It’s the 400th edition of EP! Our newsletter for employability professionals hasn’t missed a beat since it first landed in email inboxes, documenting all the exciting news and updates from the IEP and around the sector within its virtual pages.
Speaking of… the highly popular IEP Sector Induction is being rebranded as ‘Employability Essentials’ to more aptly reflect the essential practical tools and knowledge the modules provide to those new to the industry and experienced professionals wanting a refresher with a qualification.
Our 400th graduate of the Sector Induction, Richard Gillett AIEP, Business Manager at Restart Wolverhampton and Solihull, Standguide Ltd, [pictured left reflects on completing the course back in August 2021.
Richard first came across the IEP Sector Induction whilst ‘knee deep’ in work creating centres and recruiting for the rollout of The Restart Scheme in Wolverhampton and Solihull.
Richard said he was slightly sceptical about how he would find the time to complete all the modules whilst making sure “the implementation of the scheme was completed to the best of [his] abilities”.
But in a rare moment of downtime, he dipped his toe into the IEP website and started to complete the IEP Sector Induction.
“It was only now the light bulb moment hit,” Richard says.
“This was and still is a fantastic resource for both new and more experienced members of staff in the sector. From the outset of completing the Induction it became apparent the tools, advice, guidance, and knowledge you can glean from this was second to none.
“Right from introducing the history of the sector to getting an understanding of the learner journey to looking at how you can support those with complex difficulties, its vital to any organisation in the sector that your staff are put through this accredited learning.”
Employability Essentials consists of 20 themed interactive modules, each with their own knowledge check. This means that all learners, no matter where they work, receive the same Induction learning with their understanding being assessed in a consistent way, ensuring a benchmark for professional practice.
“The way the modules have been created is nothing short of superb,” Gillett says.
“The ability to check your learning in the knowledge checks really works, the clarity of the questions, the design and content of the modules was simple yet highly effective.
“As someone who doesn’t work with the participants on a daily basis, you may think why? Why complete this… and that’s the beauty of the sector and why the Induction is so important to those more experienced. It keeps you on your toes should you need to interact with participants, should you need to dig in and support the team. You still have the knowledge and skills to complete CV’s or Action Plans which to me as a leader is vitally important.”
Employability Essentials is uniquely designed for practitioners of all levels to undertake a series of informative modules that will provide solid sector knowledge and advice on best practice. It serves as a key platform to upskill and gain further accredited qualifications through the IEP Learning Academy.
“I have a very mixed bag of staff that currently work for me, and the beauty of this Sector Induction is that no matter how experienced you are, you are learning all the time,” Richard says.
“I have staff that were former participants on the Scheme who have no knowledge at all of the sector yet from completing the Induction have been given an in-depth look as to what to expect whilst working in this incredible sector.”
All learning for Employability Essentials takes place online through the IEP Learning Management System (LMS) and the average competition time is 17 hours. Each module is ‘bite-sized’, taking approximately 30-40 minutes to complete.
“The content and length of the modules is spot on”, Richard says.
“I would urge anyone in the sector that hasn’t completed this to speak to your line manager or learning and development department to ensure your company are working with the IEP.
“The work the IEP do, on a daily basis, from Scott and his team is nothing short of sensational, the IEP are a vital resource for the employability sector and I for one am grateful for the opportunity to not only improve my own development and the development of my team, but also work alongside them to ensure we really are changing people’s lives one day at a time.”
For more information on ‘Employability Essentials’ download our brochure and contact learning@iemployability.org for more details on how to enrol.
