Skills Development Service

Every moment you spend not developing yourself, someone out there is getting better than you.

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In today’s job market, employers want you to have more than just technical knowledge. Being able to communicate effectively, think critically and show evidence of continual professional development are must-haves.

The Skills Development Service (SDS) is here to help you develop these skills, improving your employability and gaining certification along the way.

What you get from us:

• Opportunities to increase your confidence and employability
• A chance to meet new people and make friends
• Help developing your employability skills
• Certification that appears on your graduation transcript

What we expect from you:

• Letting us know if you can’t make a session as soon as you know you can’t. Email sds@cardiff.ac.uk  
• Turning up early/on time for the session
• Actively taking part in the session
• Keeping a log of your sessions

Course Overview

Short Sessions:

All sessions are between 1 and 2 hours duration. Attend as little or as many as you like.  Completion of 5 in the same group leads to the award of Certificate of Personal Development in that title.  Each certificate is signed jointly by the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Student Experience & Academic Standards and the Head of The Skills Development Service. The specific skill group features alongside the sessions in the list below.

For the content of each session please look under https://www.cardiffstudents.com/whatson/skills/ 

Advanced Presentation Skills (Communication)

Essential Presentation Skills (Communication)

How to acquire a commercial mindset (Personal Effectiveness)

How to deal with Perfectionism (Personal Effectiveness)

How to be an effective listener (Communication)

How to be an effective problem solver (Leadership)

How to be an effective team player (Leadership)

How to build resilience (Personal Effectiveness)

How to communicate in ways that delight your customers (Communication)

How to conduct a challenging conversation (Communication)

How to develop your personal brand (Personal Effectiveness)

How to develop your positive image (Personal Effectiveness)

How to improve your assertiveness (Communication)

How to lead in difficult situations (Leadership)

How to lead using a range of different styles (Leadership)

How to manage stress (Personal Effectiveness)

How to manage your time more effectively - Distance Learning (Personal Effectiveness)

How to motivate yourself to get things done (Personal Effectiveness)

How to negotiate successfully (Communication)

How to prepare a presentation (Communication)

How to prepare and deliver a Team Briefing - Distance Learning (Leadership)

How to set your goals (Personal Effectiveness)

How to use the art of reflection (Personal Effectiveness)

"I have really enjoyed the course and appreciated the advice and information given in each of the sessions. I think the knowledge and skills gained will be especially helpful in developing my CV and improving my interview answers at job applications. I am very pleased I found the skills development service."
Current Cardiff University student. 

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DIPLOMA of PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN LEADERSHIP

go to https://www.cardiffstudents.com/jobs-skills/skills-development-service/sds-diploma-of-professional-development-in-leadership/

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EXTERNALLY-PROVIDED COURSES 

British Sign Language Level 1.

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CIEH Foundation Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety.

2 x 2 hour and 1 x 3 hour sessions.

Cost £10.00 +VAT
Dates: 15 February 2-4pm, 22 February 2-4pm, 1 March 2-5pm.

Week 1 

Introduction to occupational health and safety, Health & safety law, Incident reporting & emergency procedures

Week 2 

Risk assessments, Common workplace hazards & controls

Week 2

More common workplace hazards & controls, assessment

By enrolling onto this course you are acknowledging and accepting that The Skills Development Service will share your name and email with CIEH For course registration and certification purposes.

How to book:

1. Go to cardiffstudents.com/whatson/skills/
2. Look for Chartered Institute of Environmental Health - Foundation Level Occupational Health & Safety, 15 February, 22 February, 1 March
3. Pay online by debit or credit card 

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Emergency First Aid For The Appointed Person (1 session of 6 hours)

Dates: Saturdays in October, November and December 2022, and February 2023. 

Times: 0930-1630

This course covers the essential basics in First Aid such as CPR, bandaging etc. Certification (valid 3 years) is awarded upon successful completion of course activities and assessment.  £30 payable for tuition, resources and certification. The certificate is endorsed by The Health and Safety Executive.

Clubs/Societies - it is possible to block book or maximise spaces on a particular course, subject to availability - please email Steelej@cf.ac.uk  

By enrolling onto this course you are acknowledging and accepting that The Skills Development Service will share your name and email with First Aid Supplies & Training for course registration and certification purposes.

How to book:

1. Go to cardiffstudents.com/whatson/skills/
2. Look for Emergency 1st Aid and check space availability
3. Pay online by debit or credit card

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The Pacific Institute® Mindsetting Moments

Microlearning for today!  Join up for Mindsetting Moments; an action packed video learning portal with short snippets of some of their most popular courses, led by expert facilitators and focused to help you on your growth journey!  With subjects like Fixing The Replacement Picture, this is a great place to get started or to get a BOOST for your mindset journey!

Look under https://www.cardiffstudents.com/whatson/skills/ 

By enrolling onto this course you are acknowledging and accepting that The Skills Development Service will share your name and email with The Pacific Institute® for registration and access purposes.

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For students who complete the Certificate of Personal Development in Leadership or The Diploma of Professional Development in Leadership, there is the option to receive additional accreditation from one of the UK's most prominent Leadership & Management organisations.

For just £60.00+VAT you'll get letters after your name, a year's supply of great leadership resources, helpful hints, and personal development coaching sessions to name but a few. Students will automatically be invited to join this scheme upon completion of the afore mentioned programmes. It is purely optional and not taking up the offer in no way devalues the original awards.

By enrolling onto this scheme you are acknowledging and accepting that The Skills Development Service will share your name and email with The Institute of Leadership & Management for registration, membership and certification purposes.

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European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)

The ECDL (European Computer Driving Licence) certification has been renamed as the ICDL (International Certification of Digital Literacy) to show its acceptance as a worldwide benchmark for digital and IT user skills. It is, therefore, a highly recognised qualification offering recognition of your literacy in computer skills.  Designed for novices as well as casual computer users, it can help you improve your computer literacy level as you study for each unit. The ECDL/ICDL is the fastest growing IT user qualification in well over 125 countries, with many UK companies setting this as a mandatory base level for digital skills.

Qualifications can be constructed from a combination of these modules:

IT user fundamentals
Internet and email
Word processing
Spreadsheet software
Presentation software
Database software
Online collaboration
Improving productivity
IT security for users

The Cardiff University test centre offers the standard 7-unit (Core) version comprising IT user fundamentals, Internet and email, Word processing, Spreadsheet software, Presentation software, Database software and IT security for users.

But in addition, a specific combination of units can be used to construct a customised version of the qualification, maybe a version excluding an option that you don’t specifically need.  For customised versions, an Improving Productivity unit is included focusing further on the base applications of word processing, spreadsheets and presentations.  Upon completion, your certificate indicates the combination of units used to build your own version of this certification.

Cost £175.00. Details of the course can be found at https://www.bcs.org/deliver-and-teach-qualifications/training-providers-and-adult-education-centres/deliver-our-digital-literacy-qualifications/deliver-ecdl/ecdl-syllabi/

If you would like to undertake this as a Cardiff University student please contact IT-training@cardiff.ac.uk

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Since experiencing a substantial set back in the rejection from what I had considered to be my dream job, I feel as though the SDS has given me access to training which has truly enabled me to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and allow me to reconsider how I can use my capabilities to suit me best (Cardiff University Alumni)

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Queries

If you have any queries please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page first. Contact us if your question hasn't been answered there.

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The Skills Development Service reserves the right to cancel, postpone or substitute workshops especially when less than 6 have signed up to a particular one.  Prior notice will always be given to those who have enrolled on the workshops affected.

A guide on how to join and sign up for sessions