Skills help and support for individuals

This qualification is for learners who work or want to work in customer service in the hospitality, leisure, travel, or tourism sector.

This allows learners to learn, develop and practise the skills required for employment and/or career progression in the customer service sector.

Delivered over 20 days, this can be once a week, twice a week or every day for four weeks.

Employability Skills qualifications are designed to support an individual successfully gaining a job, progressing in a chosen field, and preparing the individual for further study.

Aimed to support anyone who wants to live a more independent life, progress in education and/or their employment prospects; get into a job, as they progress along the career ladder.

Delivered over 14 days, flexible with the delivery model.

Courses are aimed at developing skills for getting into Construction, Customer Service, Retail, Hospitality, Child Minding and more.

Delivered flexibly over 13 days.

Courses are aimed at developing skills for Construction, Customer Service, Retail, Hospitality, Child Minding and more.

Delivered flexibly over 10 days.

This qualification is for learners who work or want to work in customer service sector and covers the importance of providing excellent customer service, the role of the individual in providing excellent customer service, the importance of customers' needs and expectations.

One and half day course.

This qualification is for learners wishing to apply for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Green Card. The CSCS Green Card is for those working in labouring occupations only.

CSCS introduced a requirement for applicants to achieve a formal knowledge-based qualification, the 'Health and Safety in a Construction Environment' Award. Achievement demonstrates the applicant's understanding of key issues affecting safe working practices on UK construction sites.

Delivered over three and a half days plus tests (half a day).

This course is designed to ensure that everyone is aware of their own safety and the safety of customers, contractors and the public when working for an employer.

This course can be tailored to individual needs to make the learning experience relevant and fit for purpose.

Includes:

• know the principles of health and safety and accident prevention
• contribute to any health and safety management system
• recognise the importance of risk assessment
• responsibilities placed on employers and employees
• hazard, risk and main causes of harm to workers
• the importance of following systems, procedures and rules
• able to take individual action to reduce risks to health and safety
• how workplace equipment and task design affect health and safety

Delivered over one day.

This course is designed for individuals who wish to have the knowledge and skills needed to give safe, prompt, and effective first aid in emergency situations.

Covers:

• the roles and responsibilities of an emergency first aider
• assessing an incident and managing an unresponsive casualty
• CPR, defibrillation and the recovery position
• choking, seizures, shock
• wounds and bleeding
• minor injuries

Delivered over one day.

Would you know what to do if a child in your care needed first aid?

This course has been designed to meet the needs of anyone who has a non-professional involvement with infants and children, such as parents, grandparents and want to learn key paediatric first aid skills.

This free course is delivered by fully qualified First Aid Teachers (DCC staff) for residents of Co Durham and funded through Community Learning.  It is unaccredited and learners will receive an in-house certificate

Covers:

• assessing an emergency situation
• dealing with an unresponsive infant or child
• recovery position, CPR and defibrillation
• choking
• head, neck and back injuries
• fractures
• anaphylaxis and allergic reactions
• meningitis
• asthma
• febrile convulsions
• seizures
• diabetic emergencies
• poisoning
• burns and scalds
• electric shock
• external bleeding
• eye, ear and nose conditions
• bites and stings

Delivered over two days. Learners will get a 30 minute lunch break during the course.

The aim of this training is to develop learner's understanding of their role and responsibilities, in line with current guidelines, when safeguarding and protecting children, young people and adults at risk.

This course is for people who are working with children, young people, and adults at risk. This includes those in voluntary or unpaid positions.

Covers:

• understand the key safeguarding legislation and guidelines
• how legislation applies to their role
• what to do if a child or adult discloses information
• the signs and symptoms of abuse, neglect, or exploitation
• an overview of designated responsibilities for different safeguarding roles
• the role of the designated safeguarding officer
• how to deal effectively with safeguarding concerns
• increased knowledge of multi-agency work and relationships
• increased understanding of the key legislation underpinning multi-agency working

Delivered over a half day.

This course will provide learners with a strong understanding of the importance of food safety, including correct food handling practices and measures to reduce the risk of contamination.

Covers

• the importance of food safety including food safety laws and the responsibilities of food handlers
• types of contamination and the associated risks including bacteriology, food poisoning, foodborne illnesses
• an introduction to the management of food including personal hygiene, workflow, work surfaces and equipment
• importance of cleaning and disinfection, waste disposal, pest control
• safe food handling practices including time and temperature controls

Delivered over one day.

This course will provide learners with the opportunity to learn new skills in searching the Internet, setting up an email account, able to create a CV (or similar document) and use a spreadsheet to help with personal finance and budgeting.

Delivered flexibly over three days.

The Positive Woman course is designed to improve self-esteem and confidence to develop a positive mindset and to improve options to progress towards employment.

Covers:

• self-esteem
• confidence building and stress management
• increasing personal effectiveness
• recognise conflict strategies
• build on existing communication skills
• money management

Delivered flexibly over four days.

The Positive Man course is designed to improve self-esteem and confidence to develop a positive mindset and to improve options to progress towards employment.

Covers:

• managing a work and life balance
• build on existing communication skills
• recognise conflict strategies
• managing personal finance

Delivered flexibly over four days.

Being 'green' means living in a way that is not harmful to the environment. This way of life is becoming increasingly important, as we need to protect our planet from man-made damage. There are many ways that we can make sustainable changes in order to lessen the negative effect that our daily lives contribute to.

Covers environmental sustainability in the UK, around the home, how we travel, what we wear, what we eat, at work.

Delivered flexibly over four days.

Do you want to improve your understanding and confidence with Maths? Do you need help with family budgeting? Do you look at your child's homework and feel like you cannot help?

Our short courses are fully funded, delivered in your local area by our experienced tutors (primary teachers and parents themselves) who understand the importance of working with the resources and methods that you need.

Delivered flexibly over either 1.5 days or three half days.

If English is not your first language, our courses will help you to develop your communication skills for everyday situations.

You'll learn how to read, write, and speak clearly in English, but it's more than just English: you will have the opportunity to work with people from many different countries, and share your story and culture. Most of all, you'll make new friends and boost your confidence to live well in your local community.

Are you thinking about a new career in Childminding?  Take the first steps to getting the qualifications you need.

This 12 day Level 2 Certificate in Employability Skills course will cover topics:

• Understanding children's physical, social and emotional development
• Improving practical skills and techniques
• Managing yourself
• Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding children & young people and Equality & Diversity

Time: 9.00am - 3.00pm each day

More than ever, communication is the key to success - in employment, in education and in everyday life. Yet, many of us find it challenging to get our point across in the best possible way, whether in writing, online or in person.

Communicate is a government initiative that provides fully funded literacy-based support for learners aged over 19 years old. Our short courses are fully-funded, taught at times to suit you in your local area. Our courses are facilitated by experienced tutors who understand how to help you.

We can offer support with:

• communication skills
• CV writing
• interview technique
• literacy skills

Contact Durham Employment and Skills Service