ESD for ITQ’s

Recently Enterprise South Devon’s Business Academy was successful in seeking accreditation from the Oxford, Cambridge and Royal Society of Arts (OCR) awarding body to deliver new IT qualifications across South Devon. An ITQ is a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) for IT users and, in common with all other NVQ’s, is designed to demonstrate competence in the workplace.

Students need to be employed and be using IT skills on a daily basis. The ITQ allows different skills to be learned and assessed at different levels which enables beginners to develop their skills and knowledge of IT but those with more experience can gain credits for their existing IT skills.

The course consists of a mandatory unit plus a number of optional modules such as, IT maintenance, using website software or managing e-mail.

ESD Training & Business Support Services Manager, Helen Drinkwater, commented “we were keen to progress down this route due to demand from clients for IT support and also because IT training has become a priority focus of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC), which means these qualifications can often be offered on a fully funded basis”

Please contact Faye Steele on 08456 447558 x215 for more details 

 

Legislation Updates

Employment Law Checklist

Employers would be advised to pay careful attention to the “Beers’ Top Ten Employment Law Checklist” to ensure they at least have these basics covered:

1.The legislative requirements and contents of contracts of employment                                          

2.Changing contracts of employment and the business case for doing so                                      

3. Redundancy rights and how to conduct a fair consultation exercise                                                

4. Part-time and fixed-term workers rights              

5. Discrimination on grounds of equal pay, sex, race, disability, religions or other belief, sexual orientation or age – including bullying/harassment and victimization. Do you know the new rules about retiring people?            

6. Statutory rights regarding time off for dependants, parental leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, adoption leave and the right to request flexible working                                          

7. The purpose and requirement of the Data Protection Act                                                              

8. The purpose and requirement of the public interest disclosure parts of the Employment Rights Act 1996 “Whistle blowing”                          

9. The purpose and requirement of the Health and Safety Act                                                              

10. The statutory disciplinary and grievance procedure.