Tiggywinkles is the world’s busiest wildlife hospital. We take in, treat, rehabilitate and release around 10,000 sick injured or orphaned British wild animals every year. As a charity we provide the best medical treatment and care using ground breaking treatments. Over the years we have perfected techniques for hedgehogs, badgers, deer, red kites and other species and have a commitment to passing on this information through books, papers, courses and lectures.

Helen Harvey, Education and Communications Officer at Tiggywinkles found out about the Skills Support for the Workforce programme through Aylesbury College. 

Skills Support for the Workforce (SSW) is a programme developed to upskill employees within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It provides recognised accredited qualifications and bespoke training courses to enhance employees’ skills, increase the competitiveness of businesses and boost local economies. Aylesbury College is part of Serco’s network of expert organisations chosen to deliver the SSW programme on behalf of in South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partership (SEMLEP). SSW is co-financed by the European Social Fund and the Education and Skills Funding Agency.

Aylesbury College Adviser, Anji Harvey, carried out a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) with Tiggywinkles and identified the need for team leading support, along with a need for information and guidance understanding and core customer service requirements.

Through SSW Aylesbury College were able to deliver Level 2 Distance Learning courses to 10 staff members at Tiggywinkles, including Certificate in Principles of Team Leading, Certificate in Principles of Customer Service and Certificate in Information, Advice or Guidance.

Helen said of the SSW support: “Anji from Aylesbury College has been really supportive offering help and advice and feedback in person, by phone and by email. She made completing the course a much friendlier experience.

“Low cost and free training is beneficial; as a charity as it means we can focus our funds into the work we do while still giving our staff key training and skills. The IAG course has improved our education teams offering of IAG to our students enabled us to provide more formal and trackable services and this will hopefully be reflected in student outcomes. The Team Leading and Customer Service Training helps new and existing staff in these areas improve their skills and to provide a better service to the public and students they work with. A new policy has been created as a result of undertaking the IAG course.”

To find out about accessing fully funded training for your business through the Skills Support for the Workforce programme, businesses can contact us skillssupport@serco.com.