I'm a business

Train to Gain is a service designed to help businesses of all types and sizes get the training they need to succeed.

Managed by the Learning and Skills Council across England, Train to Gain uses experienced ‘Skills Brokers’ who will work closely with you to:

• Identify the skills your business needs
• Pinpoint the right training
• Agree a tailored training package
• Find available funding
• Review progress

As a key training provider, learndirect is working with Train to Gain to offer a flexible portfolio of funded and unfunded training from the full range of learndirect Business courses and products.

For more information call the learndirect helpline on 0800 101 901 or fill in the contact us form. The helpline is open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

Yes.

For employees without a level 2 qualification (equivalent to GCSE A*-C) , funding may be available to help them reach this level and to get an NVQ qualification. In addition employees with an identified literacy or numeracy need are also very likely to be eligible for funding.

We’ll assess the current skills of your staff and where a need exists, we’ll help you secure funding.

Call the learndirect helpline on 0800 101 901 or fill in the contact us form to arrange an appointment to visit your business.

Once we understand your individual circumstances we’ll be able to offer you expert advice on what funding is available. The helpline is open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

learndirect Business provides online and work-based training to help companies develop and become more efficient. We offer short courses to hone specific skills and more structured training leading to qualifications. We work with companies large and small to set up and deliver cost effective training. We can also talk to you about funding for training your employees.

You can study at work, in a learndirect centre or at home.   

• eCourses, covering anything from health and safety to sales and marketing, can be accessed immediately over the internet, helping you prepare "just in time" for a particular business project. E-learning can be done in bite sized chunks and at a time, place and pace to suit you, your business and your employees' daily work priorities.  Visit the eCourses catalogue to find a course that can quickly plug your business need.

• With work-based learning, more structured qualifications such as NVQs or university accredited degrees and even masters, can give your workforce the best possible skills to make your business a success, without leaving the workplace.

If you wish to do an eCourse you can buy online and start straight away. Choose from our range of eCourses.

If you want to do a combination of courses or create a bespoke learning plan for your employees then call us on 0800 101 901 - lines are open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. Or contact us by email and one of our business advisors will call you to discuss the right programme for you.

Our advisers can also talk to you about funding via Train to Gain and put you in touch to your nearest learndirect business centre.

NVQ stands for National Vocational Qualification.  An NVQ is a qualification which recognises the skills and knowledge a person needs to do a job.

learndirect Business delivers NVQs in a flexible and practical way to ensure they meet the needs of your business without disrupting the schedules of your employees. Our learndirect Business NVQ courses are structured so your employees can be trained through online courses at a time, pace and place to suit the business, as well as being assessed at work.

We offer Level 2 NVQs in the following subjects:  

• ITQ
• Customer Service NVQ
• Business Improvement Techniques NVQ
• Health and Social Care NVQ
• Business and Administration NVQ
• Retail NVQ
• Team Leading NVQ
• Level 3 NVQ in Management

The length of the training will depend on the need you have and the programme being undertaken.

eCourses last from half an hour to around three hours.

National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) – this depends on the knowledge of the learner. If you are already very skilled, and don’t need any underpinning skills, then you can apply for assessment which will take around two months. Alternatively you might take around a year to complete you NVQ.

Learning through Work – this depends on the knowledge and experience of the person doing the course, and whether they are working towards a qualification or undertaking a shorter programme, it can range from a few months to a few years.

Skills for Life – this depends on the level of the learner undertaking the course and the amount of time they dedicate to studying and can range from a few weeks to a few months.

All our courses offer an enormous amount of flexibility and are designed with businesses in mind. That’s why the knowledge and experience of the learner plus the amount of time they dedicated to their course will affect the amount of time it takes to complete their learning.

Our courses are split into bite-sized chunks, allowing you to work at your own pace, stopping and saving your progression when you like.

Many of our courses can be used towards a qualification including;  

• NVQs
• Leadership and Management Qualifications
• Food Hygiene Qualifications
• IT Qualifications

Please refer to the qualification’s page or call us for more information. 0800 101 901, lines open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

We can also help you evaluate your learning needs by visiting your business. Contact our helpline on 0800 101 901 to arrange an appointment.

Different types of training will suit your different business needs.

• eCourses, covering anything from health and safety to sales and marketing, can be accessed immediately over the internet, helping you prepare "just in time" for a particular business project. E-learning can be done in bite sized chunks and at a time, place and pace to suit you, your business and your employees' daily work priorities.

          Visit the eCourses catalogue to find a course that can quickly plug your business need.

• With work-based learning, more structured qualifications such as NVQs or university accredited degrees and even masters, can give your workforce the best possible skills to make your business a success, without leaving the workplace.

Visit the qualifications page to find relevant work-based NVQs for your business, or find out more about how you and your staff can gain university qualifications, tailored to your workplace, through the Learning through Work programme.

Whilst you can browse and buy eCourses through the main learndirect website, you cannot currently log in to these courses here. We apologise for this, but this link takes you to the page where you can log in to your eCourse. Please note you require your User ID and password to be able to log in (If you have forgotten any of these details there is also an area here to request them to be resent to you).

How do I buy courses?

Simply follow the five easy steps below to buy your course online. If you don't have a debit or credit card, you can order through one of our eCourses Resellers. See our payment options for further details.

STEP 1
Browse or search the course catalogue. Click on the course title to view the details. Please carefully read the course description and check the technical requirements.

STEP 2
Add your chosen eCourses to your "shopping basket". The "quantity" relates to the number of people that will be taking the course.

STEP 3
Review your order by clicking on "shopping basket". If you haven't already done so, you will be prompted to register or log on.
If you are buying a single course you will be given the option to add it directly to your "My Courses" page. Otherwise we will email you with "enrolment keys". These are access codes that you can issue to your colleagues.

STEP 4
Pay online using your credit card. You will be directed to a secure payment page, where you will be asked to fill in your credit/debit card details. A sales invoice will also be displayed for printing and emailed to you on confirmation of purchase. This will include details of enrolment keys (if applicable).

STEP 5
Start learning!

If you have purchased eCourses for other people, please refer to our Quick Reference Guide for Company Managers. This explains how to issue enrolment keys to colleagues, and how to track their progress.

Do I get a VAT Invoice?

A VAT invoice is displayed at the end of the purchase process. You should print this for your records. We do not supply VAT invoices in hard copy.

Can I buy a single course and share it amongst people in my organisation?

No. When buying a course you need to specify a quantity that is equivalent to the number of people that you wish to buy the course for. When you purchase courses for your business, the website will generate "enrolment keys". Each enrolment key can be used by only one person to open one specific course. See our terms and conditions for full details.

Can I allocate access to people outside my organisation?

No. People from other organisations should purchase separately.

If I'm not satisfied, can I claim a refund?

Under our terms and conditions, a refund may be provided within 7 days of purchase if the course materials have not been accessed (if you have started the course you are not eligible for a refund).

To claim a refund for a CD/DVD ROM that was purchased from this website, you need to cancel your order (see instructions below), and we need to receive the CD/DVD ROM (with the security seal intact) within 7 days of your initial receipt of the product.

How do I claim a refund?

If you wish to claim a refund please take the following steps:

STEP 1
E-mail us at learndirectbusiness@learndirect.net to tell us that you wish to claim a refund. We need to know.

• The name of the product that you are returning
• The name and address of the person that paid for the product (in order to process the refund).

You do not have to wait for an acknowledgement e-mail from us in order to proceed to STEP 2

STEP 2
Return the product to the address below (with security seals intact).

IMPORTANT - please include a note that clearly states
Your Name, Address, Phone Number, email and (if known) your "learndirect Business User ID"
The name, address, phone number and e-mail of the person that bought the product (if other than yourself)
Optional: please tell us the reason that you are returning your CD/DVD ROM.

learndirect business returns
Ufi Ltd
Dearing House, 1 Young Street
Sheffield
S1 4UP

WE CANNOT PROCESS A REFUND UNTIL WE HAVE RECEIVED THE RETURNED GOODS.

We recommend that you obtain proof of postage. The cost of returning your CD/DVD ROM is at your expense, unless the product is faulty in which case we will pay for standard first class postage.

What happens if I buy an eCourse and find that it is not right for me?

After you have started your course you will not be eligible for a refund.

Before you buy an eCourse, check out all the information available to you on this website (there is a full description available for each course). The course information is designed to reduce the risk of you making the wrong choice. Read the course description and technical requirements. Access the sample course (where available) to check that the course will run on your PC and that you are comfortable with the depth and style of the course.

If you would like to talk to someone about your choice of course before you buy, please call 0800 101 901 - lines open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week.

How do I choose the right course?

Before you buy a course, you should check out all the information available to you on this website (there is a full description available for each course). The course information is designed to reduce the risk of you making the wrong choice. Make sure you read the course description and technical requirements, and access the sample course (where available) to check that the course will run on your PC and that you are comfortable with the depth and style of the course.

Can I get a qualification from learndirect business?

The majority of eCourses do not lead to a qualification. Where they do, this will be clearly stated in the course description.

Do I get a certificate when I have finished my course?

No. However, when you finish your course, we will automatically email you a "statement of completion".

How do I know if the course will work on my PC?

You will need to read the technical specification in the course description page and try a sample of the course (where available), prior to purchase. This should confirm whether or not the course will work on your PC.

I can't get my course to run - what do I do?

Firstly, please see our technical support section within the help and support pages. If the solution to your technical problem is not shown, you can contact us on 0800 101 901 - lines are open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. 

What happens if I can't finish my course within the allotted time?

All courses on this site are provided with six months access (with the exception of Harvard ManageMentor which has 12 months access). If you require more time you will need to purchase again.

I can't find what I'm looking for. Does learndirect supply any other courses?

Yes, hundreds of learndirect courses (those supported by learndirect centres) are available. Please look at our courses for business pages and eCourses.

Please contact us, if your question is not shown here.

How do I check the technical specification of a course?

Each of the eCourses has a basic technical specification for both hardware and software.

To check that your PC will run a course; select it from the catalogue and choose to view "technical requirements" or "try before you buy"

"Technical requirements" will inform you of the "hardware requirements" to run the course e.g. the pc's operating system (Windows 2000, XP etc) or internet browser (Internet Explorer 6) This section will also inform you of any "Software Requirements" to run the courses e.g. plug-ins (Adobe reader, Shockwave etc).

Some courses 'food hygiene' for example requires a cd-rom; this will be highlighted in "Technical Requirements"

The course catalogue page will allow you to "try before you buy". This will be a good test of your pc's compatibility. If this option doesn't allow the course to run you may need to check the technical spec of your PC.

If you are unsure please contact us and we will advise.

What plug-in will I need and how can I get it?

You may find that a plug-in programme is required to run your course. First check the technical specification of your course.

If your course requires a specific plug-in be installed on your PC you can download it by clicking on the appropriate link below and following onscreen instructions*

Adobe Flash Player

Adobe Shockwave

Adobe Reader

QuickTime Player

*When downloading the plug-in you may be automatically asked to install a "google toolbar". We recommend you 'un-tick' the box to stop this.

How do I clear Internet Explorer cache?

It is good practice to empty your Internet Explorer cache on a regular basis; this could help your learndirect Business eCourse run smoothly and bookmark correctly.

• To do this select 'tools' from the Internet Explorer toolbar menu.
• Scroll down and click 'internet options'
• From the 'general tab' click 'delete cookies' and 'delete files'
• To close select 'ok'

How do I enable JavaScript?

JavaScript is a language that can add activity and functionality to a website such as drop down menus, navigation button effects and interactive forms. It is advisable that JavaScript is enabled within your internet browser to ensure that your eCourse works correctly. Javascript is enabled by default in your browser. If however you think it has been disabled, please follow the guidance below in order to enable JavaScript.

For Internet Explorer:

• Select 'Tools' from the toolbar menu.
• Scroll down and click 'Internet Options'.
• From the 'Security' tab click 'Custom Level'.
• Scroll down to the section called 'Scripting' and enable 'Active scripting'.
• Click 'OK' and select 'Yes' to confirm that you want to change these settings.
• Click 'OK' in order to close the remaining window.
• Close Internet Explorer via the red X and restart it.

• Select 'Tools' from the toolbar menu.
• Scroll down and click 'Options'.
• Select 'Content' and click 'Enable JavaScript' in order to place a tick in the relevant box.
• Click 'OK'.
• Close Firefox via the red X and restart it.

Pop up blocker. What can I do?

Before you launch your course, please check here to see if you have a pop-up blocker installed.* Pop-up blockers need to be disabled for the courses to run correctly.

If your pop-up blocker is configured to block the site you will see the screen as below:

To configure the blocker to allow you to launch your course, click on the 'toolbar' and select 'always allow pop-ups from the site'

*alternatively you can check to see if you have a pop-up blocker installed by selecting to 'try before you buy' a course from the catalogue.

Will my course remember where I left off when I return to it?

All of the courses have a progress indicator, which will tell you which modules you have started, not yet started and completed. It is good practise to regularly 'clear your internet explorer cache' to support this function

Why can't I launch download files within my course?

You will need to enable the automatic prompting for file downloads in your security settings. Find out how to change Internet Explorer security settings.

Will my firewall affect course access?

Firewalls protect your computer against malicious attacks over the internet such as 'Virus' and help prevent unauthorised access to your computer and network. It may be that you have a software firewall installed on your computer, or in a larger organisation all traffic may pass through a centralised firewall. Either way, a firewall may prevent some courses, or content from being accessible and if you have problems with accessing content then ensure that your firewall is not rejecting content. Your system administrator or IT support department may be able to help you.

Why doesn't the audio work on my course?

If you have problems with audio, check that you have a sound card installed on your machine and that the speakers or headphones are correctly connected to the PC's soundcard (not plugged in to your CD-Rom drive's headphone socket).

What is an enrolment key?

An enrolment key is a code that activates a course.

If you are buying multiple copies of the same course or if you specify that you are "buying for others in your company" the purchase process will generate enrolment keys. An enrolment key is a key comprised of letters and numbers. One enrolment key is generated for each course that you purchase. If you buy, say, 10 copies of the same course, you will get 10 enrolment keys.

Each enrolment key can be used by only one registered user and relates to only one particular course. When an enrolment key is entered on the "my courses" page, the user will be given access to the relevant course. You can distribute these keys to other people in your organisation in order to provide them with access to courses. They will first need to register or log in to the website.

How do I get my enrolment keys?

After you have completed a course purchase, if you are buying multiple copies of the same course or you have specified that you are "buying for others in your company", a set of enrolment keys will be generated. These will then be emailed to you.

Do I need an enrolment key(s) if I am buying for myself?

No - if you specify that you are buying for yourself, the course will automatically appear on the "My courses" page.

Quick Reference Guide for Managers

This quick reference guide is for Company Managers who have bought one or more online* eCourses for their staff. It explains

• What an enrolment key is
• How to allocate enrolment keys to your colleagues
• How to track the learner's progress

* please note that these instructions are not required for CD or DVD ROM courses.

1. Enrolment keys

2. How to allocate enrolment keys

3. Tracking learner's progress through their course(s)

To view the history record of an individual user

To view the history record of all users in a group or in multiple groups

Logging in to the administration site the system brings up the Find User page. Select the Group or Multiple Groups you wish to report on from this page and click the Search button. From the page that gets displayed click on the History Report button. From the following page click the Report button. This displays a record of all the courses that your staff have accessed. By clicking on an individual course title you can drill down to a second reporting level which will provide more detailed information.

If an individual learner who you've issued an enrolment code to cannot be found, it means that they have not yet registered themselves on the system and activated their course.
The reports can be downloaded into a CSV file (Excel spreadsheet).

When will I get my CD/DVD-ROM?

If you have ordered a CD/DVD ROM product from us, you should normally expect to receive your CD/DVD ROM within 4 days of purchase. If you have not received your CD/DVD ROM within 5 working days, please call us free on 0800 101 901 - lines are open from 7am to 11pm, seven days a week. Please note courses which use a CD/DVD ROM are clearly marked as such. All other courses on this website are delivered online.

There are two ways you can buy an eCourse; 

1. From the learnedirect-business.com website,
2. From a learndirect Business ‘authorised reseller’. 

If you have bought your eCourse from an authorised reseller, you must register onto your eCourse through the link provided by the reseller.  If you don’t register this way your enrolment keys will not work and will return the message 'enrolment key invalid'. 

If you have lost this registration link or are not sure which one it is, please contact your reseller.

No, eCourses are designed to work on the Windows operating system and Apple Macs use a different operating system.

• You can start straight away. Our online eCourses are just a few clicks away and our CD/DVD-ROM eCourses can be with you in a matter of days. There's no paperwork and no fuss. Plus, all the support needed to complete the courses is built in.
• Flexibility is built in. Learn when it suits your business and your employees. Training can fit in around your work patterns and personal life, whether you work on a 9 to 5 or shift-work basis.
• You learn at your own level and at your own pace; therefore everyone gets the best out of their training, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. In this way, individuals remain in control of their learning and can fill in knowledge gaps rather than cover ground they're already familiar with.
• You get value for money. Costing from as little as £19.99, eCourses are cost effective and, as training takes place on site, employees avoid wasting time and money travelling to a course.

E-learning can be done in bite sized chunks and at a time, place and pace to suit you, your business and your employees' daily work priorities. At the end of the course, when you’re ready, you take a test to evaluate your knowledge and skills.