In Collumpton, a market town in Mid Devon not far from the Blackdown Hills, the local library has set up a partnership with POA Learning to help deliver learning and skills to the local population.

Collumpton Library’s Manager is Daryl Harrison, and before moving to the town he worked at Tavistock Library on the other side of the county.  Daryl saw at first-hand how successful the partnership agreement between POA Learning and Tavistock Library had become since its inception in 2013. Not wanting to miss out on the opportunity to take up the benefits of engaging with POA Learning, Daryl invited Ivan Judd, POA Learning Learner Support, to Collumpton to talk business.

Following their meeting POA Learning were able to offer a wide range of distance learning courses, with support from their team, including IT and Level 2 qualifications.

As Daryl tells Andy Harding, POA Learning South West Regional Manager:

the staff and customers at Collumpton Library are delighted with the learning and upskilling opportunities that POA Learning is offering.  The quality of the Leicester College learning materials are excellent as is the learning support offered by the associated college tutors."

Library Supervisor Susie Tyler, as well as being extremely busy with library duties, also ensures that all customer enquiries appertaining to POA Learning courses are directed swiftly to Ivan Judd or Kevin Watts at the HMP Dartmoor POA Learning Centre and that the POA Learning advertising stands are always updated with the latest training offers available.

An example of some of the courses currently being undertaken by Collumpton Library users include:

●     Microsoft Office 2013 Tutorial

●     Microsoft Excel 2013 & 2010

●     Level 2 Team Leading Knowledge

●     Diploma in Outdoor & Physical Education Studies

●     Bicycle Maintenance Tutorial

●     Bicycle Repair Tutorial

●     Physical Education Online Course

●     Spanish for Beginners

●     Level 2 Mental Health Awareness

●     Level 2 Safe Handling of Medicines

●     Online German Language Course

Daryl added:

the partnership agreement between the library and POA Learning has certainly enhanced the services that Collumpton Library have to offer its customer base and is providing a crucial community service to residents in the area."