Assessment Method: Professional Discussion underpinned by a portfolio
Plain-English Explanation
S14 is about knowing when and how to escalate an issue you can’t resolve yourself. This means following your organization’s escalation process, communicating clearly, and ensuring the right people are informed promptly.
Examples of How Apprentices Demonstrate This at Work
Logging an unresolved ticket in the helpdesk system and assigning it to the correct team
Using Microsoft Teams or email to notify a senior colleague about a critical issue
Setting up mailbox rules to flag escalation emails for urgent attention
Creating a Power Automate flow to automatically escalate tickets after a set time
Documenting all steps taken before escalation for transparency
Common Gaps and Misconceptions
Waiting too long to escalate, causing delays and user frustration
Escalating without providing enough detail for the next person to act
Not following the official escalation path (e.g., going straight to senior management)
Forgetting to update the user about the escalation status
Links to Resources and Tools
Podcast: Effective Escalation in IT Support (Insert your podcast link here)
Why It Matters
Ensures issues are resolved quickly and efficiently
Maintains user confidence and satisfaction
Prevents small problems from becoming major incidents
Portfolio Evidence Ideas
Screenshots of:
A helpdesk ticket showing escalation steps
A Power Automate flow for automatic escalation
Mailbox rules for prioritizing escalation emails
A short write-up explaining how you escalated an issue and why
EPA-Style Questions
How do you decide when to escalate an issue?
Can you give an example of when you escalated a problem effectively?
Why is it important to follow the organization’s escalation process?
Embedded Topics
Equality & Diversity: Ensuring all users receive fair and timely support
Sustainability: Reducing wasted time and resources by escalating promptly
British Values: Accountability and responsibility in problem resolution