AET session-plan example: 15-minute Employee Training micro-teach
This is a reconstructed study example, not a copy of my original PTLLS lesson plan. My historical micro-teach was on Employee Training within Human Resource Management, and the surviving evaluation confirms that I used PowerPoint, a handout, a short video, questions, discussion, practical activities and an end-of-session assessment. The plan below uses that genuine subject and those genuine methods, but reorganises them into a current 15-minute AET example.
City & Guilds states that plans used for Unit 302 should contain SMART aims and learning outcomes and should be realistic and deliverable. Where micro-teaching is used, the candidate must deliver at least one observed and assessed 15-minute session. A short micro-teach therefore needs a tightly defined outcome rather than an attempt to teach an entire subject.
Session overview
Subject: Employee Training (Human Resource Management)
Duration: 15 minutes
Learner assumption: adult learners with no detailed prior knowledge of the topic
Overall aim: to introduce learners to the purpose of employee training and enable them to identify an appropriate training response to a simple workplace need.
SMART learning outcomes
By the end of the 15-minute session, learners will be able to:
- state at least two reasons why an organisation may provide employee training; and
- identify a suitable training approach for a short workplace scenario and give one reason for their choice.
These outcomes are deliberately modest. They are specific enough to assess within 15 minutes and do not imply that learners will understand the whole training cycle after one short session.
Example session plan
| Time | Tutor activity | Learner activity | Resources | Assessment / inclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–2 min | Introduce the topic and learning outcomes. Ask a simple opening question: “Why might an employee need training?” | Offer examples from work or general experience. | Opening slide with title and outcomes. | Initial questioning checks prior knowledge. Rephrase the question if necessary and accept relevant examples before introducing terminology. |
| 2–5 min | Give a concise explanation of common reasons for training, such as induction, new systems, changed procedures, performance needs or development. | Listen, ask questions and connect reasons to examples. | Two or three uncluttered slides; short handout with key terms. | Use plain language alongside HR terminology. Check understanding with a focused question rather than assuming the explanation has been understood. |
| 5–7 min | Show a very short example or video extract illustrating a workplace training situation. Ask learners what need they can identify. | Identify the problem or development need shown. | Short video or visual scenario. | Essential information is also explained verbally so the visual resource is not the sole source of meaning. |
| 7–11 min | Present a brief scenario: a small team must start using a new business system next week. Ask learners, in pairs or as a small group, to choose an appropriate training approach and explain why. | Discuss the scenario and prepare a short answer. | Scenario on handout or slide. | The task applies rather than repeats knowledge. Tutor circulates/listens, prompts quieter learners where appropriate and clarifies the task if needed. |
| 11–13 min | Invite responses and compare the reasoning behind different answers. Clarify that more than one approach may be defensible if the reasoning fits the need. | Explain and justify a choice; respond to another viewpoint. | Whiteboard or slide for key points if useful. | Questioning assesses understanding and professional communication. Tutor gives concise constructive feedback. |
| 13–15 min | Return to the two learning outcomes. Use two exit questions: give one reason for training; choose an approach for the scenario and justify it. | Give an individual verbal or written response. | Exit question on slide/handout. | Provides evidence against both outcomes. Any misconception can be corrected before the session closes. |
Why these approaches were selected
The session starts with questioning because learners may already have workplace experience even if they have not studied HRM formally. This allows prior knowledge to contribute without assuming that everybody begins at the same level. The short tutor explanation then provides common language and structure.
The scenario is the main application activity. It is more useful than adding several disconnected activities because learners have to make a decision and justify it. This gives the tutor evidence of understanding while also developing communication and reasoning. The final individual check is important because group discussion alone does not show whether every learner has achieved the outcomes.
The resources are deliberately limited. My historical session used PowerPoint, a handout and a short video, but a current plan should not include a resource merely because it is available. Each resource needs a purpose: slides provide structure, the handout provides accessible key information and the video or visual scenario makes the training need concrete.
How the plan supports inclusion
The plan does not assign learners to fixed learning-style categories. Instead, it reduces avoidable barriers in several practical ways: outcomes are stated clearly, new terminology is explained, instructions are available both verbally and in writing, learners can think and discuss before answering publicly, and the tutor checks understanding throughout rather than only at the end.
If a learner had a specific identified need, the plan could be adjusted further. For example, materials could be provided in a more accessible format, extra processing time could be allowed, or the method of response could be adapted where this still allows the outcome to be assessed fairly. Those decisions should be based on actual learner needs rather than assumptions.
Using this example
Your own session plan should reflect your specialist subject and your own learners. Do not copy this plan and change only the topic. The value of a plan lies in the relationship between the learning outcomes, activities, resources, timing and assessment. If those elements do not fit together, the session may look organised on paper while still being difficult to teach effectively.
Related pages
Official source
City & Guilds — Level 3 Award in Education and Training (6502)
Current AET example prepared against City & Guilds Unit 302 guidance in October 2026.