Aim2Learn support you from initial enquiry to the completion of your chosen course and beyond.

Different specialist members of our team will be there for you – providing appropriate Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) to help you choose the right course and to help keep you on track throughout your learning journey.

Aim2Learn was successful in achieving The Matrix Standard for IAG.

https://aim2learn.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Aim2Learn-2024-matrix-certificate.pdf

SUPPORT BEFORE YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY

From the beginning of your learner journey we will work with you to identify the right training programme to support your careers goals.

During the recruitment process the learner engagement team work with potential learners, taking them through initial screeners and skills scans. These are used to assess the learners suitability for the course, this will depend on their capabilities, barriers, career goals, etc. For learners who have identified any barriers to learning there will be individual discussions to identify how that learner feels they can be supported to achieve.

If, after discussion, we come to the decision that A2Ls course are not appropriate for you at this time we still want to help you progress. We will work hard to find an alternative course and training provider that might be able to help you at this time.

Where it is not appropriate for a learner to attend one of A2L’s courses they will be referred/signposted to other services by the learner engagement team, for example, if English is not a person’s first language they could be referred to an ESOL course. Likewise if a learner does not want to go into a Telecoms role after the course they may be referred to other training providers delivering in sectors the person is looking for.

A2L do not want to set any learners up to fail, where we have referred learners to other services they may come back and attend the course at a later date.

SUPPORT during YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY

Once you have started your Learning Journey and begun your chosen training programme your tutor will provide you with ongoing support. They will provide your with tailored, confidential, independent and impartial information, advice and guidance (IAG) to help you make the most of your course. They will support you to create your own goals that will support your future career path.

Your goals and any actions agreed are documented and reviewed with your tutor throughout your course. Our tutors support learners in all sorts of ways.

SUPPORT from experts during your learning journey

You won’t just be supported by the team at A2L – we work in partnership with other organisations so that you benefit from their experience, knowledge and skills too.

Getting specialist advice from the National Careers Service

For example, we work in partnership with the National Careers Service (or NCS) who can provide specialist IAG to help you plan your future career and, if appropriate, to prepare for and find a job.

When learners are on the course career and employability IAG is provided by the tutor and the National Careers Service (NCS). Tutors should be supporting learners to create goals/targets that will help them achieve the career they want, this can be documented in the ILP by the tutor, the learners can be documenting information in their learning journal, or on their CPD plan, however it is essential that IAG from the tutor is documented. The learners should complete a learning journal entry for the NCS session, documenting the services NCS offer, how long they can access those services, etc.

Hearing first-hand from our previous learners

Wherever possible, tutors should try to arrange for past learners to come in and give a talk to their current cohort about how the course has benefitted them, what job they are in, how they got the job, what it entails, etc. When this happens, please ensure that learners are documenting this in their learning journal. The tutor may link this visit to some of the learner’s goals/targets on the ILP. It is hoped that video recordings of these presentations will take place, providing a valuable resource for all learners.

Meeting the employers

Career guidance is provided on occasion when employers visit sites to do presentations to the learners about their organisation, such as the work they are focusing on, the type of jobs that are available, what they need to be successful, a day in the life of an engineer, etc. Learners should be documenting what knowledge they have gained about the industry, the role, etc. in a learning journal entry, or in their CPD log. It is hoped that video recordings of these presentations will take place, providing a valuable careers resource for all learners.

Accessing additional resources and support at A2L

Additional careers and employability support is available to learners at anytime in the OneFile Resources section, with dedicated folders for ‘Employability Support’ and Telecoms sector information’.

A2L have an Employer Engagement team who work with organisations in the Telecoms sector who create strong relationships which enables them to identify vacancies which they can help the employer fill, ideally with learners who have completed a2L courses. This team work with the learners and tutors, understanding what the learners are looking for, the areas they are hoping to work in, and matching learners to vacancies. This team provides some of the final career IAG that the learners need to be successful in the Telecoms sector and information on progressions is recorded.

Supporting learners to overcome barriers to learning

We support lots of different learners and each one is an individual with different life experiences, gifts and talents.

Where learners have identified barriers tutors need to document the support that the learner receives, for example, if a learner is dyslexic the tutor may agree for an assessment to be completed as a recording, if this is the case, in the feedback the tutor should document the reason for the change in assessment method.

When a learner requires additional support that a tutor is unable to offer, the tutor can signpost the learner to relevant external service providers. Tutors have been sent details of potential external service providers, the list has also been included with this course. If a tutor is unable to find a suitable external service provider they should utilise the Hub of Hope, Mental Health Support Network provided by Chasing the Stigma | Hub of hope. Once on the webpage select the area and the kind of services the learner needs, details can be printed out for the learner to take away.

In conjunction with the tutors there is the Learner Engagement Manager (LEM) who works to support and engage/re-engage learners with the programme when issues have been highlighted through poor attendance, or if specifically asked by a tutor. The LEM will try contacting the learner, where successful they will discuss any potential barriers the learner has, potential solutions, external bodies that may help or provide additional support, etc. Everything the LEM discusses and agrees with the learner will be documented on the register and the tutor will be notified of the additional support they need to provide the tutor so they can develop a suitable learning plan for the learner.

Looking after your health & wellbeing

To help with personal and professional issues Health and Wellbeing portals are available to both staff and learners, which can support with issues such as finances, legal information, tax support, housing/tenancy issues, bereavement or loss, relationship and martial changes, etc.

Learners have access to the Social Company wellbeing app, this is introduced during the induction and there are notices up at each site allowing the learners to scan the QR code when they need it.

This service is confidential, the only data that Aim2Learn receive is usage data, for example, the number of people logging in and the types of services being accessed.

SUPPORT after YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY

Once you have completed your learning journey with A2L, Staff are still available to offer information, advice and guidance, this includes support with your CV, interview preparation, access to employers that we are working with and the employer engagement team.