Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course

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About this course

What is it?

The Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course has been produced to support the delivery of careers and work-related education, and to help with planning and undertaking work experience/placements.

The flexibility of ASDAN’s Short Courses means they can be delivered in a variety of settings, over a time frame that suits the needs of the individual learner and the coordinating centre. Challenge descriptions can be interpreted and adapted according to the learning context.  

This Short Course can be completed using the student book or through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform. 

Find out more about the differences between Short Course student books and Equitas in this information leaflet.

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To teach this course you must have one of these membership types:

  • Qualifications
  • Programmes
  • Programmes Plus

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Helpful resources for getting started
Equitas information booklet
Equitas how to guide
Equitas FAQs
Equitas sample challenges

Who is it for?

Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills

Facts and Figures

  • Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels 

  • Internally moderated 

  • Accredits 10–60 hours of activities 

 

Course content 

The Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course has been produced to support the delivery of careers and work-related education. It can support with planning and structuring work experience placements. The Short Course is flexible enough to cater for learners considering a career in any employment sector, and to support learners in choosing a career plan that might include higher education, apprenticeships or any other route to work. 

The challenges within the course have been mapped to the Gatsby Benchmark's framework and the course is referenced in the Gatsby Benchmark toolkit (page 26). 

The Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course student book contains activities across seven modules: 

  • Self-development 

  • Career exploration 

  • Career management 

  • Considering higher education 

  • Considering apprenticeships 

  • Preparing for the workplace 

  • Being at work 

Each learner requires their own login to access the course on Equitas. This gives them access to all challenges and provides a space to record evidence of completed activities. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can also be downloaded for use with learners.  

Please note that there are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course Student Book and the version now available on Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges. For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners. 

Requirements

Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio or e-portfolio. This should include:  

  • a record of challenges completed, with supporting evidence for each  

  • recording documents showing how learners have planned and reviewed their activities 

  • summary of achievement, highlighting skills development 

  • personal statement 

  • feedback from the tutor 

For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:

ASDAN training events are delivered by experts to help your centre run our courses successfully. They provide an introduction to the course, along with guidance on delivery, assessment, and moderation processes. 

Book training

Costs

All costs shown below are per learner, unless otherwise stated. Each learner will need their own copy of the student book or login and registration on Equitas. Books or registrations purchased for Short Courses are valid for three years from the date of purchase. 

Item 

Price 

Short Course student book 

£12 

Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login 

£12 

Short Course PDF certificate 

Free 

Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) 

£3.75 

Products can be purchased below. 

Our expert team can guide you through the process and advise on the most appropriate format for your learners. Please complete this expression of interest form, and an ASDAN expert will be in touch.  

Products

Course resources

Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 5A4: Duties and skills as an apprentice

This worksheet can be used for learners to record the duties they would be expected to carry out in an Apprenticeship of their choice and to identify the skills they would need to perform these duties. The cover sheet suggests some websites that learners could use to find an Apprenticeship that is of interest to them. This resource links to challenge 5A4 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course.

Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A1: The benefits of work experience

This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A1 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to identify the benefits of work experience.

Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A2: Work experience placement wish

This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A2 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to create a wish list of organisations that they would like to complete a work experience placement with.

Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A6: Work experience travel plan

This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A6 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to create a travel plan for their journey to and from their work experience placement.

Evaluation chart (individual)

This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Evaluation chart (group)

This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Planning a group or team task

This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.

Teamwork health check

This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.

Success stories

Students' work experience learning is accredited through Short Course

Work experience and preparedness for employment form an important part of the curriculum for pupils who are on the ‘purple pathway’ at Rossett School in Harrogate. Dorothy Lepkowska spoke to Chris McPhillimy about what this means for learners and the supporting role ASDAN courses play.
Progression pathway
Award of Personal Effectiveness
Workright
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