Morley College London launches Employability courses

Core skills such as Maths, English and Digital Skills have never been more important. The Mayor’s agenda for upskilling Londoners and Morley College’s commitment to vocational skills make employability skills a real focus for the adult learning sector. As we develop responsive curriculums that deliver lasting and measurable change for learners, Morley College is delivering these skills to help our learning communities move into or towards work.

In the context of London’s recovery plan, this exciting new pilot, developed at our Waterloo Centre, is supporting students to develop practical employability skills. We have just welcomed our first twenty five learners, from existing ESOL courses, to engage in our first, newly developed Level 1 Employability Course. 

As we design this new area of skills learning around our current learners, we are exploring both combined course offers and bespoke employability courses. One current cohort of students are gaining employability skills embedded within their ESOL course – with additional activities and resources to help complete their assignments through enhanced language and employability teaching. A second group of students are gaining these skills as a stand-alone course, Award in Employability Skills.   

Students have the opportunity to develop specific skills in areas such as:  

• Applying for a job
• Writing a CV
• Preparing for an interview
• Gaining independence
• Understanding Mindset – a core unit in critical thinking
• More general ‘fusion’ skills in communication, working together and building confidence

Level 1 Employability student, Uta Beavis, says,

“I have been a stay at home parent for the past five years, and found the idea of returning to a professional workplace daunting. What I love about this course is that the tutor really encourages you to think critically of what you want to be, as well as the skills you’ll need to apply for a particular job.  For the first time in my life I have a personal development plan. I feel more confident in discussing my strengths and weaknesses.” 

Madjouline Zaamoune, also studying for her Level 1 Employability course, says,

“The word ‘soft skills’ attracted me to learn more about these extra practical skills. It is known that the success of any business is very closely tied to the entrepreneur`s character traits.  I strongly recommend others to learn more about those interpersonal skills that characterize a person’s relationships with other workplace people. Thank you Morley College for giving us the opportunity to pursue such specific educational skills.” 

Fatima Elabdi Bouharmat, studying for the embedded and ESOL combined Award in Employability Skills, said,

“I come from Morocco and have been in the UK for nine years. I find this course very useful as I have extended my knowledge about employability. It gave me the knowledge I need to write a CV, how to answer questions in an interview as well as how to search for jobs.  The course being embedded within my ESOL course is expanding my vocabulary, I am learning many new words that I did not know before, which will be very useful in my writing exams. I would be very happy to continue studying employability, progress on to the Certificate level and achieve a higher level qualification.”

Marco Macchitella, Centre Principal, Waterloo, said,

“Morley College London and our focus on demand-led curriculum development places us well in supporting the delivery of skills for Londoners, as well as meeting the priorities of the Mayor’s agenda. We are always seeking to develop new learning opportunities and I am delighted by the feedback we have had from this initial group of students.”

Morley College London’s North Kensington Centre will also be launching short courses in Employability skills from June 2022, after the Bank Holiday.

For more information on these course opportunities at Waterloo, contact Luna Vythalingum in the Essential Skills team at Waterloo.