Certificate in Business Skills

COURSE OBJECTIVES
The course is designed to provide essential business skills to enable smaller businesses to become more effective and efficient.  By choosing any five tiles from the series candidates can set their own agenda according to their personal priorities

STUDENT PROFILE
This programme is designed for people working in a wide variety of business sectors and sizes, together with voluntary sector organisations.  People not currently in work but seeking employment will also find the programme of value, but will need to identify a host organisation on which to base their assessment.  The programme is most suitable for people wishing to enhance their business skills and also for those seeking an introductory programme before studying for professional qualifications.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
There are no particular entry requirements but students must be committed, and have access to a business or voluntary sector organisation in order to complete the course work.

METHOD OF STUDY
The programme is offered by distance learning, enabling students to complete their studies at work or at home over a timescale which suits their other commitments.  No formal attendance at college is required but tutor support is included.

Each module carries separate accreditation, enabling students to gain recognition for their chosen module[s]

Participants completing ANY FIVE course titles to form their programme of study will be eligible for a full Certificate in Business Skills

DURATION
Each module will take about 20 hours to complete, including the assessment. Students may register whenever convenient and assignments can be submitted at any time.

OUTLINE CONTENT
Choose five modules from the 23 titles listed overleaf covering

• Marketing
• General Management
• Finance

COURSE MATERIALS
You will receive; five course manuals with exercises and activities, studyguide to help you plan your studies, tutor support by telephone/email, reading list and assessment materials.

TUTOR SUPPORT
Tutor support is provided by telephone and/or email.  Your tutor will contact you soon after registration to provide an induction and agree the timescale for the course.

ASSESSMENT METHOD
Students are assessed through an assignment based on their application of the knowledge to a real organisation.  Consequently the assessment will be work based, under supervision.

MARKETING
01 Marketing Your Business
Set your objectives… create your plan…. achieve it through better marketing skills

02 Advertising and Promotion
How to get your message across to customers

03 Direct Marketing
How to identify customers as individuals… understand their needs…and build a profitable relationship

04 Personal Selling Skills
How to profit from improved face-to-face selling techniques

05 Customer Care
How to gain a competitive edge by achieving long-term customer satisfaction

06 Customer Care on the Telephone
How to manage telephone contacts successfully and efficiently

07 Reception Skills
Creating the right impression when receiving guests and visitors

ACCOUNTING AND FINANCE
08 Book-keeping
First steps in financial record keeping for the smaller business

09 Annual Accounts and the Inland Revenue
How your accounts are prepared.  What they mean to you, your creditors and the Inland Revenue

10 Taxation
A guide to personal and business taxation

11 Management Accounting
How management accounts help your business survive and prosper

12 Credit Control
How to manage credit and recover debt

13 Accounting with Computers
A guide to how computers can help with accounting

14 Costing and Pricing
How costing and pricing can help you to make better business decisions

GENERAL MANAGEMENT
15 Effective Management
How to plan, make decisions, lead and motivate

16 Employing People
How to recruit, motivate and part with staff

17 Managing Performance
How to promote good relations and improve performance with staff

18 Communicate for Profit
How to get your message across via telephone, letters and personal contact

19 Time Stress and Crisis Management
Coping with time, and dealing positively with stress and crisis

20 Negotiating Skills
How to find solutions to problems which will be acceptable to all parties

21 Health and Safety at Work
The law and good practice in ensuring a safe and healthy workplace

22 Using IT in Your Business
Getting the most from Information Technology

23 Start Your Own Business Workbook
Advice and guidance on planning and starting a new small business