EEE4 have been working with other sben members Stafford Borough Council & Grace Cares offering a 6 week course helping people gain experience in computer hardware and upskilling them for future employment, full details of the course are below:

Course Content:

Week One:  Day one of the course will comprise a full introduction to the Health and Safety requirements of the site, with specific referencing to the H & S within Unit 15 where Training will take place. Trainees will be instructed in the correct procedures relevant to their use of the equipment within the Training Area and will be informed of the Ambient Temperature guidelines. Trainees will be expected to maintain a register of ambient temperature and record their findings as part of their evidence for Unit 1 of the Qualification. Trainees will be tested on their knowledge of H & S by undertaking a simulated task to identify potential issues that have been pre-set by the Trainer. This test will form another part of the required evidence.

The first week of training will include the identification of components within a computer (desktop and if appropriate laptop) and will itemise their removal and correct storage. Trainees will receive instruction on the care and use of basic hand tools and their storage when manual tasks are in action and on completion.

Week One should allow Trainees to achieve a basic understanding of Health and Safety and will give an introduction to the internal workings of Computer Desktops.

Week Two:  The second week of training will continue with the dismantling, assembly and testing of a number of desktops to demonstrate how each manufacturer utilises the same basic principles of construction. The week will end with exercises in fault finding with desktops that have been rebuilt by the trainees. For those Trainees who have achieved the required standard there will be an opportunity to install an appropriate operating system and establish that machines are working correctly.

Week Three:  After establishing the levels of competence of the Trainees, part of the week will be spent on gathering the appropriate evidence to advance the qualification. Each Trainee will be given the opportunity to select the type of evidence, either written, photographic or video, and prepare that evidence for submission. By the end of the week Trainees will be encouraged to start working on the dismantling and refurbishment of laptops with emphasis on the identification of common faults and the rectification of those faults.

Week Four: This week will be a consolidation of the work done to date with emphasis on the recording of information in a form that is suitable to the tasks involved. Trainees will take turns in completing Health and Safety paperwork to further demonstrate their understanding of the need to document any issues that may have arisen during their working day. Each Trainee will be given the opportunity to select a piece of equipment and install appropriate software to make the computer usable by any one who wishes to use it. This will include a version of Windows and an Office programme that can be used by the Trainee to produce evidence for their qualification.

Weeks Five and Six: In weeks Five and Six, Trainees will be encouraged to select a type of role that they feel is where their future employment may lie. Once they have made that decision, they will be given a number of tasks that they will be required to plan, resource and complete all under normal working conditions. All of these tasks will provide the documentary evidence to complete the Trainee’s initial Qualification. Throughout weeks Five and Six Trainees will be given the opportunity to try working sessions in a ‘real-work’ environment where they will be able to demonstrate their abilities and skills.

The final session of the Course will be to finalise the assembly of the evidence portfolio ready for submission to the awarding body. If a Trainee feels that they need extra time to assimilate all of the information, abilities and skills required to achieve the level of competence for the qualification the Course can be extended to suit.

Please see the leaflet below for more information or contact Bill Harvey on 01782 756756 or email office@ee4.co.uk