Skills for Life: Skills for Business

Every day, over a million people go to work without the skills they need to do their jobs well. Construction Learning World can help your employees to gain a free qualification in English and Maths – better for them, better for you.

What are Skills for Life?

Skills for Life is a national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy - designed to help people develop the skills they use in everyday life, such as reading, writing or maths.

Literacy (also called Communication, English) is the ability to read, write, speak and listen in everyday life and work.
Numeracy (also called Maths, Number) is the ability to use numbers, symbols and shapes in everyday life and work.
ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is English for those for whom English is not their first language.

These skills are important as:

Inaccurate paperwork costs time and money
Incorrect orders cost money

The business benefits are clear:

Improves efficiency
Reduces waste
More motivated and confident employees
Boosts profitability and competiveness
Reduces recruitment costs

Training gives your employees the skills they need to do the job and strengths their commitment to your company.

As well as Skills for Life, you may have also heard people talking about “Basic Skills” - these two terms mean the same thing, and refer to the same types of qualifications.

Skills for Life in Construction

Good literacy and numeracy skills are necessary for workplace performance and also support NVQ delivery. Many people in the construction industry are able to complete their NVQs more quickly and effectively if they also develop their literacy and numeracy skills at the same time.

Skills for Life within Construction

Literacy
Read and understand site drawings
Follow a set of instructions
Complete a risk assessment

Numeracy
Use a metric tape measure
Work out areas
Calculate amounts of materials

An understanding of Health and Safety is essential in the construction industry. Ensuring that everyone has the literacy skills needed to understand Health and Safety information and achieve their CSCS card is important to both employers and employees.

What We Do

Because different sized businesses face different challenges, our support is tailored to reflect the needs of your business.
We visit learners on site at a time that suits the employer.
We identify the skills that will help to boost your business and create a tailored package of training and support.
We arrange the training and we source the funding – usually meaning that there’s little to no cost to your business.

How it Works

Step 1

Firstly, an initial assessment is carried out at a time to suit on your premises. The assessment looks at writing, reading, language and numeracy against national standards.

Step 2

Secondly, a diagnostic assessment identifies strengths and areas for development. A detailed learner’s profile is built against national standards and is then used to inform and structure an Individual Learning Plan.

Step 3

Thirdly, an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) is put together. This provides a clear structure of learning and includes a time plan, methods of learning and the resources that will be required.

Step 4

Programme reviews take place at regular intervals, at a date and time to suit both the employee and the employer. The reviews check how the learner is doing against their ILP and can provide further support if necessary.

Step 5

Finally, once the ILP is complete, the learner is required to take a short test (approx 60 – 90 minutes). On success, they are awarded a nationally recognised Certificate of Achievement.

The Qualification

The National Certificates in Literacy and Numeracy are available at levels 1 and 2. They are designed for adults, and are equivalent in pitch and demand to a GCSE. But they are not direct alternatives to these qualifications as they do not assess the same range of skills.

Level 1 is equivalent to an NVQ at Level 1 or GCSE at grade D – G

Level 2 is equivalent to an NVQ at Level 1 or GCSE at grade A – C