Skill Shop, Wokingham, Berkshire

Skill Shop is an innovative learning space which aims to re-engage young people aged 14-16 into education by offering interesting and challenging yet achievable activities, developing their basic skills, improving life skills and study skills and celebrating individual achievements.

Learners can gain certificates in carpentry, painting and decorating, plastering, tiling, interior design and jewellery. These can lead to the Level 1 Award in Occupational Skills or the Level 1 Creative Craft Award. These are QCF registered and equivalent to 0.5 GCSEs each. We also provide the Level 2 Certificate in Carpentry and the Level 2 Award in Creative Craft Using Interior Design Skills.

Interior design involves learning a wide range of skills, creating designs for a client, a final room design and making a full sized display of their work for an exhibition. The jewellery course also involves a range of skills and techniques using a variety of specialist tools and materials including silver, designing several items and producing these to a high standard for a final display.

Courses are targeted at disengaged and vulnerable learners, and designed to improve manual skills and knowledge, dexterity, social skills, team-work, problem solving, confidence, self-esteem, writing, self-expression and evidencing skills. Programmes are arranged to suit the individual needs of the learner so they can get the most out of their time with the Skill Shop. Non-accredited spaces are also offered. Learners try new skills to help them make choices about what to do next and gain certificates to enable them to progress on to further courses at college.

Skill Shop also provides a new scheme for 2012 called Skill Shop Plus; targeting very vulnerable learners who have been unable to access any other forms of education. Here learners can gain an award in interpersonal skills while working with our specialist tutor and this programme helps raise self-esteem, confidence and motivation.

 

Skill Shop is based at Unit 18, The Business Centre, Molly Millar's Lane, Wokingham, RG41 2QY.

Contact Details: Jacqui Kincaid, Skill Shop Manager

Tel: 07905 849326