Monthly Archives: April 2025

Notice of Certification Price Increase – Effective 1 June 2025

30th April 2025

From 1 June 2025, the cost of an Apprenticeship Framework completion certificate in Wales, processed and issued through the Skills Federation’s online ACW system, will increase by £5.00. The new fee will be £30.00 per certificate.
 

This change reflects the ongoing commitment of the Skills Federation to deliver a high-quality and efficient certification service, which it has provided since 2012. The last adjustment to certification pricing was made in 2020.

 

In addition to processing certification claims, the Skills Federation also:

 

  • Maintains the secure IT infrastructure that supports the ACW system
  • Has continuously developed and improved the ACW software over the past 13 years, in line with regulatory requirements and user feedback
  • Provides well-regarded online and telephone customer support
  • Offers accessible, up-to-date online guidance and support materials
  • Implements stringent quality control processes to ensure claims are accurately and promptly handled within agreed service levels

We understand that current economic conditions are difficult for many, and there is never an ideal time for a price increase. However, the Skills Federation is a registered charity that delivers all of these services without any public funding.

 

As the designated Certifying Authority in Wales, the Federation, and its Members, must ensure the service remains financially sustainable. Despite already taking significant steps to reduce fixed costs, a modest increase is now necessary to continue meeting our statutory responsibilities and to maintain the high standard of service expected by training providers, employers, and Apprentices.

 

The new fee of £30 will come into effect on 1 June 2025. The ACW system will be updated accordingly, and all tokens purchased on or after this date will be charged at the new rate.
 

CLOSURE OF THE ACW FRAMEWORK LIBRARY

22nd April 2025

It is with a degree of sadness that, from 5pm 30th April 2025, we will be withdrawing our ACW Framework library from service.
 

The ACW library was launched in late 2019 and replaced the old Apprenticeship Frameworks Online (AFO) system. It has served as a publicly available website hosting, downloadable versions, of current ACW frameworks, for all sectors and levels, and it also served as an easy to access repository of archived versions of each framework.
 

The library has served our users well for many years but, as part of the 2020 transition of the Issuing Authority role from Sector Bodies to the Welsh Government, it was always planned that Welsh Government would develop their own Apprenticeship Framework library.
 

Their new Framework library has now been launched and can be accessed here.
 

From 30th April 2025, there will be no further access to the framework library on the ACW website.
 

If you have any questions relating to the above then please contact the ACW Support Team via acw@skillsfederation.org or by calling 0300 303 4444 option 1.