Employment figures published today show that more than one in three recent graduates are employed in lower skilled jobs. Commenting on today’s figures, leading graduate internship provider, Inspiring Interns called on the Government to give more priority to graduate unemployment including by reviewing the controversial Work Experience Programme to ensure that high quality placements are available to graduates.
Today’s figures demonstrate that, in a tough job market, graduates are remaining unemployed for lengthy periods or finding work that does not make best use of their education. Inspiring Interns have entered into a ground breaking agreement with Job Centre Plus to ensure that unemployed graduates can receive benefits whilst carrying out an internship. However they are pushing for higher quality opportunities for graduates on the Government’s Work Experience Programme.
Inspiring Interns Communications Director and author of Brilliant Intern, Andrew Scherer believes internships can be an innovative solution to helping jobless university leavers;
“65% of interns placed by II go on to full time paid roles – way above the national rate of 50% on work experience. But internships should be predominantly about mentoring and teaching the intern so that employers feel confident that they will be valued and knowledgeable employees. There should be scope for paid employment after the internship period providing the intern has met the expectations of their employers.”
Inspiring Interns use innovative matching techniques such as video CVs to help graduates stand out in a very competitive labour market. The use of video CVs has been key to Inspiring Interns’ high level of client satisfaction believes Communications Director, Andrew Scherer: “We have found that employers value video CVs in the recruitment process as it allows hiring managers to go beyond the paper CV and really get a feel for an applicant’s personality.”
Inspiring Intern Sophie Bennett, a French and Management Studies graduate had been applying for jobs for a while without success before she gained an internship through our services. Sophie has since been taken on by her host company and had this to say about her internship experience;
“My internship enabled me to gain my permanent position, without it I would not have been introduced to the company and the opportunity.”
Since being founded in 2009, London’s leading internship provider has placed over 1,400 graduates into internships with SMEs that have offered real hands-on experience, 65% of whom secured full-time work with their host company.
www.inspiringinterns.com
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 March 2012
Sunday, 29 January 2012
Unemployable underclass? Doesn't have to be this way, argues Perspective
But it doesn't have to be this way, points out Perspective, a leading UK provider of learning management software, apprenticeship schemes could provide an outlet for those struggling to find work and so prevent the formation of the new class.
A survey conducted between July and September 2011 showed that of the 1,000 UK employees and 500 employers which took part, 73 percent of businesses and 84 percent of workers believe there is a permanent, unemployable underclass forming as a result of poor education and background.
Paul Davis, managing director of Perspective, commented: “Some employers are reluctant to hire individuals who leave school at a young age and without particularly good grades – which to an extent is understandable but these people need to work to live and prevent this new underclass forming.
"Apprenticeship schemes could be part of the answer as not only do they allow a business to expand cost-effectively, they are also heavily backed by the Government. Furthermore they allow businesses to form and mold their staff to best suit the business, while the apprentices themselves are earning and learning in a subject which they have chosen and hopefully enjoy.
“However, like many education programmes, student tracking and monitoring is essential if the schemes are going to deliver to their full potential. Certainly for schemes where the learners are taught in multiple locations such as work and college, having an effective student management system in place can often be the difference between success and failure.”
Despite the positives that apprenticeships can bring to all parties involved, the survey also revealed that 57 per cent of employers do not have an apprenticeship program and just over half, 51 per cent, think they are cost-effective.
Paul continued: “Apprenticeship schemes had a difficult start in life and some of the negative stigma from those early days is still, wrongly, attached. I know the Government believes in the schemes as I do but, they need to educate prospective employers as well as apprentices if they’re going to succeed and prevent the new underclass from forming.”
For more information about Perspective, please visit www.perspective-uk.com
Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Job Centre Should Push Apprenticeships Harder, Says Perspective
The new figures show the volume of NEETs has hit record heights as 1.2 million people are now without education, employment or training, up by 137,000, over 12 per cent, in the third quarter of 2011, compared with the same period a year earlier.
Paul Davis, managing director of student management system provider Perspective, commented: “I fully appreciate youngsters are continuing to bear the brunt of the job shortages issue in the downturn, but, I do feel more should be done by those who come face-to-face with ‘NEET’s’ to educate them about apprenticeships and how they can quite literally change people’s lives. The government continues to invest, and being government ran, the Job Centre should be on the frontline of the push”.
Indeed, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has stated in a recent interview that a new £1bn plan to provide subsidised work and training placements will "provide hope" to thousands of young people. The youth contract scheme will give employers subsidies worth £2,275 to take on 160,000 18-to 24-year-olds, for six months, over three years. As a result, up to 410,000 work and training placements will be created in England, Wales and Scotland by giving employers wage incentives equivalent to half of the youth national minimum wage.
Paul continued: “This level of investment can’t be taken lightly. To ensure that the money is best spent and returns the desired ROI, it again comes down to reaching out and educating people. Apprenticeships can definitely help reduce NEET figures, but they need all the help they can get.”
For more information about Perspective’s learning management software, please visit www.perspective-uk.com or call 0121 506 9540.
Monday, 9 January 2012
A unique residential Military Academy opens at Bicton College in September 2012
The Academy, based in the outstanding setting of Bicton College, will host a unique 25 week residential preparation course. The course will help provide young learners interested in a career within the Armed Forces with the essential skills, environment and resources, including accommodation, to better prepare them in being successful in the recruitment process and ultimately initial military training in any of the three single services.
The programme will be particularly appropriate for younger or less mature students, providing an essential introduction into the rigours of military life. Highly trained teaching and ex-military staff will use a variety of military training approaches in order to develop students’ self-esteem, independence, maturity, respect and leadership qualities. Although the aim of the programme is to prepare the majority of learners for a career in the Armed Forces, the programme has also been designed to be expansive and progressive, providing opportunities for learners to select alternative courses or career choices.
Bicton College Principal and Chief Executive David Henley said, ‘We believe that this is an exciting and important project, not only for Bicton and the Armed Forces, but potentially for wider society. Students will benefit from Bicton’s unique and supportive learning environment coupled with the benefit of gaining military insights and disciplines.
"Our Academy is set apart from other military preparation courses not just because ex-military staff will be delivering much of the subject matter but because of the fully residential nature of the programme. This approach will better prepare the learners, as separation from loved ones is recognised as one of the major risks for recruits not completing initial military training. Effectively, in the serious pursuit of what the Armed Forces quite rightly regard as “no ordinary career”, where better to prepare than through Bicton “no ordinary College”?
A spokesperson from the MOD added, "This is an interesting initiative over which we will be keeping a watchful eye. We wish Bicton College and the learners, the very best of luck with this exciting opportunity, one from which we hope the Armed Forces will benefit."
Potential students will need to be medically fit, aged up to 25 and have a strong commitment to developing themselves both personally and academically. They will be required to meet specific academic, medical and fitness criteria, as well as following the Academy’s dress and conduct codes. Student fitness will be closely monitored against performance over a 1.5 mile run, basic sit-ups and basic press-ups; they will be required to demonstrate improvement in their fitness throughout their time at the Academy.
For further information on Bicton College please visit www.bicton.ac.uk
Positive Response to the Croydon Riots
In response to the Croydon riots and to counteract the negative perception of young people in Croydon, an event, "Action for Impact", is being held on 02 February 2012 at Crystal Palace Football Stadium to showcase the diverse range of activities and support available to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). "Action for Impact" will also focus on the creative work many young people get involved in through community based activities tailored to enhance young people’s professional and personal development.
Following the recent riots, research into Metropolitan Police Service statistics show that while only 0.07% of young people commit serious violent crime [Independent Academic Research Studies (IARS) 2011], this is in stark contrast to recent research findings relating to perceptions of young people and violence.
The 99% campaign, run by the IARS, reported that 44% of the 1000 adults who were asked in a 2010 poll: “How many young people do you think commit serious youth violence” answered between 5%-20%. 25% of those asked thought that over 50% of young people commit serious youth violence (IARS 2010).
The summer riots did little to build local employers’ confidence in employing young people. According to Business & Education London South (BELS), a local youth charity, many young people in Croydon who did not get involved in the riots and who positively engage in services to help them into work, education or training are being tarnished by the negative public perception of young people.
“Most of the young people we work with have disapproved of the riots. Their main concern is to secure their futures through gainful employment." says BELS’ Chief Executive, Michael Manning Prior.
Manning-Prior continues: "The aftermath of the riots has seen a general negativity towards young people and BELS wants to counter this by highlighting the enthusiasm with which the young people of Croydon embrace the support services provided to help them.”
"Action for Impact" is organised by BELS, together with young Croydon people and with the sponsors, Crystal Palace Football Club, who fully support and contribute to youth development in Croydon. Youth service providers such as Croydon Youth Development Trust, Positive Arts and The Crystal Palace Education Centre, supported by local young people, will give attendees the opportunity to have practical experience of film, music, sport, communication and art activities.
"Action for Impact" takes place on 02 February 2012 at 2.00pm in The Players’ Lounge, Crystal Palace Football Stadium. The event is open to all those interested in or working with young people aged 16-19 and each attendee is encouraged to bring along three young people to share in the enjoyment.
To register for the event, email info@bels.org.uk or telephone 0208 726 0700.
Sunday, 8 January 2012
Adult Further Education Figures Down
A recent report has found that there has been a sharp decrease in the number of adults participating in further education courses. Perspective, a UK individual learning plan software provider, is looking to encourage potential adult learners and apprentices to reconsider their options before they decide not to undertake further education.
Government data found that from 2010 – 2011 the number of learners aged 19 and over in government funded further education and skills provision dropped by 11.6 per cent. However, at the same time apprenticeship figures for the same age group greatly increased and represented a jump of approximately 93 per cent.
These figures indicate that many adults desire to study as an apprentice rather than continuing education, thereby earning a minor wage whilst also learning required skills to heighten their chances of finding full-time employment. Further to this, the recession is believed to have had an effect on the number of applicants, with many potential adult learners unable to support themselves through education, as such having to turn to full-time employment.
Paul Davis, managing director of Perspective, commented: “Although it is encouraging to see such a large increase in the number of apprentices, it is important that further education figures don’t decrease further and both school leavers and adult learners alike look to conduct further education training where possible.
“Although apprenticeships enable an applicant to learn on-site skills whilst earning a basic wage, they aren’t always the most suitable options and in some cases further education is a more viable options. Potential applicants must review which education or training courses are most suitable for them prior to applying.”
Perspective provides student tracking software to ensure learning management is an easy process for both training providers and schools alike. For more information, please visit www.perspective-uk.com or call 0121 506 9540.
Saturday, 7 January 2012
The Third Annual Top Ten E-Learning Movers And Shakers
The dawn of a New Year means that, once again - based on nothing more than experience and prejudice - it's time to publish lists of the 'Top Ten' most influential people in the corporate e-learning sector, in the World, Europe and the UK.
And - increasing each year since these lists' inception in 2010 - the debate among the judges as to who genuinely warrants a place on these 'top tables' of the great and good in e-learning has been keen. This increasing keenness perhaps indicates that not only is the corporate e-learning world's profile growing generally but also that its leaders' public personalities are becoming more widely recognised.
These lists are compiled on the basis of a person's perceived current influence on the e-learning industry - as a practitioner, commentator, facilitator and/or thought leader. Bob Little, the Senior Partner at the public relations consultancy, Bob Little Press & PR, which has a worldwide reputation for its work in the field of learning technologies, commented: "You probably won't agree with all - or even any - of the judges' decisions but at least you'll know something about what other people think about the personalities who lead the corporate e-learning world."
World List
Elliott Masie. Head of The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, New York, think-tank focused on how organisations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. (Position last year: 1)
Jay Cross. A writer, commentator and speaker who was a surprise omission in previous years and, thus, is a surprise inclusion in this year's list. He was the first to coin the term 'e-learning' many years ago and continues to promote informal learning. (New entry for 2012)
Fabrizio Cardinali. CEO of eXact Learning Solutions' North America and Australia operations, Senior Vice President of the company's Global Business Development and Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG). (Position last year: 3)
Cathy Moore. Recently voted third in the world's top ten most influential bloggers about e-learning. According to at least one of the judges of this list, she is 'changing the way we approach instructional design'. (New entry for 2012)
Roger Schank. One of the influential early contributors to artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology in the 1970s and 1980s, he is president and CEO of Socratic Arts. (Position last year: 5)
Tom Kuhlmann. A blogger and host of The Rapid E-Learning Blog (the user community for Articulate) who has developed many hours of e-learning and managed e-learning projects. Having done it himself, he's now teaching others how to do it too. (New entry for 2012)
Anne Forster (Forster and Gibson), one of Australia's foremost independent e-learning consultants. (Position last year: 6)
Massood Zarrabian. CEO of Boston, MA, based LCMS providers OutStart. (Position last year: 7)
Muyiwa Bamgbose, the CEO of Nigeria's Educational Advancement Center (EAC). (Position last year: 10)
Lisa Gualtieri. Formerly an editor of the 'eLearn' website and now editor-in-chief of the new 'Future Learning' magazine, being published in Holland for a worldwide audience. (New entry for 2012)
Europe List
Fabrizio Cardinali. Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG) and Senior Vice President of eXact Learning Solutions' Global Business Development. (Position last year: 2)
Richard Straub. The Secretary General of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG), overseeing ELIG's role as advisor to the EU on all things to do with e-learning. (Position last year: 1)
Thea Payome. Editor of the Germany-based CheckPoint eLearning ezine and website (http://www.checkpoint-elearning.com/). (Position last year: 3)
Dr Ladislava ('Vlad'ka') Knihova. A key champion, user and publisher of e-learning applications within the corporate and academic sectors in the Czech Republic. (Position last year: 4)
Christophe Ferrandou, the Paris-based founder and CEO of goFLUENT, an award-winning producer of business English training. (Position last year: 8)
Jane Hart. Recently voted top in the world's top ten most influential bloggers about e-learning. She is the founder and CEO of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies. (New entry for 2012)
Armin Hopp. Founder and President of digital publishing AG/ Speexx and a member of ELIG. (New entry for 2012)
Carin Martell. Business development manager at the LCMS and digital repository producer, eXact learning solutions. (Position last year: 7)
Helge Scherlund, the Denmark-based writer and blogger on e-learning topics. (New entry for 2012 but was 'bubbling under' in 2011)
Elmar Hussmann. ELIG's Deputy Secretary General. (New entry for 2012)
UK List
Donald H Taylor. The power behind the success of the Learning Technologies conference and Chairman of the Institute of Learning and Performance. (Position last year: 1)
Jane Hart. Founder and CEO of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies. (Position last year: 3)
Laura Overton. Managing Director of Towards Maturity, a not-for-profit community interest company that provides research and online resources to help organisations deliver effective learning interventions at work. (Position last year: 4)
Steve Rayson, of Kineo, who is making the UK's most innovative production company into a worldwide player. (Position last year: 5)
Julie Wedgwood. A Towards Maturity advisor and an e-learning developer described, by some, as "the people's favourite when you want to know 'how-to-do-it'." (New entry for 2012)
Clive Shepherd. As shrewd a commentator on the e-learning scene as any. (Position last year: 7)
Piers Lea. A member of ELIG and CEO of LINE Communications. (Position last year: 2)
Martin Baker. Managing Director of LMMatters and the founder and Managing Director of the Charity Learning Consortium (CLC). (position last year: 10 equal)
Ben Betts. Managing Director of HT2 who is gaining an international reputation - and has introduced a highly original product in Curatr. (New entry for 2012)
Donald Clark. A long-established speaker and commentator on e-learning. (Position last year: 6)
Of the 28 names on the three lists (19 men and nine women), only two names appear on more than one list: Fabrizio Cardinali and Jane Hart.
The USA continues to have the largest representation on the 'World' list; while Germany (with four representatives) is the only country with more than one representative in the 'Europe' list. Again, only one British name - this time Jane Hart's rather than Piers Lea's - appears on the Europe list.
Two of the three people who topped the lists this year - Elliott Masie and Donald H Taylor - have retained their positions since the first list was published, in 2010. In the Europe list, for the first time, Richard Straub gives way to his ELIG colleague, Fabrizio Cardinali.
The biggest rise in positioning comes from Jay Cross, who is both long established and well-known in the learning technologies industry but is a new entry at number two in the World list. Others whose 'star' has risen this year are: Cathy Moore, Tom Kuhlmann, Muyiwa Bamgbose and Lisa Gualtieri (World list); Fabrizio Cardinali, Christophe Ferrandou, Jane Hart, Armin Hopp, Helge Scherlund and Elmar Hussmann (Europe list), and Jane Hart, Laura Overton, Steve Rayson, Julie Wedgwood, Clive Shepherd, Martin Baker and Ben Betts (UK list).
Fuller versions of these lists are available at: http://bit.ly/aCIomL
And - increasing each year since these lists' inception in 2010 - the debate among the judges as to who genuinely warrants a place on these 'top tables' of the great and good in e-learning has been keen. This increasing keenness perhaps indicates that not only is the corporate e-learning world's profile growing generally but also that its leaders' public personalities are becoming more widely recognised.
These lists are compiled on the basis of a person's perceived current influence on the e-learning industry - as a practitioner, commentator, facilitator and/or thought leader. Bob Little, the Senior Partner at the public relations consultancy, Bob Little Press & PR, which has a worldwide reputation for its work in the field of learning technologies, commented: "You probably won't agree with all - or even any - of the judges' decisions but at least you'll know something about what other people think about the personalities who lead the corporate e-learning world."
World List
Elliott Masie. Head of The MASIE Center, a Saratoga Springs, New York, think-tank focused on how organisations can support learning and knowledge within the workforce. (Position last year: 1)
Jay Cross. A writer, commentator and speaker who was a surprise omission in previous years and, thus, is a surprise inclusion in this year's list. He was the first to coin the term 'e-learning' many years ago and continues to promote informal learning. (New entry for 2012)
Fabrizio Cardinali. CEO of eXact Learning Solutions' North America and Australia operations, Senior Vice President of the company's Global Business Development and Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG). (Position last year: 3)
Cathy Moore. Recently voted third in the world's top ten most influential bloggers about e-learning. According to at least one of the judges of this list, she is 'changing the way we approach instructional design'. (New entry for 2012)
Roger Schank. One of the influential early contributors to artificial intelligence and cognitive psychology in the 1970s and 1980s, he is president and CEO of Socratic Arts. (Position last year: 5)
Tom Kuhlmann. A blogger and host of The Rapid E-Learning Blog (the user community for Articulate) who has developed many hours of e-learning and managed e-learning projects. Having done it himself, he's now teaching others how to do it too. (New entry for 2012)
Anne Forster (Forster and Gibson), one of Australia's foremost independent e-learning consultants. (Position last year: 6)
Massood Zarrabian. CEO of Boston, MA, based LCMS providers OutStart. (Position last year: 7)
Muyiwa Bamgbose, the CEO of Nigeria's Educational Advancement Center (EAC). (Position last year: 10)
Lisa Gualtieri. Formerly an editor of the 'eLearn' website and now editor-in-chief of the new 'Future Learning' magazine, being published in Holland for a worldwide audience. (New entry for 2012)
Europe List
Fabrizio Cardinali. Chair of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG) and Senior Vice President of eXact Learning Solutions' Global Business Development. (Position last year: 2)
Richard Straub. The Secretary General of the European Learning Industry Group (ELIG), overseeing ELIG's role as advisor to the EU on all things to do with e-learning. (Position last year: 1)
Thea Payome. Editor of the Germany-based CheckPoint eLearning ezine and website (http://www.checkpoint-elearning.com/). (Position last year: 3)
Dr Ladislava ('Vlad'ka') Knihova. A key champion, user and publisher of e-learning applications within the corporate and academic sectors in the Czech Republic. (Position last year: 4)
Christophe Ferrandou, the Paris-based founder and CEO of goFLUENT, an award-winning producer of business English training. (Position last year: 8)
Jane Hart. Recently voted top in the world's top ten most influential bloggers about e-learning. She is the founder and CEO of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies. (New entry for 2012)
Armin Hopp. Founder and President of digital publishing AG/ Speexx and a member of ELIG. (New entry for 2012)
Carin Martell. Business development manager at the LCMS and digital repository producer, eXact learning solutions. (Position last year: 7)
Helge Scherlund, the Denmark-based writer and blogger on e-learning topics. (New entry for 2012 but was 'bubbling under' in 2011)
Elmar Hussmann. ELIG's Deputy Secretary General. (New entry for 2012)
UK List
Donald H Taylor. The power behind the success of the Learning Technologies conference and Chairman of the Institute of Learning and Performance. (Position last year: 1)
Jane Hart. Founder and CEO of the Centre for Learning & Performance Technologies. (Position last year: 3)
Laura Overton. Managing Director of Towards Maturity, a not-for-profit community interest company that provides research and online resources to help organisations deliver effective learning interventions at work. (Position last year: 4)
Steve Rayson, of Kineo, who is making the UK's most innovative production company into a worldwide player. (Position last year: 5)
Julie Wedgwood. A Towards Maturity advisor and an e-learning developer described, by some, as "the people's favourite when you want to know 'how-to-do-it'." (New entry for 2012)
Clive Shepherd. As shrewd a commentator on the e-learning scene as any. (Position last year: 7)
Piers Lea. A member of ELIG and CEO of LINE Communications. (Position last year: 2)
Martin Baker. Managing Director of LMMatters and the founder and Managing Director of the Charity Learning Consortium (CLC). (position last year: 10 equal)
Ben Betts. Managing Director of HT2 who is gaining an international reputation - and has introduced a highly original product in Curatr. (New entry for 2012)
Donald Clark. A long-established speaker and commentator on e-learning. (Position last year: 6)
Of the 28 names on the three lists (19 men and nine women), only two names appear on more than one list: Fabrizio Cardinali and Jane Hart.
The USA continues to have the largest representation on the 'World' list; while Germany (with four representatives) is the only country with more than one representative in the 'Europe' list. Again, only one British name - this time Jane Hart's rather than Piers Lea's - appears on the Europe list.
Two of the three people who topped the lists this year - Elliott Masie and Donald H Taylor - have retained their positions since the first list was published, in 2010. In the Europe list, for the first time, Richard Straub gives way to his ELIG colleague, Fabrizio Cardinali.
The biggest rise in positioning comes from Jay Cross, who is both long established and well-known in the learning technologies industry but is a new entry at number two in the World list. Others whose 'star' has risen this year are: Cathy Moore, Tom Kuhlmann, Muyiwa Bamgbose and Lisa Gualtieri (World list); Fabrizio Cardinali, Christophe Ferrandou, Jane Hart, Armin Hopp, Helge Scherlund and Elmar Hussmann (Europe list), and Jane Hart, Laura Overton, Steve Rayson, Julie Wedgwood, Clive Shepherd, Martin Baker and Ben Betts (UK list).
Fuller versions of these lists are available at: http://bit.ly/aCIomL
Monday, 28 November 2011
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.
Thursday, 17 November 2011
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
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
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
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.”
“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.”
Thursday, 13 October 2011
Able Skills will lead the way in electrical training
Able Skills has announced a number of courses and evening classes available for those wishing to study electrical training including the new City and Guilds 2357 qualification.
The City and Guilds 2357 electrical qualification is set to be the only route into the electrical industry now that the C&G 2330 has reached the end of its registration period. This new qualification is designed to suit those who are new to the electrical industry as well as those who are existing practitioners, similar to the expired technical certificates (C&G 2330) and NVQs (C&G 2356).
Able Skills are one of the few training providers that offer evening classes in the City and Guilds 2357 qualification, allowing flexible hours for those studying and further displaying the company's commitment to trades training.
As well as the new qualification, Able Skills are also offering courses in solar electrical training and courses for those wishing to become domestic installers and electricians, with the latter courses available to be studied at weekends for those who can't study during the week.
Gary Measures, Able Skills director, said: "Able Skills are committed to providing the latest electrical courses at our dedicated training centres. We provide every accredited electrical qualification and our highly qualified and experienced instructors are among some of the best in the country."
The new City and Guilds 2357 electrical qualification joins many other courses that are part of Able Skills training portfolio including electrical training, tiling training and plastering training.
FACTFILE:
Able Skills was launched in 2002 and is now firmly established as one of the leaders in the delivery of Construction Training and is currently in the position of being able to offer qualifications in every subject it covers, right up to NVQ level 3. Programmes include plumbing training, painting and decorating courses, carpentry courses and bricklaying courses among many others.
Able Skills can provide training for anyone looking to learn a construction trade whether they are looking at guidance for DIY purposes or considering a change of career.
Quality and value for money are priority for every member of Able Skills team; it promotes honesty and offers progression and support in everything it does.
Able Skills is confident in the delivery of its training and encourages everyone to pay it a visit to see firsthand what it does; no appointments are necessary, no sales team and no pressure - Able Skills feels sure that once potential applicants have visited Able Skills, it will be where they choose to train.
www.ableskills.co.uk
The City and Guilds 2357 electrical qualification is set to be the only route into the electrical industry now that the C&G 2330 has reached the end of its registration period. This new qualification is designed to suit those who are new to the electrical industry as well as those who are existing practitioners, similar to the expired technical certificates (C&G 2330) and NVQs (C&G 2356).
Able Skills are one of the few training providers that offer evening classes in the City and Guilds 2357 qualification, allowing flexible hours for those studying and further displaying the company's commitment to trades training.
As well as the new qualification, Able Skills are also offering courses in solar electrical training and courses for those wishing to become domestic installers and electricians, with the latter courses available to be studied at weekends for those who can't study during the week.
Gary Measures, Able Skills director, said: "Able Skills are committed to providing the latest electrical courses at our dedicated training centres. We provide every accredited electrical qualification and our highly qualified and experienced instructors are among some of the best in the country."
The new City and Guilds 2357 electrical qualification joins many other courses that are part of Able Skills training portfolio including electrical training, tiling training and plastering training.
FACTFILE:
Able Skills was launched in 2002 and is now firmly established as one of the leaders in the delivery of Construction Training and is currently in the position of being able to offer qualifications in every subject it covers, right up to NVQ level 3. Programmes include plumbing training, painting and decorating courses, carpentry courses and bricklaying courses among many others.
Able Skills can provide training for anyone looking to learn a construction trade whether they are looking at guidance for DIY purposes or considering a change of career.
Quality and value for money are priority for every member of Able Skills team; it promotes honesty and offers progression and support in everything it does.
Able Skills is confident in the delivery of its training and encourages everyone to pay it a visit to see firsthand what it does; no appointments are necessary, no sales team and no pressure - Able Skills feels sure that once potential applicants have visited Able Skills, it will be where they choose to train.
www.ableskills.co.uk
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Thomson and First Choice Pioneer NVQ Qualification for Overseas Holiday Advisors
TUI UK & Ireland, parent company of Thomson and First Choice Holidays, are to become the first tour operator to introduce NVQ Level 2 Diploma in Tour Operations to its 800 overseas holiday advisor roles.
The ground-breaking programme has been tailored to the needs of the tour operator, and has been certificated by City & Guilds, so both managers and holiday advisors will gain professional qualifications whilst driving even higher standards in holiday experience.
The ground-breaking programme has been tailored to the needs of the tour operator, and has been certificated by City & Guilds, so both managers and holiday advisors will gain professional qualifications whilst driving even higher standards in holiday experience.
Based on UK National Occupational Standards, this pioneering work-based qualification will differentiate the tour operator’s people and service from its competitors and will ensure that its customers continue to receive industry leading standards of service.
Resort team managers are being trained to become professional assessors and will be awarded the Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement.
Overseas holiday advisors will have ownership and responsibility for their own targets and objectives, and will be assessed against national standards, with topics including customer service and presentation, effectiveness at work, health & safety, planning and delivering welcome events, sales and transfers. The initiative will enable the tour operator to roll out further additional qualifications tailored to meet the personal development needs of overseas teams.
Ian Chapman, director of holiday experience points out: "This pioneering NVQ scheme demonstrates our commitment to offering the highest standards of customer service. It's an exciting way for our team members to gain a credible qualification in the workplace, and not only ensures that they are trained to the highest level, but also means that we can continue to attract, develop and retain the highest calibre of overseas holiday advisors in the industry."
In addition TUI UK will continue to offer its childcare team the "Certificate for the Children & Young People's Workforce" apprenticeship which was successfully introduced in 2010.
Resort team managers are being trained to become professional assessors and will be awarded the Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement.
Overseas holiday advisors will have ownership and responsibility for their own targets and objectives, and will be assessed against national standards, with topics including customer service and presentation, effectiveness at work, health & safety, planning and delivering welcome events, sales and transfers. The initiative will enable the tour operator to roll out further additional qualifications tailored to meet the personal development needs of overseas teams.
Ian Chapman, director of holiday experience points out: "This pioneering NVQ scheme demonstrates our commitment to offering the highest standards of customer service. It's an exciting way for our team members to gain a credible qualification in the workplace, and not only ensures that they are trained to the highest level, but also means that we can continue to attract, develop and retain the highest calibre of overseas holiday advisors in the industry."
In addition TUI UK will continue to offer its childcare team the "Certificate for the Children & Young People's Workforce" apprenticeship which was successfully introduced in 2010.
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