Caitlin McErlean is a 26-year-old brewer, originally from Milton Keynes, who is the first woman in the country to successfully complete their Level 4 Brewer Apprenticeship.
Not only that, but Caitlin has also been awarded the highest grade possible by her End-point assessment organisation, FDQ – a Distinction. In fact, good news comes in threes, as Caitlin marks FDQ’s 1000th apprentice to undertake End-point assessment.
Caitlin’s passion for making beer began at university in Durham, whilst working at a local pub which specialised in craft beers. Soon, her interest in learning Chinese (yes, she also has a degree in Chinese Studies!) waned and by her second year she knew that brewing was the career for her. But where to start? Caitlin assumed she’d need a science-based degree, so decided to find work in hospitality and see if she could find another way in.
Fast forward a couple of years and Caitlin joined Brewhouse and Kitchen, a brewery chain with over 20 ‘Brewpubs’. After succeeding in their internal ‘Beer Specialist’ training course she was then sponsored by the company to begin the L4 Brewer apprenticeship.
Unexpectedly, 18 months into the apprenticeship, an opportunity came up at Cloudwater Brewery in Manchester, which Caitlin describes as, ‘my dream job, in my dream location’. As apprenticeships today are fully portable, not only was Caitlin able to transfer her apprenticeship to Cloudwater but was also able to continue the ‘off the job’ apprenticeship training with her training provider.
In addition to working with her trainer, as part of the brewing apprenticeship Caitlin also attended six 2-day workshops at the International Centre for Brewing Science at the University of Nottingham. Here, she learned about the scientific and technical aspects of brewing , via a series of lectures and practical sessions run by beer industry experts. It was this element of the apprenticeship that Caitlin says she enjoyed the most,
“The mix of science and creativity was challenging but really stimulating. It was also a great opportunity to meet other apprentice brewers. Brewing is a really kind, sociable industry – everyone was happy to share their experience and help each other out.”
End-point Assessment day
End-point Assessment is the final and most important stage of an apprentices’ journey. It is where the apprentice has to ‘prove’ they have developed the ‘knowledge, skills and behaviours’ outlined in the apprenticeship standard, developed by employers themselves.
The L4 Brewer Apprenticeship standard was developed by a group of some 27 beer industry employers, ranging from micro-brewers to household name, multi-national breweries.
Just over two years after starting her apprenticeship Caitlin was ready for her brewer EPA. Working with her HIT trainer, she’d already completed a ‘Mock EPA’ and had put together an extensive brewer logbook she was able to refer to in her revision. This preparation was important she says, and her personal tip for EPA success would be,
“Ask your trainer for the end-point assessment criteria. That way you can be sure you are focusing your preparation in the right areas.”
End-point assessment organisations play an important role in helping apprentices do their best on the day. FDQ are a food and drink industry specialist awarding and EPA organisation.
They recruit Independent Examiners carefully, ensuring they not only have solid industry experience but also an aptitude for working with apprentices at what can be the most stressful time of their apprenticeship. In fact, key to her success on the day, Caitlin says, was the calm encouragement she received from her FDQ Independent Examiner.
“It was an intense, long day but I really enjoyed it. I was assessed whilst performing typical brewery tasks, then I completed an hour-long knowledge test and finally had a one-to-one Q&A type discussion with my examiner. He was very encouraging throughout, striking the right balance between being professional but also friendly. It really put me at ease.”
When asked about their approach to EPA and Caitlin’s performance, FDQ’s EPA Manager, Kevin Meades, who attended on the day had this to say,
“It’s standard practice for FDQ Independent Examiners to calmly run through what to expect on EPA day with our apprentices. It helps settle them and ensures there’s no nasty surprises that might throw them off.
“End-point Assessment is challenging – the L4 Brewer EPA takes over seven hours in total and involves a knowledge test, practical brewing assessment and a professional discussion with the examiner. It’s vital to prepare well, which Caitlin clearly had. Her passion for brewing was also clear from the outset. She thoroughly deserved her Distinction, and we wish her every success in the future.”
On discovering she’d passed with flying colours and is also the first female brewing apprentice to pass her apprenticeship, Caitlin says: “Honestly I cried! It felt so wonderful because it’s something I care about so much.”
Caitlin now works ‘hot-side’ as a full-time brewer with Cloudwater, which involves managing the brewing process from raw ingredients up to fermentation stage. She says she couldn’t be happier,
“As well as working with great people, I just love the feeling of producing a beer that I know people are going to enjoy,” she says.
Having completed the apprenticeship, Caitlin isn’t ruling out further study. In fact, having the Level 4 Brewer Apprenticeship under her belt means she could now look towards gaining professional qualifications in Brewing or even studying for a Masters in Brewing Science. As she concludes,
“The brewing apprenticeship has really opened up doors for me,” Caitlin adds.
