Courses

Courses are held at ETS House, Exeter, and all 1 day courses are priced at £150 + VAT; Half price for any learners currently undertaking an Apprenticeship with Education + Training Skills.

Information Technology

Word Intermediate Certificate Description: This course provides an advanced knowledge of the workings of Word. By the end of the session, participants will have sound knowledge of : *Indents *Headers and Footers *Autocorrect *Bullets / Numbering *Columns *Paragraph spacing *Tables *Using tools on the drawing toolbar (lines, arrows, callouts grouping and order) *Text boxes *Clip Art *Word Art *Borders *Mail shots *Envelopes and labels *Macros *Customising the toolbar. Suitable for: Suitable for anyone who already uses Word at a basic level and would like to learn more advanced functions. Top of Page

Word Basic Certificate Description: This course provides a basic knowledge of the working of Word. By the end of the session, learners will be competent in the following: *Opening Windows Explorer *Formatting and using a floppy disc *Creating a Directory *Opening Word *Paper size and orientation *Using Help *Tool bars and menu bars *Using plastic ruler *Setting top and bottom margins *Typing short letters from draft *Spell checking documents *Adding page numbers *Saving and printing letters *Printing- current page, whole page, range of pages *Indenting and numbering paragraphs including adding an unnumbered paragraph *Superscripts and Subscripts *Creating space *Tables and newsletters *Creating a newsletter: Type the document or copy the document from file *Change the font and font size *Change page set and add columns *Change the paragraph and spacing *Adding bullets *Adding a date footer *Adding a logo as a picture. Suitable for: Suitable for anyone who uses Microsoft packages and wished to learn more about Basic Word. Top of Page

PowerPoint Certificate Description: What is PowerPoint?*Guide through PowerPoint demonstrated using the Media Projector.*Introduction to Computers*Opening Windows Explorer*Formatting and Using a Floppy Disk*Creating a Directory*Getting Started*Opening PowerPoint*The Opening Screen, *selecting AutoContent Wizard, Design Template or Blank Presentation.*Setting up and creating an on-screen presentation using the Design Template*Opening the Design Template*Setting up the Welcome Slide*Selecting the best AutoLayout*Inserting an Object*Formatting the Object*Creating the Title Slide *Creating a New Slide*Changing the format of the Title Slide*Changing the Format of Other Slides*Save your presentation*Creating a slide to show items to be covered in the presentation *Creating a Bulleted List Slide*Illustrate your presentation using Clip Art *Why Clip Art is useful*Choosing the Clip Art*Using Charts *Why Charts are useful*Which Chart to Use*Using Whole Page Clip Art*Using Tables*Ending Slide *Copying and Pasting a Slide*Slide Transitions and Animation*Adding a Slide Transition to the Whole Presentation*Adding Animation to the Title Slide*Setting Up timings *Adding Animation to the Contents Slide*Adding Animations to Clip Art Slide*Speakers Notes*Creating Speakers Notes*Printing Speakers Notes*Handouts*Printing Handouts*Time to spend looking at PowerPoint to put into practice what you have learnt*Practice using PowerPoint*Chance to ask Tutor additional questions. Suitable for: For anyone who uses a computer and would like to learn more about powerpoint 2000. Top of Page

Excel Basic Certificate Description: Getting started;*Workbooks*Inserting and deleting sheets, naming sheets and useful conventions.*Highlighting a whole worksheet*Copying lists (e.g. months of the year)*Tool bars and Menu bars* Creating a simple budgeting spreadsheet:*Setting up your workbook sheets *Entering outlines, adding borders and shading *Viewing the screen (including resizing and freezing panes) *Resizing columns to fit text *Adding and formatting headings *Autosum, addition, simple formulae and borrowing functions *Format numbers (style, decimal places and alignment) *Printing and page set up* Creating a Pie Chart*Resizing data labels *Changing the colour of the segments *Printing the chart*Inserting a chart into word *Creating a bar chart: *Creating a bar chart *Altering the Axes *Changing the background colour *Adding a deleting a border *The afternoon session is for delegates to practice what they have learnt in the morning, and bring any work they would like help and advice on. Suitable for: This course is suitable for anyone who wishes to use excel at a basic level. Top of Page

Creating Powerful Presentations Description: Once students have completed this programme they will be able to write effective and powerful business presentations. Specifically they will learn how to:*Make a high level plan for presentation: set objectives, analyse the audience, plan the logistics and decide an overall presentation style.*Develop strong key messages and an appropriate structure to their presentation.*Bring their messages to life using techniques such as rule of threes, making it human and using suspense.*Write powerful presentation openers and closes that get their message across.*Create effective visual aids and support materials. Suitable for: This course is aimed at anyone who makes presentations, including people that have little or no experience of creating presentations. Top of Page

Computer Introduction Certificate Description: To Provide delegates with a basic understanding of Microsoft Explorer, Word, Excel, Access and Powerpoint. By the end of the session, participants will have a basic knowledge of: Using Microsoft Explorer -Formatting a floppy disk, Creating directories, Copying files, Renaming files, Deleting files, Creating back-ups and Finding files; Word 2000 - Create a simple newsletter, Formatting text, Text alignment, Inserting Clip Art; Excel 2000 - Create a simple budget spreadsheet, Borders, Totals and Autosum; Access 2000 - Create a simple address list, Simple queries, A demonstration of use of mail merge documents; Powerpoint 2000 - Create a simple presentation and overview of package. Suitable for: Suitable for anyone who has a computer and would like to learn more about the Microsoft Packages. Top of Page

Personal Development

Working Within a Professional Team Certificate Description: PURPOSE:To provide delegates with the opportunity to consider their attitudes to customers, to their colleagues and to themselves to enable them to improve their professional behaviour and interpersonal skills in working with others. OBJECTIVE: By the end of the session, delegates will have:-*Described good or bad experiences they have had as customers and how they felt about these*Recognised the importance of teamwork in providing a good service*Identified the principal elements which influence their behaviour which they cannot change and some which they can change. Suitable for: Suitable for Members of staff who wish to become effective in communicating the best impressions of themselves and their organisation to customers and clients. Top of Page

Working Under Pressure Certificate Description: PURPOSE: The aim is to identify the practical steps they can take to deal with pressure and ensure that they are not creating pressure for others.CONTENT:*Good and bad pressure*Understanding acceptable pressure within your team*Improving your time management*Identifying when you work best and how to make use of this*Why do you put things off?*How should you organise yourself and others?*Planning, communicating and focusing your energy on things that matter*Managing competing demands*Acting rather than reacting. Suitable for: This workshop aims to help both team leaders and team members understand the key issues of stress and time management. Top of Page

Team Working Certificate Description: This course is designed to help participants examine the different behaviours displayed by people and how to develop the necessary understanding and communication skills for effective people management. Subjects covered include:*What is a team? *The various stages in the life cycle of a team *Understanding the barriers to effective communication *Examining the different types of behaviour and the effect of your behaviour on others *Matching words with behaviour and positive use of body language. Suitable for: This course is designed for newly appointed or promoted team leaders, supervisors and managers. Top of Page

Problem Solving Certificate Description: Once students have completed this programme, they will understand why being able to solve problems is a core competence in today's workplace. Specifically they will be able to:*Know how to use different thinking styles in order to solve problems and identify mental blocks to thinking creatively.*Get from problem to solution in a consistent and predictable way, and foster a positive approach to solving problems in team members.*Define a problem by clarifying what they will achieve, what the current situation is, and the root causes of the problem.*Know when and how to use techniques such as Pareto and Force Field Analysis.*Know how to generate many ideas; provoke their thinking; change their perspective; make new connections - and recognise mental blocks to creative thinking.*Know how and when to use techniques such as applying a broad filter, criterion review, pros and cons, and ideas categorisation, to evaluate ideas fairly and consistently.*Identify common pitfalls in making decisions, know when and how to use decision making methods such as reaching consensus.*Create a clear implementation overview and know how best to communicate the plans to key stakeholders. Suitable for: Anyone who has to deal with problem solving in their job role. Top of Page

Outstanding Customer Service Skills Description: Once students have completed this programme, they will understand how to increase sales and customer loyalty by being an outstanding customer service professional. Specifically they will be able to:*Show that they know the value of their customers and will know the long term benefits of providing excellent customer service.*Differentiate between good and outstanding customer service and understand how to use personal experience to deliver excellence.*Analyse who their customers are - internal, external and potential.*Describe facts, features and benefits of products, promotions and business systems - and will have analysed competitive offerings.*Understand how a 'customer first' attitude is a crucial competitve edge - and know how to keep it sharp.*Follow the ' sales through service' process: first contact, explore customer needs, match the needs, close the deal, and take the extra step.*Make a good first impression and understand why its so important. A good first impression is a combination of appearance, acknowldgement, attitude and approach.*Analyse what the customer wants and needs by combining active listening and effective questionning.*Use knowledge, judgement, focus and communication skills to match the customer's needs and deliver outstanding service. Suitable for: The audience for this course is for anyone who has to deal with customers face to face or on the telephone. Top of Page

Facilitating Team Communication Description: Once students have completed this programme, they will be able to build and maintain successful, flexible and creative teams. Specifically they will know how to:*Prepare for a successful meeting, including setting meeting objectives, planning the agenda, and balancing the mood and the mode of the meeting.*Encourage participation from team members, keeping the meeting flowing using facilitative skills, and bring the meeting to a successful close.*Use a 6 step model for effective team problem solving - Define the problem; Decide problem(s) to tackle; Generate solutions, Evaluate solutions; Choose solutions; Plan and implement.*Identify common meeting problems and use five facilitative techniques to resolve them.*Recognise reasons for conflict and use the suggested conflict resolution model.*Identify different behaviour types and know how to handle each behaviour. Suitable for: The audience for this course is supervisiors, managers and team leaders or anyone who has to run a meeting. Top of Page

Equal Opportunities Description: To identify the main elements of legislation relating to equal opportunities. To promote an Equal opportunities ethos within organisations. Suitable for: No requirements. Top of Page

Effective Interpersonal Skills Certificate Description: Contents:* Self motivation* Organising and planning* Motivating others*Interpersonal skills*Delegating effectively*Setting objectives*Evaluation techniques*Budgets. Suitable for: No requirements. This course is aimed at those who have others reporting to them or who regularly communicate with external clients. Top of Page

Developing Coaching and Mentoring Skills Certificate Description: Subjects covered include: *How to determine individual learning needs, styles and preferences.*Preparing to coach and the skills required to coach.*Formulating a detailed plan for coaching.*Reviewing activities.*Mentoring - how to plan an active and invaluable part in somebody's professional development.*Improving your own skills in the process of mentoring. Suitable for: This training programme is suitable for managers who recognise the value of well - trained staff who want an active role in their development. Top of Page

Dealing With Conflict Certificate Description: By the end of the session, delegates will have learnt different techniques when:*Handling conflict*Dealing with face to face conflict*What causes conflict and how to recognise it.*Voice, pitch, tone, and the way we communicate verbally.*Identifying signs of aggressive behaviour.*The importance of assertion when handling conflict.*Group work on the techniques covered in the workshop. Suitable for: No requirements. This course is aimed at anyone who feels that they need more training on the techniques of dealing with conflict. Top of Page

Customer Service and Telephone Skills Certificate Description: *Handle calls effectively, being aware that every call is an opportunity to promote the best possible image of the company and the individual.*Remember the lasting image of first and last impressions.*Learn valuable listening and questioning techniques to help with communication skills.*Adopt a habit forming positive and enthusiastic attitude.*Dealing with difficult customers.*Appreciate that colleagues are customers too.*Know how to win business and never lose an opportunity for more.*understand the importance of customer care and appreciate the value of existing customers. Suitable for: No requirements. The aim of this course is to develop the skills of those who answer incoming calls and any members that are the first point of contact for customers. Top of Page

Customer Service Challenges Description: Once students have completed this programme, they will be able to handle more challenging situations professionally and calmly. Specifically they will be able to:*Understand why customers complain - complaints result from your failure to meet expectations - and how to treat complaints as an opportunity to improve.*Use a systematic 6 step process to resolve complaints.*Understand Parent, Adult and Child behaviours - recognising those behaviours in Customers and controlling their own responses to keep interactions adult and productive.*Manage an angry customer*Understand why a customer might be shy.*Help an undecided customer come to a decision.*Deal with rude customers*Educate an uninformed customer and create additional customer loyalty in the process.*Deal with a customer who isn't right, but who is a customer, and who - with skill - will still be one in the future. Suitable for: The audience for this course is anyone who deals with customers on a daily basis, face to face or on the phone. Top of Page

Customer Service Certificate Description: By the end of this session, participants will understand how to project a positive, professional image. They will also know how to resolve difficult situations, how to handle awkward customers and be able to turn a complaint into an opportunity. Subjects covered include:*Examining what Customer Service is*Looking at your Company's image*Positive Communication * Learning how to recognise the different types of customer*Dealing with difficult situations or awkward customers* Developing a personal Action Plan. Suitable for: No requirements/Aimed at anyone who regularly has contact with the Company's customers or members of the public. Top of Page

Skills Development

Train The Trainer Certificate Description: The course is designed to equip delegates with the necessary skills to perform accurate planning techniques when coaching others. Subjects covered: Assessing the needs of delegates, The learning process, The skills of the Developer/Trainer, Preparing your venue, Planning and training session, Practical work: Preparation, one to one, and group session. Suitable for: This course is suitable for team leaders, supervisors and managers. Anyone developing the skills of others. Top of Page

Negotiation Skills Certificate Description: PURPOSE: To learn the skills and techniques needed for influencing and negotiating at work OBJECTIVE: *Exploring what influencing and negotiating means *Examining power, position and authority *Recognising individuals own styles *Developing the skills to achieve better influencing and negotiating skills *Practising the skills learnt *Preparing a personal action plan. Suitable for: This course is an introduction to influencing and negotiating skills and therefore would be suitable for anyone who feels that they need to improve these skills. Top of Page

Influencing Skills Description: Once participants have completed this programme,they will be able to make a bigger impact in business. Specifically they will be able to:*Understand the influencing process and its associated skills and attitudes.*Assess the accuracy of their five-step plan for win-win outcomes.*Assess their influencing plan, the success of their analysis of blockers, floaters and champions, and their choice of influencing tactics.*Identify thinking patterns and understand how to respond appropriately, use whole body listening, and recognise false realities.*Establish rapport by identifying someone's values and building trust.*Use effective influencing strategies and tactics with teams at different stages of growth and with differing team member types.*Plan to improve thier influence in meetings with peers and customers. Suitable for: This course is aimed at managers, supervisiors and team members. Top of Page

Health and Safety Certificate (RIPH) Description: To have a basic understanding of Health and Safety in the workplace: *Accidents and ill health *Slips, trips and falls *Health and Safety Law *Risk Assessment *Hazardous Substances *Personal protective equipment *Workplace health, safety and welfare *Fire Prevention *First Aid *Work Equipment *Electricity *Occupational health *Noise *Ergonomics and workstation design *Manual handling. Suitable for: No requirements. Top of Page

Food Hygiene Certificate (RIPH) Description: By the end of the course, delegates will be able to : Provide an understanding of principles of food safety, and how to apply this knowledge to control hazards and prevent food poisoning. Areas covered: *Food Safety *Microbiology *Food Poisoning and food borne disease *Contamination and the prevention of food poisoning *Purchase, delivery, storage, preparation, cooking, serving of food, spoilage and preservation. *Personal hygiene *Design and Construction of food premises and equipment *Food Pests *Cleaning and Disinfection *Food Safety Legislation *Examination and Food Hygiene Handbook included. Suitable for: No requirements. Top of Page

Finance for Non-Financial Managers Certificate Description: *The importance of accounts*Managing money*Accounting for business*Understanding a balance sheet*Understanding a profit and loss account*The importance of liquidity*Costs*Budgets. Suitable for: Aimed at Managers who have to work with financial information in any organisation and for whom finance is not their core skill. Top of Page

Delivering Powerful Presentations Description: Once students have completed this programme they will be able to systematically move from a written presentation to persuasive and polished delivery. Specifically they will be able to: Use the 5 P's : Pace, Pitch, Pause, Pronunciation and Power to improve their vocal delivery and add interest to their voice.*Use effective story telling techniques to engage their audience and deliver their key messages persuasively including: making it personal; making it relevant; using examples; using word and picture analogies.*Look their best in front of an audience by - paying attention to the way they look; analysing and rehearsing how they stand, gesture and move; handling support materials with polish.*Anticipate and handle the audience's questions effectively and positively.*Rehearse effectively in front of colleagues, asking for and incorporating their feedback. Suitable for: The course is aimed at anyone who has to present, it's aimed at those with little or no experience of creating presentations and covers presentations made to the audiences internal and external to the organisation. Top of Page

Coping with Change Description: To Provide delegates with the opportunity to explore and understand the stages associated with change to enable them to develop strategies for coping with change. Suitable for: This course is suitable for anyone who has to deal with changes at work. Top of Page

Management Development

Time Management Certificate Description: PURPOSE: The course is designed to relate effective time management to the achievement of business objectives, key tasks and jobs.The programme itself covers the knowledge requirements for NVQ Management Level 3, Element C1.2 Manage your time to meet your objectives. OBJECTIVE: By the end of the session, participants will be able to: *Analyse their use of time, identifying effective and ineffective time use.*Identify the causes of time wasting and develop strategies for minimising unhelpful interruptions.*Set objectives to achieve own and team targets. *Create time plans that allow objectives to be met. *Develop strategies for dealing with contingencies. Suitable for: For anyone requiring an introduction to the basic principals and practices of effective time management. Top of Page

The Management Of Change Certificate Description: This course shows how by better understanding of the change process and effective planning, you are more likely to implement changes that will be successful. Subjects included: The driving forces of change, Problem solving and change, Leading a change team, Planning and implementing change, Overcoming resistance to change and Monitoring the effects of change. Suitable for: Suitable for anybody who may become involved in implementing and managing change, or for managers or supervisors in organisations where change may be happening. Top of Page

Team Leadership Skills Certificate Description: PURPOSE:First steps in organising and directing work effort OBJECTIVE: This one-day programme has been designed specifically for the team leader who has to manage people whilst still working as part of the team. Introducing the key skills necessary for organising and directing work effort:*The role of the Team Leader*The mechanics and dynamics of Team Leadership*The skills required.*Characteristics of effective teams*Recognising the needs of team members*Developing your team*Communicating effectively*Real listening skills*Delivering and receiving instructions*Leading effective team briefings*Giving constructive feedback*Maintaining team performance*Setting objectives*Allocation, delegation and training*Reducing disciplinary problems*Dealing with behaviours*Personal action plans . Suitable for: This training programme is designed for promoted team leaders, or as a refresher for those who have not had formal training, providing a foundation for leading an effective team. Top of Page

Successful Interviewing Certificate Description: PURPOSE:To allow participants to develop their knowledge and skill in conducting interviews, enabling them to recruit and retain staff. OBJECTIVE: By the end of the session, participants will be able to: -*Identify Knowledge, Skill and Attitude requirements for a given job role, and describe their purpose in recruitment *Explain the stages in the recruitment process *Describe the purpose and benefit of conducting recruitment interviews *Specify different types of interview and the situations in which they can be used *Demonstrate the use of open and closed questions *Structure an interview effectively *Practice interview techniques. Suitable for: This training programme is aimed at those who are new to, or out of practice in interviewing. It is appropriate for supervisors, managers, personnel staff, and anyone who has recruitment as part of their job role. Top of Page

Stress Management Certificate Description: This course aims to highlight the causes and symptoms of stress and to teach the participants simple techniques to reducing stress, at both home and the work place. Subjects covered to include:*Identifying the physical symptoms of stress related conditions *Improving your resilience to stress *fitness and health *Identifying personal stressors *Simple techniques to take back control *Developing a Personal Action Plan. Suitable for: Anyone who feels that they may benefit from learning simple techniques to help reduce stress. Top of Page

Strategic Planning Certificate Description: The aim of this workshop is to introduce you to some of the main ways in which business managers make strategic decisions, and the principal tools used in that process. By the end of the workshop you should be able to decide which approach to strategy is most helpful to you, and carry out a basic analysis of your business in order to develop appropriate strategies. Subjects covered include: Different approaches to strategy; Current vision, goals and targets; Assessing your external environment; Critical success factors; Assessing your internal environment; Identifying where your competitive advantage lies; Strategy and change; Measuring and monitoring. Suitable for: This training programme is suitable for managers who have to make strategic decisions for their business, and managers and team leaders who wish to understand more about how organisations make choices about strategy. Top of Page

Recruitment and Selection Certificate - October Special - £99.00+VAT Description: This course aims to teach participants a systematic approach to the recruitment and selection process, explaining the importance of selecting for specific roles. Planning and preparing for the interview will also be explained, with the participants being able to practice what they have learnt, throughout the session. Subjects covered include:*Defining the job specification*Various ways to attract applicants*The importance of short listing*Preparing for and conducting the interview, thinking about the setting too. Suitable for: This course is suitable for candidates who are new to recruitment and selection and want a broad overview of the processes involved. Top of Page

Performance Management Certificate Description: Once students have completed this programme, they will understand the role of performance management in creating a high performance culture. Specifically they will be able to:*Assess what they can and can't achieve with effective performance management.*Define and set SMART performance objectives and set expectations for an employee.*Give and receive constructive feedback, and approach problem solving positively.*Choose options for improving performance of those people who exceed expectations, those people who meet expectations and those who do not meet expectations.*Prepare themselves, their employees and the environment for the formal performance review.*Use the organisation's performance evaluation tools to understand the team's achievements, skills, knowledge and potential.*Manage the formal performance review and know how to raise performance issues.*Deliver recognition, and link performance and rewards. Suitable for: This course is aimed at managers and supervisors. Top of Page

Performance Appraisal Training Certificate Description: To provide participants with sufficient knowledge and skills to be able to introduce or implement effective performance appraisal interviews. By the end of the session, participants will be able to: *Describe a variety of reasons for conducting appraisal interviews and identify the reasons why your organisation carries them out. *Describe the range of team roles that may exist within your team and describe ways of utilising these. *Describe ways in which your values and beliefs may differ from those of the individuals within your team, and ways of dealing with these differences. *Identify good practice in preparing for appraisal interviews. *Create performance objectives for an Individual *Demonstrate good practice in conducting an appraisal interview. *Describe recording and follow up procedures for appraisals. Suitable for: