Technology firm gives away £10m to educational establishments to help boost industry retail merchandising skills

vrSoftware, the developer of leading visual merchandising and design software vrMockshop, is continuing its commitment to training across the retail industry after giving away £10m for the education of the next generation of retail professionals.

The software, which lets retailers create and merchandise a three-dimensional model of a retail store, has been offered to universities and colleges across the world to help provide students with cutting-edge retail skills.
The total value of software given away has now surpassed £10m and vrSoftware has committed to giving away £5m over the next year.
The company has been offering its vrMockshop tool to over 250 educational establishments across all corners of the globe - from London to New York to New Zealand. In the UK it has provided support to several organisations including the National Skills Academy for Retail, The Fashion Retail Academy and Hugh Baird College in Liverpool.

As this software is used by major retailers such as Nike, Calvin Klein, Reebok, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas and Levi's, the giveaway is helping to prepare students with transferable skills to the workplace.
The technology has helped students learn the art of visual merchandising at a detailed level to let them plan, build and visualise an entire 3D store – a dimension impossible with the physical limitations of most educational institutions.

Thousands of students are using vrMockshop to quickly set up virtual stores, dressing them with 3D hanging and folding merchandise, adding mannequins, POS materials and even posters to produce crystal clear 3D merchandising.

vrSoftware has found that students pick up the intuitive software very quickly - one student had learned the software and built his own store in less than 20 minutes! The company is also helping with the apprenticeship programmes pioneered by the National Skills Academy through its SkillSmart centres.

Colin Liversedge, vrSoftware CEO and founder, said: "I'm a great believer in supporting apprenticeship programs and the benefit it reaps in terms of career development. Our solutions are already used on a global basis by some of the world's leading fashion brands, and for me it is a privilege to be in a position to be able to give something back to the retail industry. If I can better help prepare these students and apprentices for their future careers and equip them with specific skills which is demanded by the industry then hopefully it will lead to an even more employable workforce.”

Tony Morgan, Head of Visual Merchandising at The Fashion Retail Academy, said: “Producing a 3D floor plan with vrMockshop will give students a sense of scale and perspective that other programmes do not offer. Having the chance to design their own 'virtual' store is critical when demonstrating their creativity. Just as importantly, seeing how their collections can be displayed in those stores will allow them to consider the commercial aspects of their designs too.”

Jane Rexworthy, Head of National Skills Academy for Retail, said: “We are delighted to have developed a partnership with vrSoftware and their VrMockshop software. The offer of free software through the National Skills Academy for Retail’s network of retail skills shops, worth around £500,000 now, is of course financially supportive but the software gives our learners a genuine cutting edge when they go out into the job market and the vital retail arena. Plus, we can meet out targets for other skills within the software, as it covers functional skills for all learners. It’s refreshing to deal with such a supportive UK company!”

Notes to Editor:

• vrMockshop is software which allows clients to assemble a three-dimensional model of a retail store (or a section of a store) with realistic merchandise.

• The visual merchandising software is fast, flexible and incredibly straightforward to use.

• vrMockshop reduces operating costs, drives sales and improves efficiency. vrSoftware has been an essential and trusted tool for 15 years.

• The software has over 5,000 users in 30 countries.

• Customers include major global brands such as Nike, Calvin Klein, Reebok, Macy's, Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Adidas, Levi's and many more.

• The software is already being used in over 250 educational establishments, ensuring that the visual merchandisers of tomorrow are competent users of vrMockshop.

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Drop in College Enrolment Blamed on Scrapping of EMA

Perspective, a UK provider of learning management software, has claimed that an apparent drop in college enrolment figures is likely to be an affect of the loss of the education maintenance allowance (EMA).

A survey of 182 colleges conducted by the Association of Colleges found that 49 per cent of those surveyed saw a drop in applications from 16 to 19-year-old compared to the same period last year. This drop coincides with the scrapping of the education maintenance allowance, and is the first time the number of enrolling students has fallen in 12 years.

It is believed that increased transport costs coupled with the scrapping of the EMA has left college education as an unaffordable option for many potential students. Colleges that reported a decline also noted that competition from other providers and cuts in funding per student were also partially to blame.

This decrease in enrolment also coincides with the government’s plans to increase the number of apprenticeships across the UK. Although reports earlier in the year indicated that the number of new apprentices had far exceeded the government’s targets, these figures don’t appear to have made a lasting impression on the 16 to 19-year-old population, with unemployment in this age group continuing to increase.

Paul Davis, managing director of Perspective, said: “This drop in enrolment clearly shows how important the EMA was in keeping students in education. The replacement bursary funding doesn’t appear to be a suitable replacement and has left potential students with no other option but to look for work amidst the currently overcrowded jobs market. It is vital we look to encourage 16 to 19-year-olds to stay in education to ensure they are suitable trained to find work during this period of high unemployment.”

Perspective is an individual learning plan provider to the UK education sector. For more information on how Perspective’s integrated systems interoperability framework products can assist you, please visit www.perspective-uk.com or call 0121 506 9540.

(EDITOR: As a former trainer of adults and young people, I feel that it is more likely that some people had only attended college because they wanted to claim the EMA and had no interest in learning at all. Often to the detriment of other students who genuinely wanted to improve themselves, earn qualifications and get better jobs.

So perhaps the scrapping of the EMA might not have been an entirely bad thing? I have witnessed disruptive "only here for the money" students and how their presence in the classroom was disruptive to those students who did want to learn.)

Thomson and First Choice move closer to sustainable pledge by reaching over 140,000 school pupils with key environmental message

Working with National Schools Partnership (NSP) to incorporate the innovative ‘Eco-traveller’ programme into the National Curriculum, Thomson and First Choice’s sustainable tourism key messages have reached over 1,000 schools across the UK and more than 140,000 children.

The Eco-traveller programme which was launched in June this year, includes a series of activity sheets with teacher notes and an online quiz game for use in the classroom and at home. All these teaching aids are designed to teach primary school children at Key Stage two (aged seven to 11) about the steps that they can take to contribute to a more sustainable future.

Activity sheets on destinations such as Kenya encourage the children to think laterally about ecosystems and the needs of animals and humans, whilst spotting the problems that could be caused by climate change in communities around the world. The children also learn about the issues that holiday destinations could face, with a detailed look at the sustainable tourism projects that Thomson and First Choice are involved in.

School pupils have been learning about recycling, reducing water usage and packing lightly when going on holiday – they also had the opportunity to enter a competition by outlining their ‘green’ pledge in a bid to win a family holiday courtesy of Thomson and First Choice. Four pupils from across the UK were awarded the prize for their hard work.

Christian Cull, Director of Communications for Thomson and First Choice, said: “We have had really positive feedback from pupils, parents and teachers and want to continue the Eco-traveller project into next year. This activity goes some way towards fulfilling one of our ‘Holidays Forever’ commitments: engaging half a million children in sustainable tourism. We also know that our customers want to travel with a tour operator that cares about the environment, so this is a really important area for us to continue to review and improve on. ”

There were four winners overall from across the UK, each winning a £2,000 holiday voucher.

The full 20 sustainable commitments are available on the Holidays Forever website here: www.holidaysforever.co.uk and details on the Eco-Traveller project can be found here: www.holidaysforever.co.uk/ecotraveller.

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ECA welcomes Government pilot to give employers more control over skills training

Steve Bratt, CEO of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), welcomes today’s announcement from the Prime Minister that a £250 million fund will be made available to employers over the next two years. The fund will enable employers to design, develop and purchase vocational training programmes which they actually need.

Bratt says: “Skills are integral to the growth of our economy, so this new pilot should offer the Government a strong return on investment. By making training options employer-led, firms can ensure that their workers have the skills required. Currently, businesses are shouldering the cost of training but this is a huge strain, especially for SMEs, given the current economic climate and particularly in sectors such as electrical, where an apprenticeship takes three years to complete.

“However, the Government must ensure that approved applications represent a real benefit to businesses by providing meaningful, hands-on work experience, and industry-recognised qualifications.”

Bratt adds: “The ECA recently launched a campaign called ‘Wired for Success’ which aims to make the electrical industry more accessible to women – who currently constitute less than one per cent of our industry. Traditional training routes can act as a barrier to entry, but Wired for Success has created a flexible training model. We believe this programme is a blueprint for success which can be applied across other sectors and hope that money can be drawn down to fund innovative initiatives such as this.”

For more information on Wired For Success, please visit the website: www.eca.co.uk/wired, follow the campaign on Twitter: @wiredforsuccess, or watch the video on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJm8l1M4QlY

Vocational training news welcomed

Steve Bratt, CEO of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), applauds the Government’s plan to raise the profile of vocational training, but warns that only industry recognised apprenticeships should take the credit.

“It’s good to see the status of vocational training being raised. For too long now apprenticeships have been seen as second class to degrees. If, as Vince Cable has pledged today, we are to make the UK’s apprenticeship programme truly world-class, then it is important that apprenticeships are given the public recognition that they deserve.”

Bratt goes on to say: “While this and measures to create additional apprenticeship places are to be applauded, I would urge Government to think carefully when determining the criteria for an apprenticeship, as well as Government funding. We must ensure that these apply to industry-recognised qualifications that are meaningful and provide benefit to employers. There are a number of short courses, which fail to adequately train, and ultimately leave people under-qualified and out of pocket. These are not true apprenticeships as they do not provide the vital work experience required by employers.”

Bratt concludes: “Our country is at a cross roads and if we don’t act now to shore up the skills deficit in our craft industries by investing in skilled apprenticeships, we will have little chance of successfully emerging out of the recession.”

Apprenticeships Need to be Considered as 80 Percent of Students Re-evaluate University Plans Follow Fee Rise

With recent figures revealing that up to 80 percent of students are re-evaluating their future education plans following the hike in university tuition fees, Perspective, the Midlands-based pioneers of learner management systems, suggests that modern apprenticeships are a viable alternative.

The government’s new funding system for higher education will see maximum tuition fees increased to £9,000 per annum from 2012, a figure that is forcing many students to reconsider their higher education options.

“Modern apprenticeships present a practicable, and equally valuable, alternative for those students effectively priced out of university”, points out Paul Davis, managing director of Perspective. “Apprenticeships are heavily backed by the government and cover almost every possible profession. With the opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, apprenticeships should at the very least be a consideration.”

Any successful apprenticeship scheme will equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to progress well within a chosen industry. With effective apprentice monitoring systems in place, a successful apprenticeship scheme will allow learners to be in a position to be able to contribute to a business from the very first day – an increasingly popular method of staff development amongst businesses.

Paul added: “Student tracking during apprenticeships is essential to the long-term success of any scheme, but doing this manually and ensuring that it is accurate and all records are continually up-to-date is a virtually impossible task. Our Sunesis software, however, provides the ability to do this with just a few simple clicks of a button.”

Many large, multinational companies including BAE Systems, British Gas, BT and Tesco have all adopted apprenticeship schemes with outstanding results. Indeed, BT apprentices reportedly generated a 7.5 percent higher rate of productivity than non-apprentices, whilst BAE Systems’ apprenticeship scheme now provides 80 percent of the skills needed to become a manager within the company.

With clearly defined career paths, apprenticeships may well be the perfect option for those students keen to avoid the inevitable debt that goes hand-in-hand with attending university.

For more information about Perspective, please visit www.perspective-uk.com

Changing floors in school changing room

RonaFloor Epoxy Floor Mortar was used to upgrade floors in male and female changing rooms at St Johns School in Billericay, Essex. The floor needed to be seamless with a slip-resistant finish that was comfortable to bare feet in the shower areas and hard wearing, to withstand scuffing from studded boots and shoes.

Contractors S Carter & Son removed the failed vinyl flooring and then prepared the floating screed, ensuring that the underfloor heating was not disturbed and that the substrate was keyed ready to receive the new screed.

The floor was primed with RonaFloor Epoxy Primer which then had kiln-dried sand cast into it, to improve the key. After curing of the first coat, a second coat of primer was applied and the blue RonaFloor Epoxy Floor Mortar was applied to the tacky primer as a floor screed and a 150mm high coving.

Key features of RonaFloor Epoxy Floor Mortar
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Pleasley Colliery Wins EMCBE Heritage Award

We are delighted to announce that Woodhead Heritages’ £860K repair and regeneration project at Pleasley Colliery won the Heritage Award at the 2011 EMCBE (East Midlands Centre for Constructing the Built Environment) Awards dinner on 28 October 2011.

Celebrating the best of construction, the Awards are open to all involved in delivering construction and contributing to the built environment in the East Midlands.

The Heritage Award in particular celebrates schemes of repair which significantly improve the aesthetic quality of a building/project. With eight finalists for the Heritage Award the competition was tough, so winning the Award was particular special for Woodhead Heritage, a Robert Woodhead brand.

As a scheduled monument, the repair of Pleasley Colliery located in the north of Nottinghamshire, was a very new and unique project for Woodhead. Simon Butler of Woodhead Heritage comments, “We’re delighted to have received the Constructing Excellence Heritage Award on behalf of all those that played a part in the work at Pleasley.

"It was a hugely enjoyable, challenging project, and was a real team effort, where everyone fully played their part. We are particularly pleased for the individuals that worked on the project as they really did work tirelessly to solve complex problems and ensure we followed sound conservation principles. The regeneration has secured the site for the future and opens the way for a Visitor Centre. A number of jobs have already been created in the community too.”

Simon continued, “We'd also like to congratulate the Pleasley Pit Trust for winning the Heritage Angels award for the project on the 31st October.”

Lead judge Fred Markland commented on the night regarding the winning project, ” These buildings of course, provide the most difficult challenge not only to the surrounding communities, but also in terms of intervention as in many instances they appear on a much larger scale with relatively uncommon repair elements to focus on. In the past it has been only to easy to discard much of what is now cherished and worthy of preserving from our industrial past and without attention, we may lose important links to the past which can provide much needed tourism opportunities to challenged areas.”

After the Awards evening, Fred Markland highlighted, “The submission received from Robert Woodhead demonstrated very clearly what issues and effective repairs had been carried out on the project and that the quality and execution were in line with current conservation standards with the key issue being the retention and repair of existing fabric.”

Steve Saunders, Partner at William Saunders, the Architects, commented “We are delighted to have been involved in the conservation works at Pleasley Colliery. This was a challenging and hugely interesting project for all members of the Design Team and Contractor Team to be involved with that secures the future of the Pleasley site for many years to come.”

The project was funded by East Midlands Development Agency and the Homes and Community Agency and the site is currently managed by The Land Trust.

Woodhead Heritage will now go on to represent the East Midlands region at this year’s Constructing Excellence National Awards in London on 25 November 2011.

For more details regarding the project, please see our Pleasley Colliery case study

PICTURED: Photo of the Constructing Excellence Heritage Award Winners (Left to right): Jonathan Foyle, Chief Executive, World Monument Fund Britain, Mukesh Kashyab, Chair of the CIC (sponsor), Architect Alex Gibson, William Saunders LLP (holding the award), Site Manager Richard Savage, Robert Woodhead Ltd (holding the framed award), Architect Steve Saunders from William Saunders LLP and far right is Fred Markland, Private Heritage Consultant (lead judge).

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