Cardiff-based ULearn College is among the initial businesses to sign up for Wales’ first foundation degree in Applied Professional Practice which will be starting this autumn.
The degree, which aims to develop management and leadership skills through a work-based qualification, will be delivered by leading UK-wide recruitment and training provider Acorn Group and accredited by Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Centre for Work Based Learning.
Two members of ULearn College’s Management team have decided to undertake the degree, thus benefiting from the full university experience while simultaneously allowing them to continue working as usual.
Kelly Callow, Managing Director, ULearn College said: “We had been looking for further training opportunities for our managers for a while and jumped at the chance to take part in a course which so exactly matched our criteria. Our business is growing and whilst we believe that our staff have all the necessary skills to take the business forward, a formal qualification will help give us external validation.
“As a small company it was vitally important to us that the course is comprehensive but doesn’t impact too much on the day-to-day running of the business. It was also extremely appealing that because it fits in so well with the Welsh Government’s agenda for education, we were able to get full funding for two staff members to undertake the degree.”
Fiona Argent, Head of Commercial Delivery, Acorn Learning & Development, said: “We’re very excited about this course and the opportunities that we believe it will offer staff and businesses in Wales. It is definitely a win-win solution for the participants and their employers. While there are opportunities for academic progression with the chance to turn the foundation degree into a full degree by adding credits, it is also a fantastic opportunity for employers to demonstrate their commitment to their managers and increase staff retention. What’s more, funding may be available to cover the cost of the study.
“The FdA is open to anyone wishing to develop their management and leadership skills as well as their professional and personal development skills, regardless of the industry they work in. The flexible nature of the degree means that we can tailor the course to each individual’s specific needs. We are very pleased with the take up of the course and our ultimate goal is that this degree will be seen as the benchmark for work-based learning in Wales.”
Dr Peter Treadwell, manager and lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan University’s Centre for Work Based Learning, said: “It’s great that there has already been such a level of interest in this new degree and we’re looking forward to getting the course underway.
“We really hope that from the beginning the staff from ULearn, and the rest of the organisations signed up, will start to see the benefits in terms of their own performance and the impact it has on their work place.”
ULearn College is one of the leading providers of training in Wales, with centres in Bridgend, Cardiff and Treforest. ULearn offers a wide range of training and specialises in offering flexible courses tailored to customers’ requirements.
Established in 1992, Acorn has its headquarters in Newport and has 38 branches across the UK.