Adult qualifications

We are joined by CV College Vice Principal Michelle Parry to explore the range of qualifications available to adult volunteers, from leadership and management awards to teaching and training qualifications. The discussion highlights how flexible, affordable learning opportunities can help volunteers develop new skills, gain recognised qualifications and enhance both their volunteering and professional careers.

The episode also features inspiring stories from graduates Paul Hose and Terence Salter, who share how their qualifications boosted their confidence, strengthened their leadership and teaching abilities, and created opportunities both inside and outside the cadet forces. Their journeys culminated in a memorable graduation ceremony at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, demonstrating the lasting impact of lifelong learning.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Hello and welcome to this episode of the Cadet to Career podcast. To begin with, a huge thank you to the huge number of people who've listened in, downloaded, and shared the episodes from last year. The response to the topics we covered has been so encouraging and the feedback so positive. We're delighted to be back again this year. Series two of Cadet to Career kicks off with an in-depth look at the opportunities available to adult volunteers, looking closely at the City and Guilds Professional Recognition Awards and the Level 3 Award in Education and Training. CV College Vice Principal Michelle Parry will be joining me to give an overview of the full portfolio of awards available through the college. We'll also hear from recent graduates about their experiences of taking the qualifications, right up to that fabulous exclusive ceremony at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. What a day that was last October. There is an old adage that says every day is a learning day, and as cliched as that might be, the truth is more and more adults are continuing in some form of education. Recent reports suggest up to around half of adults in the UK have engaged in some form of learning in the past three years, further supporting the claims of a broader increase in lifelong learning activity. But only about 20% were learning at work through formalised programmes. Anecdotally, at least, it seems increasingly the case that more people are becoming involved in learning programmes through their volunteering activities as their community engagement gains more social value. Government data shows adult further education enrolments in England stood in over 1.7 million in 2024-25, reflecting continued participation in regulated courses and training. So are we becoming a nation of adult learners? Is lifelong learning the new must-have on your CV? And does a recognised qualification make you a better volunteer? And how might it boost your other career prospects? Well, joining me to discuss all of this and more is CV College Vice Principal Michelle Parry. Michelle, thank you for joining us. Let's deal with the first point about the growth of adult learning, in particular through volunteering. Firstly, outline for me what we're talking about here with adult qualifications.

SPEAKER_00 2:35

Well, the first thing to say is that we make all of our adult qualifications as accessible to all of our learners as possible. So they're very much built around leadership and management. We have qualifications from level three right up to level seven, which is master's degree equivalence. But it's all based around activities and roles either within the cadet forces or within people's own jobs. But as I say, it sort of builds from the teamwork and personal development that we focus on with the cadets. And then when we come to the adults, it's more the leadership and management. And then thrown in, we also have a level three in education and training. So that links quite closely to the instructing that adult volunteers would do in the cadet forces with a slight obviously more of a twist on the on the teaching, but it's just an introduction to teaching. So, you know, it's not a complicated qualification.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

And what do you find are the key motivators for adult volunteers registering for a CV College professional recognition award? How easy is it for people to slot this learning into their daily lives if they perhaps haven't embarked on education for a while?

SPEAKER_00 3:42

I think because we offer the qualifications at at all of these different levels, they can just pick the level that suits them. Um, and you don't need to have um academic qualifications um to enrol on these qualifications. Uh so the professional recognition awards, the City and Guilds level four to level seven, it sort of appeals to people who want to develop their career. So not necessarily just within the cadet forces but externally in their employment as well. So we've seen many graduates um use these qualifications for promotion and when job hunting. We've had people that have done the education and training that then move into a role, you know, within a school. Um, for many of our learners, many of our adult learners, their prior qualification level will be a level two. So many will have the equivalent of you know GCSEs, O levels, and never sort of progressed within within studying any further. Um, and so we the beauty of these qualifications is that they don't need to have these academic qualifications, they're really built around, you know, um what they can actually do and what what they do, especially within the cadet forces. So it's great to see people prove to themselves that they can do a higher level qualification. You know, they're not impossible by any means. We have very good achievement rates with all our adults.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

And finally, Michelle, for the moment, you've mentioned affordability. What sort of costs are we talking about here?

SPEAKER_00 5:09

Well, the City and Guilds start from as little as £450 and go, I think the most expensive qualification we do is around £1,500, and that's for a master's level qualification. And you would not find a master's um qualification for less than about £12,000 these days, I don't think, from what I've seen. Um and the education and training, what what we do on all the qualifications, if if they support us, we give a discount to people who are Cadet Force adult volunteers, so they wouldn't pay as much as the the normal public to do the qualifications. And with the education and training, if they support us and help to deliver to cadets, we give them an an extra discount on top of that. So I think you know, you're talking about anything from £450 to £1,500.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Let's hear now from some of the people who've been through the process and about their experiences. In a moment we'll hear from Terence Salter, who's completed the City and Guilds Level 3 award in education and training. We'll be hearing what his motivators were and how it benefits him as a Cadet Force adult volunteer. But first, I'm joined by Paul Hose.

SPEAKER_04 6:21

I own a group of music schools. We're based in the UK, France and Italy. I founded them and now part of a leadership team that oversees the running of them. The legacy of it was um sort of rock and roll, you know, drums, bass guitar, singing, age groups, any anyone is uh is welcome. But uh in more recent times we've gone into alternative provision offering formal pathways for people who have, for one reason or another, um dropped out of um or opted to leave state education. We offer a a variety of creative pathways, but now the the the core of it is as I've just said, it's a creative pathway. So if you've got an interest in podcasting or DJ or music for film or music for games, you're you're very welcome, just as you are if you want to play the drums or the guitar. So the traditional side of it is still there, but it's much more technologically focused now.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Amazing. So looking now towards this qualification, what made this stand out? What kind of attached you to this this journey with the college?

SPEAKER_04 7:25

So for me, um it was an opportunity to formalise my thinking, but also to gain uh an understanding of of what it would be to be a leadership, uh a leader rather in um in a high performance team, because everything I'd done in my career, even though that you know I'd built a a good business, it was often a case of try it and if it worked great, and if it didn't work, you try again. So to have some formalized approach into leading myself and others uh was really beneficial.

SPEAKER_01 7:55

It sounds like a little bit of a a jigsaw then for uh what you were doing with your cadet service and outside, and it also did am I right in saying it all sort of gelled and brought that all together?

SPEAKER_04 8:05

Yeah, I mean I uh I came to the cadets through their bus their their sort of outreach program, their conversations with cadets where they you know reach out to small businesses, well actually business of any size to see if there are opportunities for people who um who graduate out of the cadets at 18. I came along and was really uh super impressed. My children uh had grown up and I'd got time to offer. So I became uh an adult volunteer that way. And then once once inside the organization, quickly realized that there's not a lot of difference between what I did for a living and and what I was volunteering to do, except maybe putting on you know the king's uniform and and the field craft bit. But in terms of working with young people and helping them find their way, um, it was very similar. So the training that the cadets and the and and the college could offer me was advantageous as a volunteer, but also in my professional career.

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Yeah, it's that it sounds like a a bit of a no-brainer, really, doesn't it? And it should be in more people's minds, shouldn't it? Sort of what what advice would you give people who are in not just work like yours, not just sectors like yours, but also the who might not be involved with cadets? It sounds like it it's it's very, very much used to all sorts of businesses, all sorts of sectors.

SPEAKER_04 9:20

Oh, absolutely. I mean, um just thinking about everything you said there, I I had no idea of the scope of the organisation and the opportunities that it offers for young people and for the volunteers. So once I was uh inside and I'd done my, you know, I became a sergeant and I'd done my initial training, the more I I dug around, the more opportunities I could find. So I would advocate that that any adult volunteer do the qualifications on offer, uh, not just those that are valid to deliver in the ACF syllabus, but actually to f enhance your own CV and opportunities, even if it's just for CPD, you know, just to learn something new. Like I can't imagine why anybody wouldn't want to do it, regardless of what sector people are in. These these qualifications are um extremely valid and and and important. Yeah, I I think I think you should go for it.

SPEAKER_01 10:14

Tell me a little bit more about what exactly the qualification was that you did, how much it helps you in your outside job, as it were.

SPEAKER_04 10:22

So I'm um the I mean my title is uh at work is is the CEO, uh, and and you know, people will understand what that means. But for a for a small organization like mine that is maturing and and expanding, this qualification gave me an opportunity to do training perhaps that other people might have done at university or have uh on-the-job training in in different roles. For me, I I set my business up 30 years ago, and like I said earlier, it was a case of just do it, do it, do it, try it. The leadership skills and the strategic thinking and planning in the level seven qualification that I did enabled me to formulate ideas from concept to delivery, whether it was communication or working with the people in the organization, you know, communicating um ideas, brand values, understanding what brand values are and what they mean, how to communicate them, how to live by them, but also how to help your team understand that uh and stay to actually adhere to the vision of any organization. So on a strategic thinking level, this qualification helped me understand my own ideas and then better yet, communicate them to my team, whether at unit level in the ACF or indeed at work.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

It sounds fascinating. A universal appeal there. You've said you've got family, you've said you've got you know your job. You do have to find time in your day to do that. How how does this learning process uh fit in with all that?

SPEAKER_04 11:50

I think it's fair to say because of the the level I'd I'd gone for, the level seven, I think I I had the realization after after I'd done my my first unit that actually um I needed to commit to it properly. So for me, I used some annual leave and actually actually had to work at it five days at a time because the demands on my role at work, but also the demands on me for family and it and the ACF are such that if I didn't give it the proper time, it wouldn't it wouldn't work for for anyone. And I didn't want to uh I didn't want to get it wrong. I also knew in my heart that I might not have the time or the energy to do any of it again. So my advice to anyone would be you know to clear the decks and and sit down and and and do it properly.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

What about the cost as well, Paul?

SPEAKER_04 12:37

The cost of uh higher education, uh uh like for me, level seven being commensurate with a master's degree, um, actually it's extremely reasonable and affordable uh to do the qualification with the cadet vocational college.

SPEAKER_01 12:51

And of course, once you've done all that, you do have a lovely um graduation.

SPEAKER_04 12:56

I remember making my way to the Parade Square to, you know, to park on it on the edge of it and being taken aback by the the grandeur and splendour of of Sandhurst and uh taking a minute to kind of w wonder like how would I find myself here? Get in the building, everyone's relaxed and kind, and and that that that helps. The staff are uh incredible, they make you feel welcome, make you feel a part of it. I think that has massive value uh for all the adult volunteers is the sense of belonging that the that the ACF gives, but also the sense of belonging when you're having your graduation at Sandhurst. It's not just a case of here's your certificate well done, carry on. You know, um it is an opportunity for you to sort of take it all in and and you know, life life moves ever so quickly, and and sometimes we don't have the time uh to celebrate our successes, you know. You do you, you know, life takes over. So to have that day uh was incredible.

SPEAKER_01 13:56

A fitting end to uh an education journey, whatever path anyone's taking. It's been fascinating talking to you, Paul. Thank you for your time.

SPEAKER_04 14:03

Um I'm an officer now, a lieutenant, so if I could carry on being of service to my local community and use this qualification to help other people, that would be excellent for me.

SPEAKER_02 14:17

You're listening to the Cadet to Career podcast brought to you by Cadet Vocational College, improving lives through vocational education. Now, Terence Salter joins us.

SPEAKER_01 14:28

Terence, you completed the City and Guilds Level 3 award in education and training. Tell me a little bit about how this all came about and your day job and sort of how it all fits in together.

SPEAKER_03 14:39

My day job, I'm a qualified driving instructor, and I also train those coming into the profession to be driving instructors. And whilst I'm with the cadet organization, the RFR cadets, when I heard about this qualification, uh, because a number of years ago, uh in 2019, I completed the leadership and management course, which I thoroughly enjoyed, and the support from the college was absolutely fantastic. And when I looked at this one on the education and training, I thought this is fantastic because that would link in with what I do with the cadets, and at the same time, it's transferable skills to what I do in my job.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

That made a little bit more of a connection with outside life and and inside the cadets, so it was it was a bit of a no-brainer then.

SPEAKER_03 15:29

Absolutely, absolutely. And I thoroughly enjoyed the course. At first, when I looked at it, I thought, oh, okay, a bit of a change, but no, absolutely fantastic, and thoroughly enjoyed doing it. And the tutor was brilliant as well. The biggest thing I found helpful was the way we set the lesson plan at the very beginning, and being aware of those that might have uh additional educational needs or might be dyslexic and that kind of thing. And so it makes us more aware that when we're running a class for the cadets, how we set it out is there anybody that needs additional assistance or help, uh, especially when it comes to QA. And I often put QA test papers together to see if learning has been learnt from that session. At the same time, this can be used in as a driving instructor because you could have people coming on board that want to learn to drive, uh, may have needed additional help, and you have to start thinking about how do I get this message across? And it's sort of looking into your toolbox. So one method may work for somebody else, but it may not work for the next person, and you're trying to juggle things, what's going to work for them. And this particular course helped me to look at things with planning a lot better.

SPEAKER_01 16:54

How easy a process was it transition from pre pre-terrence to post-terrence, if you like?

SPEAKER_03 17:00

I think some of the skills I already I was lucky to have with me, which helped, uh, but there was additional skills which the course enhanced my ability to be a good instructor and uh a tutor in the classroom, um, and the way you think things out.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

What would be the advice that you would give somebody to embark on this journey?

SPEAKER_03 17:23

I would definitely would say get involved with helping on the cadet side of things and assist other instructors at their squadron or ACF or wherever they are to be involved and learn how to prepare a class, a lesson. So you've got lesson planning and how it's delivered. And as with the driving instructors, I often say those coming into the industry, get involved with the local advanced driving group, learn about the skill, and then learn from those and build up your teaching experience, and with that, this will help you when you do the course.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

You touched upon the support that you were very impressed with and and how it was all organised. And tell me a little bit more about that that learning journey uh while you were in it as well, and the additional support that you got from the CV College.

SPEAKER_03 18:18

Yes, it was um absolutely fantastic. So you're assigned a tutor and it was all done on Zoom, so you're look doing it from home. You spend a couple of hours, and there's a group of you, and you all work together as if you were in the classroom, so you help each other out. But at the same time, if you're doing your studies and trying to put your mini lesson together, you could always contact the tutor by an email, and within a couple of hours or the following day, you would receive a reply back, and also the offer that if you need a one-to-one chat, that could also be arranged as well. So the support is absolutely outstanding.

SPEAKER_01 19:01

And how how did you find the timings of it, putting that in with your daily life and your your daily responsibilities and how you've managed your time?

SPEAKER_03 19:10

Yeah, time management is critical. Uh, but the way it's laid out, because the tutor has a full-time job and it was all arranged in the evening, which was fantastic. And luckily for me, when I finish work, I've got the evenings clear, and I was also saying to the squadron, you know, I've got a Zoom meeting, I'm not able to attend the squadron because of what I'm doing. So, yeah, for me it was very easy to slot in, so there's a lot of flexibility as well.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Did you get to go to Sandhurst for your uh graduation as well?

SPEAKER_03 19:40

I did. Fantastic. Sandhurst, I help out as a volunteer with the uh military intelligence museum at Chicksands, and I was allowed to use some of the factors from my mini lessons. But going to Sandhurst to see the surroundings for army officers, the training that they go through, and the history uh was absolutely phenomenal. It's fantastic, and that was the icing on the cake to get the course done to return back to Sandhurst. I was there in 2019, uh, it was fantastic, it was great to be back as well. And the Cadet College, yeah, they do a fantastic job uh making all that hard work, the reward at the end of it of graduating at Sandhurst, yeah, absolutely fantastic. Um, and I thank them no end, and I they do a brilliant job to make it so special to say, well done, everybody, you've worked extremely hard. This is your reward now to graduate here at Sandhurst. Oh, what a fantastic venue.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

Have you got anything else planned off the back of this journey as well? Any more training, any more education?

SPEAKER_03 20:44

Yes, I would like to go to the next phase um higher in what I'm doing. Um, I've just moved to another squadron and I'm helping the uh CEO, and hopefully, we can encourage cadets to do a similar sort of course, the BTEC qualification, and mentor them on their journey to receive uh additional qualifications, external qualifications, which is going to look great on their CV, whatever they want to do in Syri, or should they wish to join up as well. Uh, and that's what I intend to do is to use this my knowledge and my training and skill to help others.

SPEAKER_01 21:24

This helps you deliver that BTEC more effectively as well. I mean, with that's another thing to touch upon.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

Yes, the BTEC qualification is quite big now within the education in schools and other colleges, and I think it's fantastic that uh these youngsters have got this opportunity, similar to doing their um Duke of Edinburgh Awards, they've now got these additional qualifications they can go and attend and do, uh, which is great, and it's all going to help them as well. And we've got a number of cadets method of instruction, it's great helping them as well. I thoroughly enjoy what I'm doing, and we've got a few cadets that are interested in doing the course. And uh I know my CO and Sarah who's at the squadron as well. So three of us at the squadron are mentors uh uh for the cadets via the college.

SPEAKER_01 22:18

Thank you for joining us for this deeper look into adult learning and the wide range of qualifications available to volunteers. We've explored how learning doesn't stop when we leave school. In many ways, it becomes more meaningful. Whether it's gaining formal qualifications, building transferable skills or developing confidence through hands-on experience, volunteering can be a powerful route to personal and professional growth. And through CV College, there are more flexible and accessible options than ever before. As we've discussed, these opportunities don't just strengthen organizations, they empower individuals. They help volunteers turn passion into purpose and experience into recognised achievement. If you've been thinking about starting something new, developing skills or finally gaining additional recognition for the work you already do, now is the time to take that next step. Remember, it's about growing, contributing, and opening doors you may not have imagined possible. If you're a current volunteer, consider what qualification could boost your impact and benefit not just you but also your organisation. If you're new to the idea and wondering whether you're ready, you are. Every expert started as a beginner. If you found value in today's episode, please share it with someone who might benefit. You can listen again via the new Cadet to Career website at cadet tocareer.org. We must also mention the employability skills workshops. They're open to all Cadet Vocational College learners, particularly those involved in the BTEC Level 2 qualification in teamwork and personal development in the community, specifically for Unit 3 preparing for employment. There is more information about all the qualifications available on the CV College main website at cvcollege.org, including a link to ask questions and register your interest. Alternatively, you can speak to your local CV College Regional Manager or call on 01276-601701 to speak to our dedicated team in learner support services. If you've got any comments on the podcast or suggestions about other topics we might cover, please send an email to marketing at cvcollege.org. This has been a Create Media Production for Cadet Vocational College. The producer was Matt Jones and the editor Steve Taylor. I'm Laura Cook, thank you for listening.