Businesses everywhere have been disrupted due to the Coronavirus epidemic and the resulting lockdown.
The organisations which adapt, plan and prepare for the day when we resume some semblance of normality, will be the ones who will look forward to a brighter future and the training and upskilling of employees will be key to that.
Forth Valley College’s Business Development Department have recognised this and are offering a range of online and virtual employee development and training courses available now during the lockdown.
Firms can access these courses to train and develop staff who are working from home and also those employees who have been ‘furloughed’ during the Coronavirus epidemic.
This means that moving forward they will have enhanced their existing skills and learned new ones - with full certification presented upon completion of the course.
Eligible businesses can access the Flexible Workforce Development Fund via Forth Valley College to fund employee training. Created by the Scottish Government in 2017, the fund is open to applications from all organisations across the private, public and third sectors who pay the UK Government’s Apprenticeship Levy if they pay more than £3million in salaries a year.
Virtual training for the courses will be provided via video conferencing software and can be completed at any time to suit candidates as long as they have access to the internet and a tablet, laptop or PC.
Training courses last between a half day and a full day in length with course subject areas covering: Communication Skills, Digital Skills, Electrical Safety, Health & Safety, Management and Leadership, Mental Health Awareness, Personal Development and Team Effectiveness.
The College also offers firms and their employees longer SVQ qualifications where candidates can undertake a work-based learning qualification even when working from home, using FVC’s flexible online e-portfolio programme One File. Candidates can work on their qualification along with a college assessor by completing question blocks, reflective accounts, video evidence and professional discussions via Microsoft Teams.
Ironically, now could be the ideal time to send your employees on training courses, so that when the lockdown ends and the economy looks to bounce back, your workforce will be even more knowledgeable and skilled, to help your company and organisation cope with the challenges ahead.
For more information click here or e-mail businessdevelopment@forthvalley.ac.uk or call 01324 403271.