e-Learning Centre

E-Learning Centres are part of the provision of the Army Education Centres. They provide support and information to both soldiers and their adult dependents, as well as to the wider defence community including civil servants.

There is an E-Learning Centre here at Sandhurst – please pop in to see what Jane Vahgatsi, the Learning Centre Manager, can do to help you.

Sandhurst eLC

This page provides you with you information on the Sandhurst e-Learning Centre (eLC) which is a FREE* educational facility for all at Sandhurst Station. Here you’ll find details on the help and guidance available to you and your family, courses that you can enrol on and updates on education.

The Sandhurst eLC is a comfortable learning environment for adults over the age of 18. Service Personnel, Civil Servants, dependants, and Sandhurst Station contractors can all use the facilities for free; whether it be for military mandatory education, personal development, or advice and guidance. The Sandhurst eLC is available to use by the wider Garrison community.

Qualifications and Courses for Serving Personnel

The qualifications provided by the eLC are Functional Skills (FS) English and Maths (for Service Personnel only) and the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).

However, advice and guidance is available on the following:

Languages
ALPD
The use of both Standard and Enhanced Learning Credits (SLCs & ELCs)
Accreditation and
Army Skills Offer (ASO).

Specific queries relating to an individual’s personal development, particularly in relation to higher education opportunities will be referred to the correct staff within 77AEC Group Aldershot.

Functional Skills

To begin a programme of learning for FS, you must first sit a diagnostic assessment; following this, a recommended learning plan will be issued by the Learning Centre Manager (LCM) with advice on how best to achieve the end qualification. FS can be achieved through several different means depending on the ability of the learner and any skills fade:

1. Formal classroom course in the Learning Centre at RMAS, at the Learning Centre at Pirbright or at 77 AEC Aldershot.

2. Revision workshops are available for those soldiers who are not quite at the standard required to attend a course. These should be arranged with the LCM at RMAS.

3. If required 1:1 support sessions can be arranged with the LCM in preparation for attending a course

4. For those who achieve a very high diagnostic score there is an ‘Exam practice only’ Fast Track option

The route to achieving the qualification will be determined by the LCM at the time that the diagnostic assessment is completed.

Booking your Diagnostic Assessment

To book a diagnostic please email your full name, date of birth and service number to the LCM. Please also state if you would like to complete the assessment in the Learning Centre or at home. The LCM will then contact you to arrange the assessment.

ECDL

The ECDL course is a 7 part programme with a test at each stage to ensure continuous, formative learning.

3 modules at Level 1 will take you through basic IT user skills (including IT Security, Internet, and email) and 4 modules at Level 2 will give you a better understanding of Word Processing, Excel, and PowerPoint. The final module ‘Improving Productivity Using IT’ explores the benefits and drawbacks of using IT tools and systems in the workplace and improving the efficiency of your work by utilising new tools within these Microsoft Applications.

Service Personnel can use their SLC to fund 80% of the cost of this course. Please contact the LCM for the current cost of completing this course (it is worth noting that the qualification is much more expensive to complete outside of the Army Education Service). Both levels can be completed independently or can be combined together. The ECDL is a valuable civilian qualification and is recognised in 148 countries around the world. The qualification awarding body is the British Computer Society (BCS) https://www.bcs.org/

Additional IT Learning Opportunities

The LCM can help you to boost your digital skills in numerous ways, such as:

Small group / 1:1 lesson on using Word with a focus on Defence Writing – especially useful for anyone due to attend their ALDP course and who does not use Word regularly.
Bespoke lessons on specific skills – maybe you need to know how to do tracked changes on Word for your work? Or how to use formulae in Excel? Or have you suddenly been asked to prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the first time?
Would you like to learn to use one of the Microsoft products more effectively but do not have the time to commit to the full ECDL course? Other learning opportunities are available

Please remember that the LCM is there to help you, you just have to let her know what it is that you need.

Civil Servants & Dependants

Civil Servants and dependants of Serving Personnel (aged over 18) can enrol on the ECDL course; for more information or to register your interest, please contact the Sandhurtst eLC Manager. The cost for Civil Servants and dependants is the same as for serving personnel and is a much more cost effective option than studying for the qualification outside.