AiR - Creative Skills Training

Creative Skills Training

The pre-vocational Creative Skills Training programme is aimed at 16-24 year olds, under qualified, at risk of long term unemployment, socially excluded young people for whatever reason have experienced barriers to learning.
The course offers a customised creative learning journey that develops transferable communication, ICT, personal and social skills appropriate to a range of vocational progressions. All students engage with a core learning programme that lead to Merseyside Open College Network level 1 and 2 qualifications in Digital Technology, Creative Information Technology, Visual Arts, Drama/Creative Writing and Communications and World of Work Studies. We run 3 courses a year, each usually running for 12 weeks, with 16-18 students on each course.

Visual Arts

CST visual art example

Students are given the opportunity to develop basic skills in a range of visual art techniques including 2D mark making, batik, print and banner making; 3D still life sculpture and clay model making. Students often gain project and event work experience within the local community/citywide. By the end of the programme they produce unique and personal portfolios of their visual work, together with a diary recording your ideas and techniques used.

The work produced is often exhibited throughout the city. Past venues have included the Maritime Museum, the Unity Theatre, the Everyman Theatre, Partnership for Learning, Jaguar Education Centre and Speke Hall.

Creative Technology

Stylized work of Meatloaf by student using Photoshop

AiR attempts to ensure that its ICT elements are stylistically and culturally attuned to the students preferences.
Students gain the knowledge and understanding to develop transferable skills in creative software applications such as Photoshop, Quark Express, MidiMusic, Director, Microsoft Word & Powerpoint and using the internet and email facilities. Students also develop their skills in digital photography, video imaging, music production, publication making.

Drama & Writing

Students experience a basic introduction to performing arts, drama & filmmaking. They learn the principles of acting techniques using improvisation and scripts that they have devised and produced themselves during the creative writing sessions. All projects will be based around a personal or social theme and may link to other areas of the Creative Skills Training Course.
A recent example of this was the G-Litter event, in Spring 2004, when the whole course worked together to combine aspects of Drama, Visual Arts and Communication skills. Students are given the opportunity to develop and produce a short-film.

Communication & World of Work skills

The Communications & World of work element of the CST course aims to build and develop personal skills, enabling students to realise their potential in both education and the job market.
The programme will cover local issues using group work and discussions to explore topical issues affecting Speke Garston e.g. unemployment, health, education, diet, the environment etc.
Recording a journal of your thoughts, experiences and learning achievements is a central part of the communications area.
We will also look at basic research and presentation skills, CV writing, job search and further education/training. The course also touches on issues including drug awareness, sexual awareness/education, welfare rights, personal finance, local community issues e.g unemployment, health, education, diet and the environment.