Monday 11th May 2020 – Learner Update
To all our learners,
Further to the most recent update from the Government yesterday evening. Measures remain strictly in place for many of us and we wanted to keep you up to date with how we are operating.
ASAT Ltd remain committed to all its clients and learners during Covid – 19. We are continuously reviewing our working procedures in line with Government requirements. Our head office remains closed with our office based team getting used to a new way of working from home and continue to provide an excellent customer support network and are still dealing with the day to day operations of our company.
Our field-based team are also working from home and are maintaining an excellent standard of learning to all apprentices and learners.
We hope you are keeping safe and well during this time. If you need anything, or have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
It is business as usual for the ASAT Ltd team, we are still enrolling new learners, advertising vacancies for existing clients and still receiving enquiries from new clients, we have applicants still applying for advertised vacancies and continue to provide these services during Covid-19.
ASAT Ltd are continuing to deliver apprentice and learner training, we have a fully operational delivery team using an on-line learning platform (e-portfolio), to ensure progression, learning and teaching is still being undertaken. Many of your employers have been extremely supportive with encouraging you to continue with your qualifications.
This is an excellent opportunity for learners to advance through their qualifications, also to have focused time to revise for mandatory exams. Our plan is to ensure you continue to gain knowledge towards your qualifications during this time, so no learner falls behind and to ensure timely achievements are still obtainable. This does require full commitment from all learners, which to date we have had an excellent response and demonstrates the level of commitment each of you have towards your qualifications.
When delivery returns to normal, the e – portfolio system will continue to be used, alongside face to face visits. Many of you have mandatory exams that currently cannot take place, this is due to regulating bodies limiting invigilation of on-line exams. We have been informed these cannot be undertaken remotely at this current time.
In addition, many of you require mandatory observations in practice, that currently cannot be carried out.
Both exams and observations are still required, and these will be a priority when we are able to resume face to face appointments.
The regulating bodies are constantly updating us with measures they are adapting due to Covid-19 and should any of these measures surrounding exams and observations change, we will inform you as soon as possible and work with you and your employer to move forward with these.
We continue to evaluate our delivery in line with governing body requirements, and review constantly our support for learners during this time.
The team are here to support you as much as possible, these are difficult times that we all face together, so if we can be of any help please contact us.
DIGITAL SUPPORT FOR LEARNERS
The link below is information on a campaign designed to support those who don’t have access to the Internet and are digitally excluded during COVID-19. This may be useful to any learner that does not have access to a laptop/tablet etc. Please pass this on to anyone it may be of use to.
FRAUD AND CYBER CRIME
Fraud and cyber crime are on the increase during this time.
See: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications
The Government has issued advice and guidance on how to protect yourself from fraud and cybercrime.
The guidance suggests protecting yourself by:
Stop
Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
Challenge
Consider if it could be fake – it is ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests – only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
The police, or your bank, will never ask you to withdraw money or transfer it to a different account – they will also never ask you to reveal your full banking password or PIN.
Do not click on links or attachments in unexpected or suspicious texts or emails.
Confirm requests are genuine by using a known number or email address to contact organisations directly.
Protect
Contact your bank immediately if you think you have fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
To keep yourself secure online, ensure you are using the latest software, apps and operating systems on your phones, tablets and laptops – update these regularly or set your devices to automatically update so you do not have to worry.
Visit Take Five for more advice on how to protect yourself from fraud and Cyber Aware for advice on how to keep yourself secure online – https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/
