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Employability & EnterpriseNational Careers ServiceSelf-Service facilitiesJob ClubEco-AdvantageConstruction Skills Certificate Scheme (CSCS)Retail WorksConfidence BuildingCareer Planning & Making ApplicationsApplying for a jobInterview SkillsJob SearchUniversal JobmatchSuccess - get that job!

Employability & Enterprise

WelcomeWelcome to the Employability & Enterprise guide. We hope you will find what you are looking for here & that we can help you develop your career.

If you need any advice on how to get started why not book an appointment with one of our employment advisors?

If you know what you’re interested in there are many ways to learn with New Directions:

• Online learning using our Virtual Learning Environment• Training/Classroom learning• Work-based practice• Work based observation• Self-directed study• One to one assessment• Peer Learning

If you are unemployed and claiming Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) or Employment Support Allowance (ESA) you are entitled to a range of fully-funded support to help you back into work.

Skills to grow or change your career...

Skills to grow or change your career...

This guide is in three sections:

Help Yourself These services are designed to provide flexible support and resources so that you can compete in the marketplace and be successful in gaining employment.

Pre-Employment Training These courses will help equip you with the knowledge and understanding to successfully apply for work in your chosen sector. They aim to provide you with a real understanding and insight into what it is really like. You will be assessed by building a portfolio of evidence.

Employability Courses These qualifications encourage the skills, attributes, behaviours and values that learners need to enter and succeed in the world of work and are designed to be flexible, allowing learners to achieve at their own pace. You will be assessed by building a portfolio of evidence.

See our Computing & Skills for Life guides for further courses.

Job ClubJoin our job club and meet like minded people. This peer support group gets together to help support job-searchers in all ways. To join the Job Club, you’ll need to attend the Employability Induction. We plan a rolling 12 week programme which includes guest speakers and specialists direct from industry.

Eco-AdvantageThrough this online qualification you can learn about green living and working. Learn at your own pace with interactive activities and assignments. You can learn from anywhere with an internet connection, as the course is run on our Virtual Learning Platform. You will also increase your employability by achieving a nationally recognised qualification from NCFE.

Self-Service FacilitiesThese services are designed to provide flexible support and resources so that you can compete in the marketplace and be successful in gaining employment. Register today and start using our range of support facilities to help you whilst looking for a job; Job Centre Plus Job Point (South Reading Centre), internet job search, printing & photo copying for job search, use of telephone, local media advertising job vacancies and local labour market information.

National Careers ServiceNew Directions provides confidential one to one support to individuals with our expert employment advisors. As well as general advice and action planning to set you on your way we can also help you with any aspect of the job search and application process, identify support to which you may be entitled and identify learning opportunities to help you succeed.

“The course has really helped boost my confidence and self-belief. When I search for jobs I now have much more confidence in my own ability.” - Confidence Building

Help Yourself

CSCSCSCS cards are essential proof of occupational competence for employers. The aim of the test is to examine knowledge across a wide range of health and safety topics in order to improve safety and productivity on site. We can prepare you for and arrange your test in a supportive environment.

Retail WorksRetail Works is a 20 hour flexible, modular training programme that delivers the essential skills necessary to work in retail for those who have never before worked in the industry. It has been designed to provide those who may be out of work or who work in a different sector with the vital skills they need to successfully apply for and secure a job in retail. The programme works alongside generic employability training.

Pre-Employment Training

Confidence BuildingThis course aims to give learners the opportunity to discuss and explore ways to build their confidence.By the end of the course you can expect to: be more self aware, value yourself and recognise your positive qualities, understand what is meant by confidence and what influences confidence levels and be able to use some assertive techniques and strategies as a way of supporting your confidence.

Employability Courses

Career Planning & Making Applications

This course aims to provide learners with information & advice, career planning, assistance in their job searching activities, methods of applying for a job and interview skills. After this course you can expect to: research and agree a suitable career pathway, find various sources of job vacancies, match your skills, qualities and experiences to potential job roles, draft a cv, identify the information required to complete an application form, list what is required to prepare for an interview and take part in a mock interview or simulated interview.

Applying for a jobThis course aims to provide learners with the different methods of applying for a job, using an application form. By the end of the course you can expect to describe different methods of applying for jobs, research how and when these different methods can be used, identify the information needed to prepare and assemble and present an application form

Interview SkillsThis course will provide learners with the skills that they require to prepare and conduct an interview. By the end of the course you can expect to: prepare answers to questions that might be asked at an interview and identify questions to ask at the end of an interview, research and prepare for the interview, conduct a mock interview, reflect on the interview with areas that might require improvement.

Universal JobmatchA beginners’ course for job seekers who want to get started on the Government’s job search website - Universal Jobmatch. Job seekers will be taught how to access and register for the Universal Jobmatch web site. There will also be activities including help preparing a CV, job application and a basic cover letter. By the end of the course learners will have constructed the elements of a ‘job application kit’ and will be able to apply for jobs online.

Success - get that job!This course aims to provide learners with the skills to apply for work and enhance their interview skills. By the end of the course you can expect to understand the various ways of applying for a job, review job descriptions/personal specifications, review CVs, complete covering letters and an application form, preparer for a mock interview by producing an interview plan to include questions/answers, conduct a mock interview using role play and evaluate the interview process.

Job SearchThis course aims to provide learners with further skills to assist them in their job searching activities. By the end of the course you can expect todescribe different sources of employment and the roles/functions of these sources, match their skills and qualities to potential job roles, understand formats of job adverts in relation to their personal circumstances, identify sources of information available to carry out job searches and select appropriate methods to search for particular job vacancies.

“Thank you for your very kind help and support. I now have the skills to job search efficiently.” - Searching for a job

New Directions Central Reading Centre2nd Floor, Reading Central Library, Abbey Square, Reading, RG1 3BQ

New Directions North Reading CentreArchway Road, Caversham, Reading, RG4 8HX

New Directions South Reading Centre330 Northumberland Avenue, Reading, RG2 8DH

New Directions at The Avenue Centre Conwy Close, Tilehurst, Reading, RG30 4BZ

Grow with your ambitions...

Volunteering

If you are patient, friendly and have 2 hours a week or more to help others to learn, then we would like to hear from you. Our volunteers work alongside our professional tutors giving extra help to our learners. No previous experience is needed. All volunteers complete a free accredited training programme provided by New Directions.