KWETB Portal Modules

To develop knowledge and understanding of managing conflict and supporting individuals as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand conflict management in the workplace.
  • Identify causes of conflict at work.
  • Describe the stages in the development of Conflict.
  • Explain the effects of conflict on individual and team performance at work.

Describe how a manager could promote a positive atmosphere in order to minimise the adverse effects of conflict.

To develop knowledge and understanding of costs and budgets in an organisation as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand budgets within an organisation.
  • Explain the importance of agreeing to a budget and operating within it.
  • Describe the process by which a budget is agreed in an organisation.
  • Explain the process of gathering information to be used for determining/revising budgets.
  • Describe a method to monitor variance between actual and budgeted performance.
• Understand costs within an organisation.
• Explain fixed and variable costs in relation to the organisation.
• Explain the concept of break-even in relation to the organisation.
• Explain the purpose and nature of basic cost statements.
• Explain the value of standard costing and its role as a control mechanism.

Describe mechanisms in the organisation to maintain control of costs.

To develop knowledge and understanding of negotiation and networking in the workplace as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to influence and negotiate with others to achieve objectives.
  • Explain the general principles of negotiation.
  • Explain a relevant technique for influencing others to achieve workplace objectives.
  • Describe how to reduce resistance and minimise conflict to achieve a win-win situation in the workplace during negotiations.
• Understand the value of networking.
  • Explain the value of networking.
  • Identify an appropriate network for a manager in the workplace.

Describe methods to establish and maintain effective professional relationships with the identified network.

To develop knowledge and understanding of managing stress in self and others as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to manage stress in the workplace.
  • Examine the causes and impact of stress in the organisation.
  • Describe the symptoms of stress in self and others.
  • Explain a practical stress management technique.
• Understand how to support individuals in the team and minimise stress in others.
  • Describe management responsibilities & actions related to work-related stress in the team.

Explain how and when to provide advice, mentoring or counselling to support individuals in the workplace Unit purpose and aim.

To develop knowledge and understanding of innovation and change as required by a
practising or potential first-line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand innovation and change in an organisation
  • Explain the benefits of innovation and change for the organisation
  • Identify the barriers to change and innovation in the organisation
  • Explain practical ways of overcoming these barriers
• Understand how to plan, monitor and review the implementation and communication of innovation and
  change in an organisation
  • Describe which planning, monitoring and review techniques could be used to manage
    innovation and change
  • Explain why communication is important in the successful implementation of innovation and change
• Understand the effects of innovation and change on people and teams in an organisation

Explain possible human effects of innovation and change upon people and teams in an
organisation

To develop knowledge and understanding and be able to manage performance in the workplace as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand the value of assessing performance to meet organisational and individual needs.
  • Describe the value of formal and informal performance assessment in the workplace.
  • Explain the role of the first line manager in performance management.
• Know how to manage the performance of individuals in the team.
  • Identify ways to ensure fair and objective formal assessment.
  • Explain how to set SMART objectives for a team member.
  • Explain how to set performance standards for a team member.
  • Explain how to measure performance against agreed standards.
• Understand the value of feedback in the workplace.
  • Explain the importance of feedback to improve performance.
  • Describe how to give effective feedback.
• Know how to manage underperformance in the workplace.
  • Identify potential areas of underperformance in the workplace.
  • Identify causes for failure to meet agreed performance levels.
  • Describe actions to restore performance to acceptable levels.

To develop knowledge and understanding of leadership as required by a practising
or potential first-line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand leadership styles
  • Describe the factors that will influence the choice of leadership styles or behaviours in
    workplace situations
  • Explain why these leadership styles or behaviours are likely to have a positive or negative
    effect on individual and group behaviour
• Understand leadership qualities and review own leadership qualities and potential
  • Assess own leadership behaviours and potential in the context of a particular leadership model and own organisation’s working practices and culture, using feedback from others

Describe appropriate actions to enhance own leadership behaviour in the context of the
particular leadership model

The learner will be able to develop knowledge and understanding of how to plan and allocate work as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to plan work in the workplace.
  • Identify organisational targets relevant to the team.
  • Set SMART objectives for the team to achieve the targets.
  • Use a technique to plan to achieve the objectives.
  • Explain how to monitor and control a planned activity.
• Know how to allocate work to team members.
  • Identify resources required to complete a planned activity.
  • Explain how to allocate work to team members.
  • Explain how to assess and support team performance in achieving objectives.
• Understand how to improve the performance of a team in delivering to plan.
  • Identify a possible cause of variance from a planned activity.
  • Identify actions to overcome causes of variance.

Explain how to involve team members in identifying ways to improve performance to meet objectives.

To develop knowledge and understanding of recruitment and selection as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to plan to recruit and select new staff in the workplace.
  • Identify an organisation’s policies and procedures that could guide the manager in recruitment and selection.
  • Explain how to conduct a job analysis and prepare a job description and person specification for an identified post.
• Know how to select the right person.
  • Explain how a manager would prepare for selection interviews to ensure impartiality and optimum decision making in selecting the most suitable applicant.

Explain a recognised selection technique that could be used during interviews.

To develop knowledge and understanding of meetings as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand how to prepare and plan a meeting.
  • Explain the purpose of a meeting.
  • Explain the purpose and structure of an agenda.
  • Explain how to select and invite the right people to attend the meeting.
  • Describe how to prepare prior to a meeting.
• Understand how to manage a meeting.
  • Explain the roles & responsibilities of the chairperson, secretary and individuals at a meeting.
  • Explain basic meeting protocol and procedures.
  • Explain positive and negative actions that can affect meetings.

Explain the purposes of minutes and action plans.

To enable learners to understand the need for teams to have a sense of vision and purpose that reflects the organisation’s, and the role that effective communication, motivation, and individual and team development play in enabling this to happen.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to communicate the organisation’s vision and strategy to the team.
  • Explain the importance of the team having a common sense of purpose that supports the overall vision and strategy of the organisation.
  • Explain the role that communication plays in establishing a common sense of purpose.
  • Assess the effectiveness of own communication skills on the basis of the above
• Know how to motivate and develop the team.
  • Describe the main motivational factors in a work context and how these may apply to different situations, teams and individuals.
  • Explain the importance of a leader being able to motivate teams and individuals and gain their commitment to objectives.
  • Explain the role that the leader plays in supporting and developing the team and its members and give practical examples of when this will be necessary.

To be able to plan change in an organisation as required by a practising or potential first line manager.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand the forces for change in an organisation.
  • Identify the forces that may require own organisation to change by conducting a simple PESTLE or SWOT analysis.
  • Know how to identify and plan change in an organisation.
    • Give an example of change required in the workplace reflecting the SWOT or PESTLE analysis.
    • Identify relevant human and financial factors in the consideration of planning change within the context of the example given.

Explain how to communicate with and involve people to facilitate effective change o Use a technique for planning change within the given context.

To enable the practising and potential first line manager to manage workplace projects.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Know how to manage a simple workplace project.
  • Identify a simple workplace project.
  • Use a simple tool for determining the financial viability of the project.
  • Produce a project plan using an appropriate project planning technique.
  • Set objectives & targets/milestones to monitor performance and review plans within the project.
  • Use a project evaluation technique to evaluate the project.
• Understand the financial and non-financial implications of a workplace project.
  • List areas where net savings can be achieved as a result of the workplace project.

Identify wider non-financial implications that can result from the workplace project.

To enable learners to understand the basics of the management of people of an organisation who work remotely.

On completion of this module learners will:

• Understand the nature of remote working
  • Explain the meaning of remote working
  • List the benefits of remote working for the organisation and the individual
  • List the potential barriers to remote working for the organisation and for the individual
• Know how to lead a remote working team
  • Explain the role of trust in remote working
  • Describe how to develop trust when managing remote workers
  • Explain the role of communication in remote working
  • Describe how to communicate effectively with remote workers
  • Explain the role and nature of motivation when managing remote workers
  • Describe how to give effective feedback to remote workers
• Know how to provide support for remote workers
  • Describe how to overcome isolation for remote workers
  • Describe how to ensure the health and safety of remote workers

Describe how to provide technical support for remote working

To understand the importance of managing risks in the workplace and to be able to identify and manage risks in own area of responsibility.

Credit Value = 3

On completion of this module learners will be able to:

• Evaluate relevant laws and legislation relating to risk management in own area of responsibility
• Evaluate internal policies relating to the management of risk in own area of responsibility
• Conduct a risk assessment within the context of own workplace
• Propose how to minimise identified risks in own workplace

Explain how identified risks will be continuously monitored and reviewed

To understand the importance of promoting personal development and be able to plan for an individual’s development.

Credit Value = 5

On completion of this module the learner will be able to:

• Assess the potential benefits to the organisation of developing individuals
• Assess the benefits to the individual of personal development
• Assess how to manage an individual’s expectations with respect to personal development.
• Evaluate development vehicles in the organisation appropriate to the development needs of the individual

Develop a plan to meet the identified development needs of an individual

To understand the importance of effective communication in management and be able to develop effective communication skills as a reflective manager

Credit Value = 4

On completion of this module learners will be able to:

• Explain the relevance of the communication cycle for effective communication in management
• Explain, with examples, the importance of selecting an appropriate tone, language, and level of formality in management communications
• Assess the effectiveness of a range of verbal and written communication methods within your area of the organisation
• Develop appropriate criteria to evaluate own ability to communicate effectively
• Collect and analyse feedback on own verbal and written communication skills

Evaluate own communication skills as a manager, identifying strengths and areas for improvement

The learner will be able to understand the reasons for a change in an organisation and be able to manage and implement change in the workplace

Credit Value = 6 Credits

On completion of this module learners will be able to:

• Explain reasons why organisations continually need to change
• Conduct an environmental and organisational analysis, to identify possible areas for change in own organisation
• Identify an opportunity for change, arising from an environmental and organisational analysis
• Assess the benefits and risks of implementing the identified opportunity for change

Develop a change implementation plan including details of how you will monitor and review the implementation of change.

To develop knowledge and understanding of an organisation’s culture, understand the importance of values in underpinning the culture for innovation and improvement, understand the roles of different functions in supporting innovation and change,. It will teach the learner to know how to develop a culture that supports the growth and implementation of ideas, understand the importance of risk management in creating a culture that supports creativity and innovation. Learners will understand the important role of communication during the innovation process.

Credit Value = 3 Credits

On completion of this module learners will be able to:

• Describe the underlying culture within the organisation Explain how this influences the management style and team structure
• Explain own responsibility in promoting the organisation’s vision and helping to shape the culture
• Explain how your own values and beliefs affect how you deal with change and innovation
• Explain own responsibility to manage your personal behaviour, actions and words to reinforce innovation and change culture
• Explain the importance of being aware of other’s needs, feelings and motivations to minimise the resistance to change and innovation
• Identify possible tasks of the innovator during the innovation process
• Explain the role of managers during the innovation process Explain the role of senior members of the organisation in defining the strategy for innovation and encouraging potential innovation activity
• Describe how to encourage individuals to think innovatively and contribute ideas in the workplace
• Explain the importance of giving constructive feedback to innovators in order to sustain their energy and input
• Explain how to provide the support and guidance needed to implement ideas
• Describe how to recognise and manage risk in innovation
• Explain how to develop the organisational culture so that people are risk-aware but prepared to take acceptable risks in undertaking activities
• Explain the importance of communicating information on identified risks to relevant people across the organisation
• Explain the need to comply with legal requirements, industry regulations, organisational policies and professional codes when dealing with innovation activity
• Explain the importance of establishing and communicating a clear and well-understood vision of the future for your team and/or area of responsibility resulting from an innovation activity
• Explain the purpose of an elevator pitch to secure sponsorship for innovation ideas
• Describe the key actions required when developing an effective business case promoting the benefits of an innovative idea in order to secure ongoing support from sponsors and the work team

Explain the importance of communicating outcomes of innovation activities to maintain momentum and interest

Participants will need to have access to the following:

• Microsoft Office 2016 / Windows 10 (QQI)
• Microsoft Word (ILM)
• Computer / Laptop with webcam and speakers
• Strong Internet / Wi-Fi connection

Basic knowledge of online classrooms such as Zoom / Microsoft Teams

• Online course with tutor support
• Minimum of 10 hours per week recommended self-directed learning
• Each learner will be assigned to one module
• On successful completion of the first module, a second module can be assigned.
• Modules in the QQI framework contain a number of assessment techniques.
  • These contain assignments, portfolios, skills demonstrations or examinations.  Assignments and portfolios will take place online while examinations and the majority of skills demonstrations are required to take place onsite in an official examination centre.
  • You will be required to attend the exam centre in person on specific dates determined by your coordinator.  All onsite examinations will take place in the Athlone Training Centre.

The ILM assignments are all done virtually and you do not have to attend the training centre.

ILM

• Education: Learner must have completed a QQI level 4 qualification or equivalent.
• Essential Technical Skills: The ability to use a web browser, email, and office productivity applications such as Microsoft Word.
• Aptitude: Must be willing to engage in online learning, self-motivated and self-disciplined.
• English Language Requirement: Applicants must have a good standard of written and spoken English.
• Previous Experience: N/A

QQI

• Education: Learner must have completed a QQI level 4 qualification or equivalent. Mature students (over 23 years) may be exempt from the above prerequisites.
• Technical Skills: The ability to use a web browser, email, and office productivity applications such as Microsoft Word.
• Aptitude: Must be willing to engage in online learning, self-motivated and self-disciplined.
• English Language Requirement: Applicants are expected to be proficient at reading, drafting, preparing, and understanding information across a broad range of topics.

Previous Experience: N/A