Specialist industry awarding organisation EAL has launched a unique Level 2 Certificate in Preparation for Working in the Engineering Manufacturing Industry.
The programme, which was implemented by Nissan, is available now and enables learning providers to access funding support for unemployed learners.
The EAL qualification draws on employers’ expectations of the knowledge and skills a prospective employee should have, and provides a gateway to those wanting to enter the workplace.
Successful learners will cover key areas including: understanding the engineering manufacturing environment; the importance of sustainability; demonstrating hand skills; preparing for interviews; and solving problems at work, including kaizen and continuous improvement techniques.
The qualification is fully accredited by the Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF).
Ann Watson, EAL managing director, said: “A career in engineering can open the door to a host of future opportunities. So having this qualification on a CV will show potential employers that a candidate has the basic industry knowledge and skills to make an impression in the workplace, while demonstrating their commitment to ongoing development.
“EAL is committed to developing qualifications which reflect the demands of the industry and provide the proper preparation for anyone looking to join it. We have consulted widely within the engineering and manufacturing industries to ensure that this qualification reflects and delivers the skills most sought by employers.”
Steve Pallas, training and development manager for Nissan Global Training Centre, also commented: “Before we started this training programme, about 12 per cent of people got through our recruitment process. We’ve now got a success rate of 60 per cent, and we‘ve seen the retention rate improve.”
