This course is aimed at 16-18-years-old who did not achieve the grades for a level 3 programme, apprenticeship, or employment and need to re-sit their maths and English whilst simultaneously developing their academic and vocational skills. It is also suitable for students who are unsure about the career they wish to undertake and would like to take the time to explore their vocational options whilst further developing their literacy and numeracy skills
This Academic and Vocational Skills course is made up of Maths, English, Work Experience, Future Focus and Enrichment; and will give you a full Level 2 Diploma. You will have the opportunity to undertake research projects and enterprise events alongside developing research and report writing skills, building a career plan and developing essential digital skills. You will participate in work experience or volunteering in your chosen field. At the end of the course, you will showcase your work in a presentation, using the video software skills that you have learned to record and document activity.
This course is made up of 9 different units; one core unit and 8 essential units:
The core unit focuses on the ‘The Psychology of Success’; understanding the skills that support the development of a growth mind-set and attitude, and being able to apply planning skills, including adapting to change. This unit is:
- Action planning for personal success – This will be taught all year and allows you and your tutor to carefully consider the areas that you need to develop in, to set personal/academic and career goals and to then work towards these in a structured and supported way.
The essential units include topics on behaviour in the workplace, communication in the workplace, equality and diversity at work, problem solving in the workplace, teamwork skills and volunteering. They include:
- Undertaking an enterprise project – You will plan, implement and reflect on a fundraising event for BLC Boost, a scheme developed to tackle student poverty within the college. There will be lots of opportunity to use creative/business/IT/organisational and communication skills during this project.
- Small Scale Research Project – You will undertake a research project within a career field/area of your choosing, allowing you to develop knowledge and understanding in a field that you are interested in. You will develop research skills, report writing skills, IT skills and academic writing.
- Report Writing – This unit will develop your academic writing skills and allow you to focus on a chosen field, whether that be IT, hair and beauty, catering, health, art and design, media or engineering etc. All topics will be considered and a range of report writing formats will be explored.
- Learning from Volunteering – You will undertake voluntary experience in a charity of your choosing. This may be BLC Boost but you will be encouraged to explore other opportunities.
- Email Skills – You will develop the technical and professional email skills to contact organisations, engage in fundraising, apply for jobs, attach documents and spreadsheets and to use email in a study/corporate environment.
- Investigating a Career – You will thoroughly research and undertake tasters in several career fields in preparation for your future steps.
- Video Software Skills – This unit is taught for the duration of the course and allows you to video and document all of the exciting projects you have participated in throughout the year, in a professional video format. These skills are much sought in industry.
- Presentation Software Skills – The final showcase at the end of the course incorporating all units and utilising the video software skills and other skills developed.
This course will be delivered face-to-face at our Buxton and Leek campuses. Lesson will encourage active learning, such as, team activities, work experience and volunteering, and will also focus on your individual goals and personal achievement. In addition, you will undertake computer/digital tasks and written assignments.
