Learning at Work Day Information Technology Business Administration Customer Service Team Leading & Management Functional Skills merciapartnership.com

About us… Mercia Partnership was established in 1998 to provide high quality training for people both working and not working in the North West of England. We are an education and training provider specialising in training IT amongst the workforce. With offices in Prescot and Liverpool City Centre, we run a wide range of courses across a number of sectors.

With further sectors and programmes under consideration, please contact us if your preferred programme or sector is not listed above. Mercia Partnership works closely with the following organisations: Job Centre Plus, Local Education Authority, Connexions, Liverpool Education and Business Partnership, Greater Merseyside Learning Providers Federation, Liverpool Provider Network, Unionlearn, GMB Union, PCS and other unions and local schools. We are a lead provider and currently work with Reliant Training, Elite Training Solutions and 5 Stars Recruitment as sub-contractors. Mercia Quality Mercia has achieved many quality standards over the years including IIP status, Matrix accreditation, Beacon status, Provider of the year awards and a TUC Unionlearn Quality Award. Policies, Procedures and Charters Mercia Partnership has many policies and procedures in place to create the best possible learning environment. For your convenience, they are available to download from merciapartnership.com/about-us/policies-procedures-charters/ Contact Us Mercia Partnership (UK) Ltd. Prescot Head Office 10 Vicarage Place Prescot L34 1LA T: 0151 292 9029 F: 0151 292 2852 E: enquiries@merciapartnership.co.uk

HMRC PCS Learning Room, 212, 2nd Floor, Regian House, Liverpool, L75 1AA Or contact your Union Learning Representative.

Additional Support for Students All students enrolling on programmes with Mercia Partnership may be entitled to specific additional support in order to help them succeed and provide equal access to the curriculum. Common needs for additional support include dyslexia, learning difficulties, deaf and hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, communication difficulties and physical disability. Additional support can take many forms and include in-class support, a reader or scribe for exams, access to specialist equipment, mobility support and adaption of materials.

The programmes we run include: Apprenticeships Vocational Qualifications Employability Courses

We currently offer courses in the following sectors: Information Technology Business & Administration Education & Training Customer Service Team Leading & Management Functional Skills

Learning with Mercia Mercia Partnership seeks to provide your learning in a way that suits you. We work in a variety of ways using face to face methods as well as using technology where appropriate. If you have any individual requirements then do let us know and we will work with you to ensure you have the best possible access to learning. Mercia Partnership are committed to ensuring that all our strategies, policies, procedures and practices demonstrate impartiality and actively promote equality of opportunity for all. All Apprenticeships must include the following elements: A competencies qualification which must be achieved by the apprentice to qualify for an Apprenticeship certificate, and which is the qualification required to demonstrate competence in performing the skill, trade or occupation to which the framework relates A technical knowledge qualification which is the qualification required to demonstrate achievement of the technical skills, knowledge and understanding of theoretical concepts and knowledge and understanding of the industry and its market relevant to the skill, trade or occupation to which the framework relates. A module on employee rights and responsibilities. An induction book has been developed to ensure that you know about your Employment Responsibilities and Rights (ERR) that form part of the Apprenticeship programme. A module on personal learning and thinking skills. PLTS are generic skills that are essential to life, learning and work. PLTS have a significant impact on a person’s ability to make a confident contribution, both within and outside of their working environment. Functional Skills (e.g. Maths, English and ICT) qualifications. You will have a choice of options that enable your qualification to fit to your role at work. Level Guide (Source: http://ofqual.gov.uk/help-and-advice/comparing-qualifications/) Each regulated qualification has a level between entry level and level 8. Qualifications at the same level are a similar level of demand or difficulty. The content and size of qualifications at the same level may be quite different.

Information Technology

Flexible qualifications in IT, for IT Users and IT Technicians. Entry Requirements Must be working in a relevant environment and be able to achieve functional skills. Your assessor will support you to select an appropriate level in line with your current job role. Learning & Assessment Methods Assessment and delivery will be undertaken in the workplace, tailored to the needs of both the employer and the learner including practical demonstrations of competence to build a portfolio of evidence.

IT User Level 2 (and 3)

The Diploma for IT User Skills is designed for anyone who works in or wants to work in a role that uses IT. The programme will be adapted to suit your needs and those of your employer. The ITQ is ideal for those with little experience in computing and are seeking more in depth knowledge and skills in particular topics to aid progress in employment. Duration: 12 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the (Advanced) Apprenticeship in IT User Skills, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Diploma for IT User Skills •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

IT Professional Competence/IT Technician Level 2 (and 3)

The Diploma in IT Professional Competence is designed for anyone looking to develop their ICT competency; from those just starting out in the industry to those in senior management roles. You could be working within the ICT sector, or providing IT support or strategy in any other sector. Duration: 12-15 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the (Advanced) Apprenticeship in Information Technology Professional Competence, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Diploma in Information Technology Professional Competence •Technical Certificate in Information Technology Professional Competence •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Business & Administration

Business and Administration gives you an opportunity to formalise your skills and knowledge to achieve a nationally recognised qualification. You will be able to demonstrate competency in your role by providing evidence that your skills and knowledge meet the fundamental aspects of business and administration. This will give you the confidence you need in your current role and provide you the opportunity to continue your personal development. Entry Requirements Must be working in a relevant environment and be able to achieve functional skills. Your assessor will support you to select an appropriate level in line with your current job role. Learning & Assessment Methods Assessment and delivery will be undertaken in the workplace, tailored to the needs of both the employer and the learner including practical demonstrations of competence to build a portfolio of evidence.

Business Administration Level 2

Designed for staff who carry out a broad range of administrative activities, with a limited amount of supervision and who work with some autonomy. Duration: 12 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Apprenticeship in Business Administration, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Certificate in Business Administration •Technical Certificate in Business Administration •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Business Administration Level 3

Designed for staff that carry out administrative duties with a considerable amount of responsibility and autonomy. This should include contributing to the development and implementation of administrative services within the organisation. Duration: 12 - 15 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Advanced Apprenticeship in Business Administration, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Diploma in Business Administration •Technical Certificate in Business Administration •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Customer Service

If you want to make the right impression with customers, then the Certificate or Diploma in Customer Service could be right for you. It will help you to get a better understanding of what your customers really want and even build your confidence. Entry Requirements Must be working in a relevant environment and be able to achieve functional skills. Your assessor will support you to select an appropriate level in line with your current job role. Learning & Assessment Methods Assessment and delivery will be undertaken in the workplace, tailored to the needs of both the employer and the learner including practical demonstrations of competence to build a portfolio of evidence.

Certificate in Customer Service Level 2

The Level 2 Certificate is designed for anyone who works in a customer-facing role looking to improve their own skills. Duration: 12 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Apprenticeship in Customer Service, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Certificate in Customer Service •Technical Certificate in Customer Service •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Diploma in Customer Service Level 3

The Level 3 Diploma is designed for those who are able to respond to customer issues at a strategic level, suggesting improvements to customer service strategy and helping in their implementation. Duration: 12-15 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Advanced Apprenticeship in Customer Service, learners must complete the following components: •QCF (NVQ) Diploma in Customer Service •Technical Certificate in Customer Service •Functional Skills: English, Maths and ICT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Team Leading & Management

The aim of these qualifications is to contribute to the skills, knowledge and overall performance of Team Leaders and Managers. They provide insight into the principles and processes of Leadership and Management to enable career progression and organisational performance. Entry Requirements: Must be working in relevant environment and be able to achieve functional skills qualifications in English, Maths and IT. Learning & Assessment Methods Assessment and delivery will be undertaken in the workplace, tailored to the needs of both the employer and the learner including practical demonstrations of competence to build a portfolio of evidence.

Team Leading Level 2

Designed for team leaders, to support the development of their skills in leading a team, making sure that the team’s work achieves organisational objectives, and contributing to planning, problem solving and decision making. Duration: 12 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Apprenticeship in Team Leading, learners must complete the following components: •CMI NVQ Level 2 Certificate in Team Leading •Technical Certificate in Team Leading •Functional Skills: English, Maths and IT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Management Level 3

This QCF Certificate is designed for those who are entering a management role or who wish to gain a qualification that formally recognises their skills, those who manage a team and are responsible for its performance and middle managers who have a wider managerial role, which could include recruitment and budgetary responsibilities. Duration: 12-15 months Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete the Advanced Apprenticeship in Management, learners must complete the following components: •CMI NVQ Level 2 Certificate in Management •Technical Certificate in Management •Functional Skills: English, Maths and IT •Personal Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS) •ERR Workbook

Functional Skills

These qualifications are suitable for learners of all ages, providing them with the essential knowledge, skills and understanding to enable them to operate confidently, effectively and independently in life and work. Functional Skills are included as part of an Apprenticeship but can also be delivered independently of other qualifications. Duration: Integrated into your chosen Apprenticeship Venue: Workplace Course Content To complete Functional Skills, learners must complete the following components: An initial assessment to identify the appropriate level. A diagnostic assessment to identify the areas for development. English reading, writing, speaking & listening. Mathematics. Information and Communications Technology.

Assessment

The assessments are constructed as wholly task-based and there are no portfolio-based assessments. Assessment will be online, with full support of the tutor and online resources. Functional Skills assessments are structured to show the processes a learner goes through to find a resolution to a task. There are no multiple choice questions in the Mathematics, ICT or Writing assessments. Functional Skills will be graded as Pass or Fail, with a pass mark of between 70-75%.

About Apprenticeships – Employers Apprenticeships can help businesses across all sectors by offering a route to harness fresh new talent. UK businesses consider skills shortages and recruitment difficulties a bigger threat to performance than soaring oil prices and declining consumer spending, and more than a quarter of these rate this form of vocational training higher than any other qualification. Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future. The mixture of on and off the job learning ensures they learn the skills that work best for your business. Over 130,000 workplaces offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring to their business – increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent work-force.

Improve your bottom line Apprenticeships deliver real returns to your bottom line, with Apprenticeships helping them to improve productivity and to be more competitive. Training apprentices can also be more cost effective than hiring skilled staff, leading to lower overall training and recruitment costs.

Fill your skills gaps Apprenticeships deliver skills designed around your business needs providing the skilled workers you need for the future. They also help you develop the specialist skills you need to keep pace with the latest technology and working practices in your sector.

Motivate your workforce Apprentices tend to be eager, motivated, flexible and loyal to the company that invested in them. Remember, an apprentice is with you because they want to be – they have made an active choice to learn on the job and a commitment to a specific career. Training and Employment As Apprenticeships are work-based training programmes, most of the training is ‘on the job’ – at your premises. Employment is expected to be for a minimum of 30 hours per week, except in the minority of circumstances, in these cases employment must be for more than 16 hours per week and the length of the apprenticeship will need to be increased accordingly to ensure the apprentice has gained the required level of skills and knowledge to do the job. For all Apprenticeships commencing on or after 6th April 2012 the requirement to be employed under an Apprenticeship Agreement is a condition for completion of an Apprenticeship. Without it an Apprenticeship certificate cannot be issued. Employer Comments “The training provided helped bring employees up-to-date with IT. There was no pressure put upon them by the tutor and this helped them.” “Mercia tailored the service to our needs. Training was provided at a time to suit us.” “I have worked with Mercia for three years and they have always provided us with exactly what we wanted.” “The training has given individuals a lift, which has in turn enhanced their ability to take on new tasks. It has promoted ‘learning life’ within our organisation”

About Apprenticeships – Learners How is learning done through an Apprenticeship? An Apprenticeship is essentially a set of qualifications called a ‘framework’ developed by Sector Skills Councils. Most Apprenticeship frameworks follow a standard format that comprises: A National Vocational Qualification (e.g. Level 2 for Intermediate Level Apprenticeships, Level 3 for Advanced Level Apprenticeships). Knowledge based qualification Transferable Skills The learning provider provides the knowledge and develops skills while the employer provides the practical experience to put those skills to the test. Training can be classroom based, in a workshop or in a workplace, depending on the subject and on the learning provider. What support is provided during training? HMRC and PCS fully support these apprenticeships and Mercia Partnership will also make sure you have enough support. Together, we ensure that your training fits your personal requirements, offers the skills needed for the job and satisfies national standards. We will also be there to help you through any difficult times. What are my future prospects? Apprenticeships can be demanding but they are very rewarding. Because Apprenticeships train you in the skills employers want, they give you choices in your career. Your career doesn’t have to stop at the Intermediate, Advanced or Higher Level Apprenticeship, if you want to go on to University you will find that many institutes of Higher Education value your skills and knowledge and will happily offer you a place on a Foundation Degree or other higher level qualifications. If I change employers, do I have to restart my Apprenticeship? No – You can continue on the same Apprenticeship programme. I have a degree - can a university graduate do an Apprenticeship? Yes - You can do an Apprenticeship but you will not be eligible for funding. Please see your ULR. Do apprentices take exams? Most assessment is carried out in the workplace but there may be a requirement to take some tests. How long does it take? The length of an Apprenticeship varies depending on prior skills levels of the apprentice, the qualification being obtained and industry sector. Generally, Apprenticeships take between one and four years to complete. Learner Comments “My first impression of the programme was great. I would recommend anyone to go. I learnt a lot and the teachers were fun, polite and are great at their job” “The tutor was very helpful and informative and each task was explained thoroughly and reviewed after completion for discussion” “Overall I was very pleased with the programme, its results and its delivery. I have gained ICT and Numeracy qualifications as a result and I’m pursuing a further NVQ with Mercia” “I really enjoyed it. The helpful and lovely tutors explained things very well and supported me to pass without giving up”

HMRC Case Study from Unionlearn Magazine On Thursday 19th April 2012 a celebration event was held in the ground floor conference room for colleagues who had completed and passed a level 1 and level 2 ITQ qualifications. As part of my Union Learning Representative role (ULR) I am the project lead for the ITQ courses that are organised and arranged through union learning. The courses are run in the ‘Promoting Confidence and Skills’ Learning Centre situated on the 1st floor East Wing in Trinity Bridge House in Salford. I organised for a fully funded level 1 and level 2 ITQ course to be delivered for colleagues by the provider Mercia, who had been working for some time with staff at HMRC Bootle. I worked with Mercia to arrange a series of presentations to management and staff to promote the benefits of the ITQ courses. I then worked closely with management; specifically Terry Flynn, Christine Hiscox and Alison Lowe to agree the number of staff could attend the courses and negotiate time off for staff to attend the course. These negotiations have secured a rolling programme of level 1 and level 2 ITQ qualifications for up to 10 members of staff to participate at each level at any one time. Working with management on this was a great experience and they were very supportive of the chance for staff to develop their ITQ skills and backed this up with the provision of official time for staff to attend the course. 40 members of staff have now completed a level 1 ITQ qualification and 10 staff has completed a level 2 qualification. As part of the ITQ programme a large number of the group have also achieved Literacy and Numeracy qualifications up to level 2. This is such a brilliant achievement and all of the staff worked incredibly hard to gain these qualifications and should be very proud of what they have accomplished. As I had organised the ITQ course I felt it was important to recognise this achievement and to congratulate the staff so I organised the celebration for them. It was attended by the staff, their managers, Christine Hiscox, Paul Caren and Alison Lowe from the SLT and the tutor Jayne and Marketing officer Sandra from Mercia and Mike Bennett the Branch Learning Coordinator. Myself, Alison and Sandra spoke to congratulate the staff and 3 members of staff who had completed the course also spoke about their experience. Rebecca Mather, HMRC Trinity Bridge

HMRC Case Studies “My name is Nikki Featherstone and I am an AO on the 6th floor. I opted to do Level 2 ITQ as it incorporated key skills in Literacy and Numeracy at Level 1, and as my school years are long gone, and my numeracy incredibly rusty, I was keen to get a shot at obtaining up to date certificates in both key skills. I know I’m going off the rails here by talking about the key skills, rather than I.T., but passing not just level 1 in Literacy and Numeracy, but passing Level 2 as well, has really meant so much to me as I didn’t get my Maths “O” level when I was at school. My daughter was so proud of her Mum that she pasted it all across Facebook!! (LOL!!). I can now assist her in her schoolwork which I couldn’t even attempt before, and can understand her frustrations when doing coursework whilst using the laptop, trying to copy and paste, when to do screen grabs and so on. My parenting skills have therefore also improved!! Having Jayne as a Tutor has been a pleasure – she has made I.T. so interesting, and made learning fun. Before I started this course I didn’t know much about I.T. but I can now use Power Point, Publishing and Excel and have been able to use my new found skills in my roles in Communications and Operational Delivery Profession. To receive the accreditation is amazing, and for HMRC to allow the time in such a business driven environment is also to be thanked, and should be allowed to continue. A happy workforce makes good business sense.” Nikki Featherstone “I have thoroughly enjoyed completing the ITQ level 2 diploma. The tutor made the subjects interesting but fun at the same time. Although I have my maths and English GCSE I still had to pass the numeracy and literacy level 2. When you haven’t done algebra and fractions for many years this is at first quite daunting but again the tutor was extremely helpful. The new skills which I have learnt have been put into practice while carrying out my day to day duties. I have upgraded inherited Excel spreadsheets to include formulas to make the completion much easier and quicker as well as creating several of my own. I have created posters and leaflets which have been placed around the office using Microsoft Publisher to promote One HMRC One Deal. Being in the learning environment and gaining new skills has made me eager to learn more. The whole experience has given me the confidence to make use of my new skills and I am keen to take on more learning. It would be great if I could go on to complete level 3. I think its fantastic that the department has given me, along with others, the opportunity like this to learn new skills. The investment in staff should be repaid by our putting the new skills into practice. I really appreciate all the hard work that Rebecca has put in to getting this organised and the work continues. I would encourage anyone, if they get the chance, to grasp this kind of opportunity. After the presentations Alison and Jayne handed out each member’s certificate to them to allow a personal congratulation to each person from all of the attendees.” Kristina Dooley

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Information Technology (User or Technician) Team Leadership & Management Functional Skills Business Administration Customer Service

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What relevant qualifications do you have? (Please state the level and date)

What is your highest level of qualification? Level 1 (GCSE/O Level D – G Level 2 (5 GCSEs/O Level A – C) Level 3 (2 or more A Levels) Level 4 (Degree or equivalent) Level 5 (Higher Degree) and above Other (below Entry Level 1) Entry Level No qualifications