There are four parts to our training course, which you’ll need to complete to become a CAB adviser.
They are -
- Training in classes (two mornings per week - from 9.30am to 1.00pm)
- Sitting In (half a day per week)
- Basic Training (8 days - usually in Birmingham, over 2 months)
- Supervised Interviewing
The training course lasts 4 to 6 months. We normally run training courses three times each year,
starting in January, April and September. You won’t be expected to know everything, even after your
training - but we’ll teach you how to research facts and find answers in our office’s information system.
Training in Classes
We learn about the main sorts of things people come to us for advice about, for example -
- Different kinds of welfare benefits
- Homelessness + Housing Conditions
- Shopper’s rights
- Employment & redundancy
- Dealing with debts
- Interviewing skills
You will get a full set of training notes in a training pack. You will also work through some
training packs and talk about these in the group.
Sitting in and Basic Training
For the 'learning on the job' part of your training during the first 3 months, you would come into the
bureau, or its outreach clinics, for half a day a week, and 'sit in', simply watching an experienced
worker interviewing enquirers. Outside the interview room you could discuss what you noticed and help
the adviser looking things up, making phone calls, writing letters, making notes of the problem and the
help we gave etc. You will also attend 8 days of training provided by trainers from the National
Association of CAB, which helps with interviewing skills, advice work procedures and looks at some
equal opportunity issues. This is split into two blocks - 6 days spread over two or three weeks, and the
last two days about a month later.
Supervised Interviewing
For the final part of the training you would take turns, with an experienced worker, to interview
enquirers, with extra support and supervision from a senior member of staff. This takes 2 days a week and
lasts for a month.
At the end of this, one of our managers will observe you interviewing, and finally a member of the
Bureau Management Committee and someone from our National Association will be there to make sure that we
have chosen the right sort of person to help our enquirers, and that you are trained to the high standard
that the public deserve.
