NOCN Group has worked with Worcestershire Careers Hub (WCH) to add a new Digital Pathway into its Entry Level Award in Preparing for Further Learning or Employment.

The Preparing for Further Learning or Employment qualification is designed to enable learners to identify personal learning or employment goals, address areas for personal improvement, and achieve employment-based skills. The new optional digital units introduced include Cyber Security, Digital Communication and Using Digital Technology, offering learners the opportunity to gain these ‘future fit’ foundational skills. WCH has also created a set of free resources to supplement the digital units.

This partnership initiative follows on from the launch of WCH’s NOCN-backed ‘Passport 2’ careers programme in October 2023. The programme helps young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), to connect with businesses by understanding their industries and the routes into them, providing schools with meaningful and creative resources to support the teaching of sector-based hard and soft skills. NOCN’s involvement in the programme as an Awarding Body has enabled the delivery of the programme to learners, allowing them to achieve an accredited entry level qualification.

Shelley van Kooten, Sector Manager – Skills for Life & Work, NOCN Group, says:

“We’re always striving to continuously improve our Skills for Life & Work qualifications and digital skills are top of the agenda. It’s been fantastic expanding our partnership with Worcestershire Careers Hub to introduce the new digital units and resources to give learners the opportunity get these critical entry level skills.”

NOCN Group is an international education charity which has been creating opportunities through ‘skills solutions’ since 1987.

The Careers Hub initiative is a national programme from the Careers and Enterprise Company, delivered locally via a partnership between Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council.