New skills boost (From Gazette Series)

New skills boost

COMPUTER skills is one of a series of new training courses being launched in Cam and Dursley to help residents develop new skills.

The courses have been arranged by The Learning Community (TLC) as a direct response to a major survey of employers, residents and school students in the area.

Jane Manning, manager of TLC, said: "Some of the results were not surprising - like a high demand for computer skills training - but the survey also showed people were interested in setting up their own small businesses, while others wanted to learn more about their local environment.

"Students at Rednock highlighted a whole range of subjects they would like to learn which were not on the curriculum - for example digital photography, dance, astronomy, video making, first aid and website design.

"As a result, the school has launched a number of after-school activity sessions this term with a view to making them mainstream after-school activities from September."

Developing computer skills was high on the list of what employers and workers wanted and as a result courses are already in progress. These included the ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) qualification. The Learning Community is also supporting a scheme to take PCs around community venues in the area for computer classes run by Stroud College.

Mrs Manning added: "Well over half the local employers we surveyed felt that lack of suitable skills made it difficult to recruit the right people, and computer skills were identified as a major skills gap. "Word processing and e-mails were the skills most local residents said they wanted to learn."

Other courses which have been developed include healthy living, working with support staff from Rednock School on first aid and behaviour management training, a business start-up course for the over 45s and work on a GL11 Community Garden.

Courses will also include an introduction to teaching run by Filton College, babysitting courses for young people, organic gardening and a range of arts and crafts courses to be run at the Dursley Education Centre.

More information on courses can be found on The Learning Community website www.thelearningcommunity.org.uk/WhatsNew.htm.