How is the summative portfolio for the Digital Marketer standard graded?

The Digital Marketer standard is graded distinction, merit, pass, or fail. None of the assessment components are graded separately; only one grade is awarded. Following the interview, the apprentice will be awarded an overall grade based on a holistic assessment of the evidence presented in all assessment components.

The assessment and grading are made on three sets of criteria. The three criteria are:

• The What: what the apprentice has shown they can do.

• The How: how the work has been done.

• The With Whom: the personal and interpersonal qualities the apprentice has brought to all their work relationships.

Each of these three criteria has minimum (expected) requirements that must be satisfied for a pass. Each of these criteria has several dimensions that should be considered to determine if the apprentice is significantly above the minimum (expected) level of quality in this occupation. There are two levels for each of the three criteria: the expected level (as defined in the minimum requirements) and a level significantly above this.

The apprentice is graded as a pass if all three elements are at the expected level. If ‘The What’ and ‘The How’ are significantly above the expected level and ‘The With Whom’ is at the expected level, the apprentice is graded at a merit. If ‘The What’ is significantly above the expected level, ‘The How’ at the expected level, and ‘The With Whom’ is significantly above the expected level, the apprentice is graded at merit. Finally, if all are graded significantly above the expected level, the apprentice is graded at a distinction.