Do you offer face to face training?
Yes, if there is a demand for this.
Can you deliver training in my part of the country?
Yes, if there is a group of 8 or more to make it viable.
Do I need to be a CDI Member to access courses?
Yes, for those that involve accreditation with OCR or CDI Certificate of completion but not for training-only courses.
What are the benefits of CDI membership?
As a member you will contribute to the voice of the sector and have access to a wealth of training courses and resources - more information can be found on our Member Benefits page.
What is TQT?
TQT is a guide only of the number of hours assigned for Guided Learning, and an estimate of the number of hours a Learner will reasonably be likely to spend in preparation, study or any other form of participation in education or training, including assessment, which takes place as directed by – but, not under the Immediate Guidance or Supervision of the trainer or assessor.
What is QCF?
QCF stands for qualification and credit framework. All QCF qualifications consist of two descriptors – level and size of qualification. A qualification level relates to its difficulty / challenge / academic level. These can range from Entry Level (a very simple introduction to a subject) through to Level 8 (for example PhD level). The second descriptor is the size. This is an approximation of the time required to undertake the learning and assessment. They are measured in credits. These range from Award (1-12 credits, that is, up to 120 hours) through to a Diploma (over 37 credits, that is, over 370 hours).
Who can take a QCF qualification?
Those resident and working in the UK although QCF applies to England only. You can find a more detailed comparison of levels in the home nations here.
Do I need to be in work to do the course?
QCF qualifications are a work-based learning route. You need to be employed in the sector or have a substantial amount of current volunteering experience to enable you to generate the necessary evidence to meet the learning outcomes.
What if I am not employed already?
An alternative means of entry is the Qualification in Career Development. The QCD is incorporated into postgraduate career guidance programmes, available at designated universities across the UK. These can be studied part time or full time, and through distance learning.
What if I already have some units of the qualification?
If you have units that can count towards the qualification we can use the credits from this towards the qualification but would need to have a copy of your certificate and name of course centre you did this with in order to register you with OCR.
Who is OCR?
OCR is a leading UK awarding body who provide qualifications which engage people of all ages and abilities at school, college, in work or through part-time learning programmes.
Their general and vocational qualifications equip students with the knowledge and skills they need for their future, helping them achieve their full potential..
They act as the national awarding body who provide the qualifications and quality assure the course centres.
What does accredited and non-accredited mean?
Accredited courses are those where you work towards and achieve OCR units. You will receive an OCR certificate recognising these units. Whereas non-accredited means you still experience the same training, whether online or face-to-face and still benefit from all the resources on offer. However there is no evidence to produce to achieve the OCR units. With either route you will achieve the appropriate CDI certificate and be able to log this against the CDI’s 25 hours per year CPD. See individual courses for full details.
What is meant by "blended learning"?
Our blended courses offer a mix of on-line training with the trainer providing sessions via zoom as well as some face to face in person training.
And "online training"?
This can mean different things to different training providers. The CDI use a mix of recorded presentations and real time training via Zoom with an experienced trainer.
How do I know if the course is right for me?
Look carefully at the content of the course. If you are comparing our course with that provided by other training organisations, make sure you consider factors such as how the training is delivered, the amount of support and contact time you receive, access to resources, additional benefits as well as cost.
What are units and do I have a choice?
Units are the building blocks of QCF qualifications. Each qualification is made up of mandatory and optional units. The CDI offer unit accreditation for some of our courses such as career leadership and career assistant courses as well as the full QCF level 6 in Career Guidance and Development. We select the units for you.
How can I pay?
You can pay on the website using the booking tab on the course pages or contact academy@thecdi.net if you need us to raise an invoice.
Credit card
We can take card payments over the telephone - please call: 01384 445629/01384 376464 Option 5 Finance & Payments.
BACS transfer
To the Career Development Institute at Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-98-21, Account 25337168
Please remember to supply your membership or invoice number as a reference on your payment.
GoCardless Payment
Pay any CDI invoice using the secure GoCardless one-off payment system, request a link by emailing Lyn.burgess@thecdi.net with your membership or invoice number.
Direct debit
We accept Direct Debit in single-payments or in a range of instalment options (admin fees may apply.) Please contact lyn.burgess@thecdi.net who can support you in setting up a direct debit.