Open Courses

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Flexible and accessible learning

Total Training open courses offer individuals and organisations the opportunity to develop the practical skills and knowledge needed to succeed in and around government, Parliament and the public sector.

Designed to be flexible and accessible, these scheduled courses are open to anyone looking to build their expertise across key areas including policy making, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, communications and leadership. Delivered by expert practitioners including former MPs, senior civil servants and industry specialists, each course provides real-world insight alongside practical tools that can be applied immediately in your role.

From understanding how policy is developed, to improving communication and engagement skills, our open courses are designed to deliver measurable impact, helping professionals build confidence, capability, and credibility in their work.

Upcoming Events

April 21, 2026

Policy Forum

Our upcoming Policy Forum will bring together policy professionals from across government to exchange practical insights, reflect on what training approaches are delivering real impact, and explore what this means for capability across the Civil Service.
Details

Free to attend

June 5, 2026

Reading Legislation

The purpose of this day is to equip our attendees with an understanding of the processes within government that brings forward legislation...
Details
From £345 + VAT
June 25, 2026

Political Awareness and Influencing

To influence policy, you need to understand the complexities of the changing UK constitutional set-up, how it all fits together in practice, and what the points of access and influence are.
Details
From £345 + VAT

Get in touch

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Our Clients

Cabinet Offfice
Caribbean Development Bank
Clients – 2
Department for Business and Trade
Department_for_Education
Department_for_Energy_Security_and_Net_Zero
Department_for_Environment,_Food_and_Rural_Affairs
Department_for_Science,_Innovation_and_Technology
Department_for_Transport
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
HM_Revenue_&_Customs
HM_Treasury
Home Office
Kuwait Civil Service Commission
Ministry_of_Justice
NHS_England
turks & caicos
UK Department for Business and Trade
united nations
Welsh Govt

Case Studies

Department for Science

DSIT and DESNZ – Policy Foundation Programme

The Policy Foundation Programme (PFP) is designed for new joiners across DSIT and DESNZ at grades EO–SEO, typically with two to nine months’ service as policy professionals.
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HMRC

Research Skills for Policy Making

Total Training, formerly Dods Training, is delivering a new bespoke one-day course for HMRC on Research Skills for Policy Making.
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House of Commons

Supporting House of Commons Members’ Staff with Essential Communication Skills

Since the 2015 General Election, Total Training, formally Dods Training has delivered an average of 120 specialist courses Members’ staff working across the UK Parliament.
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Global

Total Training supports public sector capability worldwide through specialist training, coaching and consultancy for governments and public institutions. With over two decades of experience across more than 50 countries, we partner with clients to strengthen leadership, skills and systems to meet evolving public service demands. Our expert-led programmes focus on practical capabilities — from policy and governance to communication and digital working — delivered through tailored training, study visits and accredited courses to build resilient, high-performing teams.

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What our customers say

Total Training have been very organised and responsive throughout our engagement with them. They worked at pace with us on contextualising our learning, making proactive and helpful suggestions, and their delivery has been very smoothly coordinated. Early evaluation of the resulting product is showing very positive feedback.
Maria Zacaroli Skills Learning and Careers Lead MHCLG
Maria Zacaroli Skills
The course was brilliant. The real-world examples for each topic taught made it engaging and interesting and there was a breadth of information taught.
Sophie RaeSocial Researcher at DWP
Sophie Rae
I feel more informed and in a better position to implement and drive change as we head in to a new world post election. Policy and structure will change and I feel better placed to lead and advise in that space.
Vicki BidwellPolicy lead - Urban regeneration at DLUHC
Vicki Bidwell
As my work is in the policy development stage, I feel energised and confident to use the tools taught in this session to influence my team throughout our policy development and delivery. I feel competent and that in using these new tools and information will help me progress my skills.
Danielle WaltonPolicy Manager at OFGEM
Danielle Walton
The course met expectations very well - I have a good understanding of policy making and the relevant processes. The course has successfully given me the building blocks and cemented understanding of a policy role as I look to progress my career in this field.
Anna SherrellPolicy Adviser - SEO at DWP
Anna Sherrell
I thought this was a brilliant training - I came away with more well rounded knowledge of the UK political system, and tools and tips to better engage with it.
Ellie TaylorYouth Understanding Manager
Ellie Taylor
We had great communication between ourselves and Dods from the outset as they really wanted to understand our specific requirements, fully prepping for training to suit our needs. Having the trainer involved in these meetings really helped us explore exactly what we wanted to achieve. Our training on the day was excellent as our trainer built a great rapport with us, utilising her vast experience and relevant knowledge to the activities we carried out. It helped us develop our process in going forward.
The Northern Ireland Department of Communities
The Northern Ireland Department of Communities
The course was well tailored to meet our needs and we were able to discuss our particular challenges/ priorities as a group. The interactive sessions were engaging. Useful tools were provided.
Daisy SmithHead of Evaluation of National Highways
Daisy Smith
Thank you for an excellent training. Everything was clearly explained, well facilitated, and very practical. I truly appreciated the organization, preparation, and positive learning atmosphere. It was a valuable experience.
Negotiations Training, UN Agency
Negotiations Training, UN Agency
Dods provided expertise and knowledge to help ensure a successful learning experience, with 100% of attendees rating the facilitator's ability to create a positive and engaging learning environment as 'good', 'very good' or 'excellent'.
Head of UK TV Projects and Head of Film & TV Restart Scheme-Media and Creative Industries. (On behalf of participants).
Head of UK TV Projects and Head of Film & TV Restart Scheme-Media and Creative Industries. (On behalf of participants).
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the facilitator for delivering such an engaging and meaningful training. I gained a great deal of valuable knowledge and insights from the training sessions.
Effective Writing – UN Agency Participant , East Africa Region
Effective Writing – UN Agency Participant , East Africa Region
I truly appreciated the training; it was thoughtfully designed and highly relevant to my role. The practical structure of the modules made it easy to connect the concepts to real-life scenarios I encounter with partners, donors, and government stakeholders. I feel confident that the tools and strategies shared will enhance the way I approach negotiations in my day-to-day work.
Negotiations Training - UN Agency participant
Negotiations Training - UN Agency participant
Very practical and applicable training. The tools will help me communicate more clearly and handle sensitive conversations with more confidence. Thank you.
Effective Communication, UN Agency participant
Effective Communication, UN Agency participant
It’s been so wonderful I thank you for your work and effort you did amazing work and truly I appreciate it.
Empowering Leadership Training – Kuwait government participant
Empowering Leadership Training – Kuwait government participant
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