Adult Learning

This could be the start of something new!

The Thurrock Learning Campus provides the opportunity for you to develop your skills for the future. The staff of South East Essex College, based at the Thurrock Learning Campus, are offering a variety of courses enabling people to up-skill or develop new skills.

Our NVQ courses provide opportunities to gain nationally recognised qualifications to develop employability and acquire skills needed in the workplace.

• Business and Administration
• Retail and Warehousing
• Children’s Care Learning and Development
• Supporting Teaching and Learning (Teaching Assistants)
• Hospitality
• Health and Social Care

The above qualifications can be assessed in the workplace enabling you to demonstrate your competence in your work role. South East Essex provides experienced Assessor to support students to achieve across all the awards. If you need to information about options, availability and criteria for any course, please ring 01702 220600. Why not contact us now and we can arrange an interview to accommodate your individual needs and get you started on a course which could change your life.

Some courses are available for volunteers and there are steams of funding for course costs.

Skills for Life

With any NVQ there is the opportunity to develop to your Literacy and Numeracy skills through Skills for Life - why not call into the Thurrock Learning Campus and discuss how Skills for Life can work for you.

Employers

Helping through the challenging times

We can help your business succeed in this time of economic challenge, it is vital that investment is maintained to develop skills for the future. Increasing the skills of your workforce will improve the performance of your business.

We can help you to:

• Use training to meet your short term challenges
• Emerge stronger, ready to take advantage of new opportunities
• Identify skills needs at all levels of your business
• Identify and provide high quality, vocational skills training

Who can benefit from training?

• Contracted employees (full or part time)
• Self-employed people
• Volunteers
• Employment agency workers

How can we help?

Organising and implementing training can be challenging and time-consuming for employers. Our Lead Employer Engagement Brokers within Business Development take on much of the hard work, identifying quality courses and provision, helping you schedule your training to minimise disruption to your business.

Identify the skills that will boost your business

Identify skills which will make a real difference to your business – now and into the future. Our Employer Engagement Brokers work with employers to:

• Create a tailored package of training
  Identify the training and other skills strategies that will drive your business forward, and the employees who will benefit most.
• Evaluate the training to ensure real results
  You want the best value for money from your investment - we provide advice on funding available to support your training needs including advice on apprenticeships. If you’re eligible for partial or full funding, our employer Engagement Brokers will provide advice on how funding can be accessed.

We want to work with employers and employees to ensure maximum impact on business success.

Let us evaluate your training needs and work together for a brighter future.

From National Vocational Qualifications to bespoke on-site training, we’ll make sure you find the right skills solutions to meet your needs. We will consider the whole spectrum of available training, and tailor their recommendations to your business.

We cover all of these and more:

• National Vocational Qualifications
• Apprenticeships
• leadership and management training
• bespoke courses
• basic skills (literacy, numeracy and English language)
• sector-specific skills

If you don’t have much time for training, our new funding for smaller, focused training programmes could help you get the skills you need. It’s available for small and medium sized private sector businesses. Find out more about extra support for your business.

Prometric Testing Centre

The Business Development Team is pleased to announce the opening of our Online Computer Based Testing Centre at the Thurrock Learning Campus.

As an authorised Prometric Testing Centre, students can easily register for numerous IT certification exams. As a global leader in Computer Based Testing, Prometric allows us to offer and deliver a wide range of computer based exams for virtually all major IT certification programs including Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, Lotus, CompTIA, ISEB, Sun and others.

The Prometric service goal is to provide superior exam facilities and the most responsive service for examinees. We strive to provide a pleasant and positive experience for our examinees at what can be a very stressful time for them. Test Centre Administrators are certificated to ensure the centre is run in an organised and professional way.

Candidates can register for their exams online and book or schedule their exams any time of day or night, any day of the week. The Test Centre operates a flexible policy of opening hours, and our Test Centre opening hours can be accessed on-line (www.prometric.com), along with directions. Alternatively bookings can be made by telephoning our Test Centre direct on 01702 220577, where our staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Apprenticeships

What are apprenticeships?

Apprenticeships can make your business more productive and competitive by filling any immediate skills gaps you may have. Apprenticeships combine on and off site training and have been designed by employers within your sector to make sure that they gain the skills and experience necessary to make a positive impact on your business.

When it comes to staying competitive and developing new talent for your business, the facts speak for themselves:

• 77% of employers feel that apprentices make their business more competitive
• 76% state that apprentices contribute to increased productivity
• 80% believe that apprentices help reduce staff turnover
• 83% argue that by taking apprentices, they are generating their future workforce

The benefits of taking an apprentice are evident through improved retention of talented staff, sector specific training to improve both subject skills and essential skills in literacy and numeracy, improved productivity and increased efficiency. A range of national employers have recognised the importance of apprenticeships, including British Gas, BMW and Orange.

Apprentices usually study for a technical certificate (specialist subject knowledge), a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) as well as improving skills in areas such as communication and application of number. The time taken to complete the course depends on your circumstances and can be designed in a way that minimizes the impact on your business needs.

Who can become an apprentice?

Apprenticeships are open to all age groups over the age of 16, irrespective of background. Apprenticeships are open to school leavers, experienced staff or people who are seeking a new career direction. All that is required is that they live in England and are not currently in full time education.

What apprenticeships are on offer?

Business Development has recently launched its first seven apprenticeships in Accounting, Advising on Financial Products, Hospitality, Leadership and Management, Providing Financial Services, Software Development and Technical Theatre and these are all available at Levels ranging from 2 to 3.

How can employers take on an apprentice?

Employers can contact Business Development to seek information, advice and support on how to take on an apprentice. We will work with you to source the most appropriate apprentice for your business.

If the apprentice is aged between 16 and 18 the Government fully funds the training costs of an Apprenticeship programme.

Where the apprentice is 19 or over, employers are expected to make a contribution towards the cost of training. The contribution does not necessarily have to be a cash payment to us but can be other contributions that reduce the cost of delivery. We will meet with you and discuss funding options in detail.

How do I find out more?

If you are interested in finding out how to become an apprentice or take on an apprentice, please contact the Business Development Team on business@thurrocklearningcampus.ac.uk

ICT Systems Support – Blended Learning Solutions

For learners whose work schedules make it difficult to commit to regular classroom sessions, the Business Development Team at South Essex College now offers our range of ICT Systems Support courses in a blended learning format. Learners can study any individual module online, with tutor support via email. Additionally, learners may choose to book up to two 90-minute workshop sessions per week, in order to complete practical hands-on exercises, or receive tutor support.

The available courses are:

• CompTIA:
  • A+ IT Technician
  • Network+
  • Security+
• Cisco:
  • CCNA Part 1: Network Fundamentals
  • CCNA Part 2: Routing Protocols and Concepts
  • CCNA Part 3: LAN Switching and Wireless
  • CCNA Part 4: Accessing the WAN
• Microsoft:
  • MCP: Supporting Users Running Microsoft Windows XP Desktop Operating Systems
  • MCP: Microsoft: Supporting Users Running Applications on Microsoft Windows XP
  • MCP: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional
  • MCP: Managing and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Environment
  • MCP: Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
  • MCP: Planning and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Network Infrastructure
  • MCP: Planning, Implementing, and Maintaining a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure
  • MCP: Designing a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory and Network Infrastructure
  • MCTS: Windows Vista, Configuring
  • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Active Directory, Configuring
  • MCTS: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure, Configuring

The courses are on average 12 weeks in length and the optional workshop sessions will take place on Monday and Friday evenings, Saturdays may be available subject to demand at the Thurrock Learning Campus. Each course costs £300, an affordable and flexible option to help you gain the essential skills to work in ICT.

If you would like to know more, please contact the Business Development Team on business@thurrocklearningcampus.ac.uk

Apple Certification program

The Apple Certification program offers you or your employees the opportunity to train on a range of professional applications used in the creative industries. As an Apple Certified Training Centre, South Essex College offers a number of courses designed to help trainees achieve their certification by hands-on, interactive instruction which will help them achieve an industry recognised qualification.

We currently offer training in Final Cut Pro; industry leading video editing software, and Logic; Apple’s professional music production application.

If you are interested in finding out how to enrol on one of our Apple courses, please contact the Business Development Team on business@thurrocklearningcampus.ac.uk

Apply Now and see how our exciting new Campus can open a door for you.