The Institute of Management CISM/NVQ3

Certificate in Supervisory Management / NVQ Level 3
If you are on the first rung of the management ladder or are new to the management situation you need the confidence that arises from having your competence recognised by a management qualification from the Institute of Management, Europe's leading professional management association. The VSTU is one of the few organisations in the country that have been accepted to deliver the new and prestigious Competent Team Leader Programme.

Through this supported distance learning programme you will gain the benefits of practical experience and expertise distilled into the self study materials and workshops led by tutors with wide experience in all three sectors (Voluntary, Statutory and Private) and the chance to interact with other managers.

The Competent Team Leader which runs over a full year of 3 x 10 week terms) will enable you to succeed, both in your present work role and your future development.

Successful team leaders on the programme can look forward to the confidence that arises from demonstrating their skills in:

improving working relationships and structures
recruiting and training staff
improving the quality and achieving the aims their organisation

Entry Requirements: Candidates will have a minimum of twelve months (current) management experience. Candidates will be required to submit an essay not exceeding 1,000 words on "My Life and Work Experience" plus a short statement on how the CISM/NVQ3 will help your personal and professional development. Candidates will also demonstrate by interview the ability to cope with, contribute to and benefit from the programme.

The Competent Team Leader - Open Programme is practical, relevant and flexible. It enables you to demonstrate your ability to meet the challenges of management. The programmes has been specifically designed by the Institute of Management, Europe's leading professional management association, to support you through the challenge of undertaking part-time study. The distance learning material allows you to work at your own pace and in your own way, avoiding the need for frequent attendance at colleges. However, this does not mean that you are on your own.

Workshops - for each module there is a one day workshop. These are highly interactive events that allow you to develop competence in a structures environment. They do not provide further inputs of knowledge, but concentrate on the integration of knowledge, skills and personal qualities. Further regular 1:1 sessions will help participants prepare their portfolios of evidence of competence.

Work-based activity - following the self-study materials and the workshop, participants then select real work activities, either from suggestions within the self-study materials or by negotiation with a mentor. These should be of direct benefit to your organisation and allow you to demonstrate to an assessor that you have achieved a required level of performance in a particular area of management.

The Modules

Managing Operations

Managerial roles, planning and organising, communication and controlling, customer service, managing change, health and safety.

Team Recruitment and Development

Planning recruitment, the legal context of recruitment, disciplinary interviews, setting objectives, giving feedback, coaching, equal opportunities.

Managing People in Teams

Team leading, motivation, influencing, and assertiveness, delegation, counselling, listening and questioning.

Managing Information

Managing information as a resource, handling data; sources of information; on-line databases; decision making skills; presentation skills;