Sunday 23 September 2012

Kyocera take on apprentices

Following the launch of the Pearson in Practice programme for ‘Advanced Apprenticeships for Print and Document Solutions’ earlier this week KYOCERA Document Solutions is delighted to announce that its first two apprentices have already started their training with the print solutions company.

Nineteen year olds Jordan Church and Thomas Parsley started their inductions with KYOCERA Document Solutions last week. Jordan said: “KYOCERA is clearly committed to the Apprenticeship scheme and this offers us the possibility of branching out into a number of different fields rather than just the field service option. Everyone we have met has been extremely welcoming, friendly and helpful. It is a great opportunity – we will get out as much as we put in. I feel I’ve definitely made the right decision as I have the chance to break into the industry – something that is difficult to do without experience.”

Thomas added: “I’m really looking forward to getting some hands on experience. We’ve already watched a technician preparing a machine for installation and we’re going to get the opportunity to try it for ourselves tomorrow. Learning the theory is great but you learn so much quicker by having a go. We can’t wait to have a go at actually fixing something – it will be great to be a service engineer – self-sufficient and able to get things fixed.”

KYOCERA Document Solutions drove the formation of the Apprenticeships Programme as Ian Allan, Training Manager, explains: “As an ex-apprentice myself I knew the value of Apprenticeships and recognised that our industry was crying out for a structured qualification which would give young people an excellent grounding. I spoke to CompTIA and we worked with Pearson in Practice and other print solutions vendors to create a genuine industry standard. Every manufacturer has had the opportunity to input what the Apprentices should have to cover and we now have an Apprenticeship, designed by the industry for the industry, which will deliver a young, enthusiastic and qualified workforce.”

Sandra Rogers, Human Resources Manager, KYOCERA Document Solutions commented: “We’re finding that the hardest thing is to recruit the right people with the right skill set combined with a genuine desire to develop and grow with our company. Over the last three years we’ve grown 77% organically and identifying young talent is vital for our continued growth. Jordan and Thomas have the option to become Field Service Engineers, to work on our Technical Help Desk or in our Workshops – we are flexible enough to accommodate the career path they want to follow.”

The Apprenticeships Programme runs for at least 12 months and involves on the job training as well as classroom learning at a Pearson in Practice Training Centre. The Apprentices will study for the following qualifications: CompTIA PDI+, CompTIA A+ and Advanced Apprenticeship for IT, Software, Web and Telecoms Professionals.

Pearson in Practice is the UK’s leading provider of Apprenticeship training, working with thousands of companies across many industry sectors. Pearson in Practice recruits quality young people and deliver them, job ready, for interview.

Wednesday 19 September 2012

FCA reports educational success for care leaver

FCA has announced a care leaver from Cwmavon has secured a place at university to study event management.

Zoey Morgan (18) who has been in care for the past five years with Foster Care Associates (FCA), was thrilled to receive her A-level results last month, confirming her place at Glamorgan University. Zoey has all the backing from FCA as well as her committed foster carer, Julia Cox who has supported the youngster throughout her teenage life.

Zoey's triumph at A-level included a pass in the Welsh Baccalaureate as well as English Literature, English Language and Health & Social Care. It follows her GCSE success where she attained four B grades and two C grades. A former pupil at St Joseph's 6th form centre in Port Talbot, Zoey now has her sights firmly set on fulfilling her ambition to become a wedding planner.

Commenting Zoey said: "I am so thrilled to be going to Uni and can't wait to start. This marks a new and exciting chapter in my life.

"I will really miss my carer Julia who has been my rock, supporting and encouraging me with my studies."

Zoey came into care with FCA at the age of 13 and has flourished with the help of her carer Julia. As a single carer, Julia has demonstrated unswerving commitment to the youngster with compassion and understanding. Stability in a family setting has been the backbone to success.

Education liaison officer at FCA Cymru, Darren Sykes Wilks added: "At FCA our focus is about meeting the individual needs of every child or young person we look after.

"In Zoey's case, FCA was able to offer private tuition to support her school studies. We are hugely proud of Zoey and her achievements. She has worked incredibly hard and we wish her the very best of luck as she continues on her journey through life. Thanks to the dedication from foster carer Julie, this achievement is certainly worth celebrating."

FCA Cymru is a leading independent foster care agency in Wales. With regional headquarters in Swansea, the organisation works in partnership with local authorities, delivering quality care in a family setting for vulnerable youngsters who are cared for by the agency's 200 foster families across the whole of Wales.

Those who think they could make a difference to the life of a young person through fostering can call FCA Cymru on 0800 023 4561 or visit www.iwanttofoster.com.

Tuesday 18 September 2012

Parents to Quiz Teachers directly on knowledge of left-handed issues

Parents of left-handed children across the UK are harnessing parent power to address the lack of appropriate teaching their children receive in school, particularly relating to handwriting. As the school term begins, parents are able to download a survey form to take directly to their children’s school in an effort to establish how much or how little guidance is given to their child that is appropriate to learning new skills as a left-hander.

The survey marks the first stage of the Rights of Left-Handed Writers Campaign by the Left-Handers Club (LHC), the leading pressure group for left-handers in the UK. The campaign is a result of the constant concerns of parents among their 100,000+ members at their children’s difficulty mastering the basic essential skill of handwriting. Their concerns and frustrations are evident from the hundreds of heartfelt comments on this topic on the Left-Handers Club website, and the unprecedented interest in the subject by a record number of visitors to the site for the campaign launch on August 13th 21012 - Left-Handers Day.

Being left-handed does not, in itself, make handwriting difficult, but it does require different techniques for pen grip, posture and paper positioning to those of a right-hander. Lauren Milsom, expert on handedness and author of "Your Left-Handed Child", confirms that attempting to write using the same techniques and positioning as right-handed children leads to a number of problems for left-handers including:

- Cramped hand grip,
- Poor pen control,
- Bad posture
- Slow laboured letter formation
- Smudged writing

As Ms. Milsom points out "All of these difficulties can be avoided if the left-handed child is properly positioned at the desk and in the classroom, and shown some simple, specific techniques for left-handed writing."

Having spent many fruitless years in discussions with teaching authorities, Teacher Training Agency and the Minister for Education attempting to ensure left-handed writing & cutting techniques become compulsory knowledge for all teachers, the LHC are now harnessing the energy and commitment of the parents of these left-handed pupils to take the necessary information and training directly to the teachers in their own local schools.

The first stage is to determine the level of awareness that individual schools have of the issues facing their left-handed pupils, and even whether a child’s hand preference is noted. (Many schools are not aware of how many left-handed students they have in the school and no policy for noting a child’s hand preference on any records).

A free Questionnaire has been produced by the LHC which parents can download and take in to their child’s class to harness directly the assistance of teachers to establish how well left-handed students are catered for.

The survey form covers:
• Whether schools note the handedness of pupils and have any policy or guidance in place for teachers on how to help them
• Whether teachers have been given any training regarding left-handed children either while they were qualifying or in their schools.
• What provisions are made to help left-handed children with handwriting
• Information on scissors and other tools and the level of support available.

The LHC have committed to collate all the information with the aim of producing a set of suggested guidelines for best practice in appropriate teaching for left-handers in schools.

Any parents of a left-handed child or adult involved in teaching or education in any way can download the free survey form and complete the simple process here-:

http://www.lefthandersclub.org/teachers/survey.html
(three A4 pages with 20 questions in total)

Give it to their child's teacher and explain what it is for
Get the completed form back together with copies of any documents that are available and enter the results into the LHC web form available at the same address as above

RonaDeck Tree Pit System enhances building project at Middlesbrough School

Ronacrete Approved Contractor Route One Highways laid over 200 square metres of RonaDeck Tree Pit System at Beverley and Tollesby School, Middlesbrough.

The landscaping work was part of a large new school building project combining two special schools in the area which provide education for students with autism and behavioural needs.

The new trees planted at the school are relatively small, but will grow and develop over the years and will provide pupils of the future with a green pleasant environment in which to learn.

The RonaDeck Tree Pit System protects the trees from damage without inhibiting their growth. The tree pit system surrounds the tree in a solid but porous construction which allows the passage of water to the tree roots and keeps the tree nourished and healthy.

Ideal for use in public areas such as school playgrounds, streets, car parks and other areas where tree are enclosed by hard landscaping, it is easy to keep clean and so prevents the build up of hazardous and unsightly litter which often accumulates in tree pits, particularly the recesses of metal grilles.

Tuesday 4 September 2012

Higher Education Returns to Reading College as University Fees Multiply

Reading College, the Thames Valley’s leading further education institution, today announced that it is bringing higher education back to the College. Six new courses driven by the local job market’s need for specific skills will be on offer across a range of subjects for the 2012 – 2013 academic year.

As the substantial rise in university tuition fees starts to deter many students from higher education, the College was keen to support the local community by introducing a more cost-effective option. Studying at the College can increase the financial stability of students in a number of ways including: paying significantly lower tuition fees, continuing to live at home and having the opportunity to work either full or part time while studying.

For students looking to break into the engineering and construction industries, a Higher National Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering is available in addition to a Higher National Certificate in the same subject as well as Construction. A foundation degree course is available in Business and Enterprise and the College will maintain its great tradition in arts and design by offering a foundation degree in the subject. Reading College will also provide a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) – a must have for graduates looking to enter the teaching profession.

Lesley Donoghue, Principal of Reading College comments: “I’m delighted that we are able to offer top quality higher education to the local area. This is very timely as university tuition fees treble this year and many people need a more cost-effective option available locally. The key strength of these courses is that they are designed by employers for employment. I’ve seen students start to worry about their job prospects after completing a degree, so we have worked closely with local businesses to ensure our higher education leaves students with the best possible chance of gaining employment after completing their course.”

Since the Oxford and Cherwell Valley College (OCVC) Group took charge of Reading College in 2010, it has always planned to offer a higher education program that’s relevant to the local employment market. In the National Student Survey of 2010-2011, 95% of OCVC higher education students said they were satisfied with their course, which is 12% above the national average. Of the OCVC higher education students in their final year, an average of 98% achieve their qualification.

The Foundation Degrees and PGCE are awarded by Oxford Brookes University through its partnership with OCVC and delivered at Reading College. OCVC has indicated that it will look to expand its higher education offerings at Reading College in future.

For more information on the higher education offered at Reading College please visit: www.reading-college.ac.uk/HE