Free Entry Level Skills for Employment, Training and Personal Development Course. Work-based training at your workplace. You earn this skills for employment, training and personal development qualification while gaining hands-on work experience in one of three areas: Bicycle Mechanics and Retail, Catering and Customer Service, or Horticulture and Market Gardening. The course typically takes 8 months. Units cover personal development, career preparation, communication, and vocational skills matched to your chosen area. There are no entry requirements.
Who this course is for
"Young people who want to gain work experience and an Employability Skills qualification in one of the following areas:
Bicycle Mechanics and Retail
Catering and Customer Service
Horticulture and Market Gardening"
Entry requirements
There are no entry requirements for young peope aged 16-18
What you will learn
You'll develop communication skills for the workplace.
You'll build career preparation skills, including how to present yourself to employers.
You'll learn personal development topics such as budgeting and citizenship.
You'll gain vocational knowledge in your chosen area: catering and customer service, bicycle mechanics and retail, or horticulture and market gardening.
You'll practise literacy and numeracy relevant to your work role.
You'll explore employability skills that apply across different sectors.
How you will learn
You learn on the job, combining practical work experience with qualification units. Assessment is through a portfolio of evidence built up during your placement. Units are drawn from personal development, vocational support, and literacy and numeracy groups. You need to achieve a minimum of 6 credits in total, with at least 3 credits from the personal development and vocational support units.
What you will need to bring
The centre will provide most materials. Milton Keynes Christian Foundation will confirm anything else you need before you start.
Where next
Jobs you could do
Catering assistant: food preparation and kitchen support roles
Customer service assistant: front-of-house and retail environments
Bicycle mechanic: workshop repairs and cycle retail
Horticultural worker: growing, planting, and market garden tasks
Kitchen porter: supporting catering teams in hospitality settings
Retail assistant: stock, sales, and customer-facing work
What you could study next
Level 1 Award or Certificate in Employability Skills: builds on this entry level skills for employment, training and personal development qualification with more detailed workplace topics.
Level 1 or Level 2 vocational qualification in your chosen sector (such as Catering, Horticulture, or Retail): takes you further in a specific trade or industry.
Functional Skills English and Maths at Level 1 or Level 2: strengthens your literacy and numeracy for work and further study.
