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learndirect is the government sponsored educational guidance service. As well as operating their website and helpline, they offer a range of courses at their "drop-in" style centres.
This site is divided into "getting started" which gives information about learndirect services; "find a course"; "who can help?"; "build your business" and "get that job".
The website, like their helpline (0800 100 900) lists a range of courses from any provider who registers with them. Surprisingly few ODL QC Accredited providers appeared from the searches I performed. Two search facilities are offered; a 'simple search' and a 'full search'.
The first enables you to hunt only by subject, qualification, and face-to-face versus distance modes of study, whereas the 'full search' allows visitors to specify other criteria like the format of materials
e.g. online or paper-based, and provider. Irritatingly, hunting for "Geography" and at "A/AS Level" found no records, yet "Geography" alone brought up 'A' and 'AS' level courses.
Given that this is online it seems strange not have a hyperlink from a course listing to a provider's own website, but web/e-mail addresses are not even given.
Too often the section 'qualification level' read "Awaiting details", and the suspicious may feel this is to avoid saying "no qualification". No advice on how to select a course is offered, and the "guidance" link takes you to payment only careers service.
Despite these criticisms a potentially useful site, well laid out and easy to use. Learners should contact an objective body such as the ODL QC to get advice before embarking on a course, given that learndirect do not assess the quality (or even the existence!) of courses they advertise.
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