2027-06-15
Total OTJ HoursDerivedSum of all logged hours438.5 hrs (target: 420)
KSB CompletionDerivedAll elements evidenced24/24 KSBs verified
OrganisationUpdated
Relationship transitions to alumni/cross-sell
View fields
StatusEnumRelationship status updatealumni
Cross-sell SignalsDerivedNext opportunitiesData L4 for 2 more staff, CPD module interest
From: PICS / Laravel App / Google DriveTo: DAS (Gov) / Monday.com CRM / Alumni Slack
Current break: Lifetime value not tracked. No structured cross-sell process. 0% commercial retention post-apprenticeship. Completion and retention stages not mapped.
Systemic problems

Cross-cutting Issues

Problems that span multiple stages. These won't be fixed by improving a single process.

Founder-led sales
Crispin's personal brand drives opportunity. The 60-70% email open rates work because it's him. The business depends on his network and credibility - that's a ceiling on growth and a risk to exit.
No single source of truth
Information lives in Monday.com, Google Drive, PICS, Google Forms, spreadsheets, Slack, email, and people's heads. Nobody has a complete picture without checking several systems.
Manual data movement
Every tool transition is manual. Eventbrite CSVs enriched in Apollo, entered one-by-one into the CRM. SGA results manually copied into funding calculator. No automation connecting systems.
Conversation data lost
Essential information from sales calls doesn't make it into the CRM. Calls are transcribed but nobody processes them. Shelley and Rob re-ask questions the employer already answered.
CRM not fit for purpose
Monday.com works as a basic CRM but struggles with multiple deals per employer, different products with different start dates, and recruitment mixed with existing staff pathways.
Delivery team flying blind
Rob has no visibility into pipeline. Needs six weeks to book trainers but gets no structured signal. Historically, numbers that materialise differ from numbers promised.
Compliance drives complexity
Much onboarding exists for audit, not for employers or apprentices. Job scans, SGAs, assessments - all mandatory, all paper-heavy. Getting it wrong means funding clawback.
Scale is the test
Everything works at current volumes. The question is whether it survives 60 apprentices, then 200 by Christmas. On-programme management is the biggest concern.
Patterns across personas

Three Themes

Patterns that appear across all four personas.

Theme 01
Capture once, use everywhere
Every persona suffers from the same problem: data collected in one place doesn't flow to where it's needed. Employers repeat themselves. Rob can't see the pipeline. The auditor can't find documents because they're scattered.
Theme 02
Compliance as a by-product
Shelley and the auditor both want the same thing: clean, complete records. The difference between a compliance burden and a well-run programme is whether records are generated by doing good work or assembled as a separate exercise.
Theme 03
Earlier signals, faster decisions
Crispin needs pipeline visibility six weeks out. Rob needs a cohort trigger. Francesca needs payment type identified earlier. Shelley needs quality signals before onboarding. The information exists somewhere - it arrives too late.
Current stack

Tools Landscape

What's in use, what it does, and where it falls short.

Monday.com
CRM (leads, deals), email sequencing, recruitment, delivery schedule
Clunky for multi-deal employers. Expensive. Automations don't surface the right info.
Apollo
Data enrichment. Cold email outreach being phased out.
Not providing expected value. Manual CSV workflow. May be replaced.
LinkedIn Sales Nav
Prospecting, follow-up, engagement tracking, ICP interaction
Laborious but effective. Being considered as the prospecting CRM.
Google Drive
Compliance document storage (structured folders). Recordings, slides.
Documents separated from CRM data. Manual organisation.
PICS / LMI
Learner management. Application forms, English/Maths (BKSB), enrolment, funding claims.
Workflow-driven but rigid. Being updated.
Google Forms
Skills Gap Analysis (SGA) - self-assessment against KSBs
Standalone. Not connected to PICS or funding calculator.
Eventbrite
Webinar registration and attendee management
Manual download of attendee lists. No CRM integration.
Slack
Cohort communication channels. Alumni group. Document sharing.
Per-cohort channels. Manual setup. Alumni community informal.
Spreadsheets
Funding calculator, trainer schedules
Manual data entry. Not connected to other systems.
Calendly
Meeting booking for discovery calls
Works fine for its purpose.
DocuSign
Contract and agreement signing
Works fine for its purpose.
DAS (Gov)
Apprenticeship Service - funding, employer connection, levy management
External system. Levy transfer process is slow.
Working document

March 2026. Based on: Feb discovery, Mar 4 coordination, Mar 10 process mapping workshop, Rob's ops notes, and the Miro board.

Target: 60 apprentices enrolled by end of June 2026