The Level two Diploma in bench joinery I deliver in my workshop is a practical, work-related course that covers a variety of joinery tasks and this is divided into seven units. The students learn by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations and activities to achieve the diploma.
The new functional skills, which will be part of the diploma will ensure that students are able to apply the theory of mathematics, English and ICT to real working situations. This introduction into the curriculum of functional skills will be key to ensuring a larger, better prepared pool of students to build Britain’s future.
The content of the course is diverse and challenging to preparing my students for work in the construction industry or in any other field. A highly skilled operative is always in demand and the benefit of skills and knowledge will help them become more employable or quite simply able to do tasks they never thought they would have the opportunity of accomplishing. The other aspect of the course teaches my learners to respect and look after their own tool kit and learn how to work with others as many of them have never had or held down a job.
I am still waiting for the go ahead from my employer for a distance learning course like EDCL for my IT skills. I am proficient on Word and Excel but would like the other disciplines within IT which will help me develop my course and myself for the future.
I have mentioned about the further training which I would like to attend on my PDP3/4 as most of the IT skills that I have are self taught and I think that the confidence of achieving something like the EDCL will prepare me to bring that aspect of functional skills into my course with a lot more confidence.
On the completion of my course my students will leave not only with the relevant joinery skills and the diploma that should make them more employable but they will have instilled within them the functional skills to