Having sufficient English and Maths skills are becoming increasingly important to secure a job or apprenticeship, as employers will always seek candidates with demonstrable skills.
There is an alternative way to gain these skills after school which is through Functional Skills, a course delivered by Aspire Training Team. The courses are not only available for those looking for their first step in their career, but can also be undertaken by those already in employment. In a report conducted in 2015 by The Education and Training Foundation, it was found that nearly 90% of employers say their employees need improvement with English and Maths skills for them to progress. Of these, 46% of employers were found to be dissatisfied with their employees’ English skills, 17% with their Maths skills, and 26% with both subjects.
What makes Functional Skills different?
In the same survey, nearly 50% of the employers recognised Functional Skills as a quality course demonstrating practical applications. The English Functional Skills course covers experience a person will need in the work place such as writing emails and letters, making information leaflets and exploring different ways of writing information. The Maths course will include basic skills such as adding and subtracting as well as more advanced skills such as problem solving, formulae and geometry.
Aspire Training Team also offers an ICT Functional Skills course, which includes gaining experience on spreadsheets, formatting documents and mail merge. For each of these courses the assessors at Aspire will carry out an initial assessment and offer additional support in other areas required by the individual.
If you’re considering improving your English and Maths skills through a Functional Skills course, or you’re keen for your employees to progress through developing their existing capabilities, you can contact the Aspire Training Team on 01202 551553 or email info@aspiretrainingteam.co.uk.
