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Oct 2007 |
| Retired but not retiring - An interview with Giles Pepler |
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 Giles Pepler retired this summer as Principal of Thomas Rotherham College and as Chair of the ICT Subgroup of the Lifelong Learning Partnership. The Subgroup has become a vital part of the Rotherham partnership during Giles’ 5 years tenure – perhaps that’s to do with other factors, not attributable to the dynamism of the Chair! We decided to find out …
So what’s changed in 5 years?
I believe we’ve seen the maturing of some REAL partnership. The group has moved from enlightened self-interest, driven by institutional and sector interests to a real development of common interests. Some projects like the LSC & Yorkshire Forward CDI cluster investment acted as levers – but the heartening thing is that partners have really taken on the common cause.
What cause is that? The Lifelong Learning Partnership?
No, no – that’s just the vehicle. I think we jointly recognise the journey – which is to achieve an outstanding level of digital capability (I think we say digital not ICT these days) in Rotherham for the next generation workforce and throughout the community. Education, business and community – that’s the triangle.
So we have a real partnership?
We’ve certainly taken the lid off the possibilities – especially in sharing plans and opportunities with Adult & Community Learning partners. Planning the Connected Community project really contributed there. The biggest challenge is for us to link effectively with business – but I think Investors in Education and the forthcoming 14-19 Diploma curriculum will help us with that.
Help us? You’re out of it, aren’t you?
I have to say I’m still hoping to play a role. Rotherham is that sort of a place!
Let’s not forget the bad things – or at least the things that you feel need to change
The biggest change I’d like to see for the Subgroup is for it to be aligned with the wider Local Strategic Partnership. As we’ve begun to understand the connected opportunities for ICT involving education, business and the community (that triangle!), the subgroup has really taken on some vital regeneration and renaissance challenges – much more than the delivery of training, learning and skills. When we talk about connecting and enabling people, we’d find a kindred spirit in Brian Chapple, the Chair of the LSP.
You mentioned the ‘Renaissance’ word – which is about building a new town centre.
Yes and no. The rebuilding is important but it is only the shell – the Subgroup can make a real contribution to the life that goes on inside. Digitally engaged citizens and businesses should be a hallmark of Rotherham Renaissance – not a parallel universe that exists away from the town centre.
So that’s an opportunity?
Yes – an opportunity to position digital engagement on the bigger stage. The other concern I have is that as a group we’ve not engaged with individual schools – though I have to say the local authority team-work hard at representing the diversity of needs out there.
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| NEW 14-19 WEB PROSPECTUS FOR ROTHERHAM |
17th Oct 2006 |
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From 2nd November 2006, a new 14-19 Prospectus will be available on the
internet for all 14-19 learners (existing and future), parents, guardians,
advisors, businesses and the general public in Rotherham and beyond.
The new site (applyrotherham.org.uk) will provide comprehensive details
about all 14-19 learning opportunities on offer in Rotherham, Information
Advice and Guidance on progression options and career pathways and
general information about Rotherham. What it doesn’t contain in its own right,
users will be able to access through linked websites (details about Inspection
Reports for providers and the Children & Young People’s Service Directory for
example).
This is something much more than a traditional prospectus. The site will not
only enable access to programme details offered by all individual Rotherham
based providers, but also searches to be made about the range of
opportunities pre and post 16 in any one programme area, saving time (and
expense!) having to consult each and every individual prospectus (web or
hard copy) as in the past. Navigation of the site can be by provider or
subject/programme area for 14-19 learners.
This Prospectus will also provide News and Events information – provider
success stories, open days/evenings, new opportunities, student
achievements etc.- the facility to discover what’s new/pending for learning in
Rotherham. It will also provide useful contact details should further
information be required.
As part of the world wide web, this site can be accessed from any internet
point – at home, work, and anywhere with internet access (libraries for
example). It will be a constantly developing site as new provision is made and
providers and services develop and change their profiles. It is planned, for
example, to build upon the Prospectus next year with a Common Application
Process (CAP) to enable learners to apply on line to providers in the borough
(and beyond) through a single system. This will make it easier for learners to
secure a place in learning and help reduce the number of young people not in
learning or training.
From later in 2007, this website will be linked to other such sites to enable
learners to access information in other boroughs (locally and nationally) and
apply likewise.
These developments are being progressed by Rotherham Metropolitan
Borough Council (RMBC) in partnership with the Learning and Skills Council
South Yorkshire (LSCSY) – project managed by the Rotherham Lifelong
Learning Partnership. They are a positive response to the 14-19 Education
and Skills Implementation Plan published by the DfES December 2005
which requires all local authorities to have an internet Prospectus operational
by September 2007 at the latest. Once again, Rotherham is ahead of the
game, with a system in place for learners to be able to make speedier and
much more informed choices for the September 2007 start.
“This is a really excellent development for Rotherham; one that will not
only facilitate access to a comprehensive single point of reference about
provision and providers of 14-19 learning in Rotherham, but also
provide a platform for even more improvements such as the Common
Application Process. It is the first time such information will be available
to all so quickly and so easily – it’s a good example of our Community
Strategy’s principle of fairness in action. The site will be managed to
ensure currency of content, so users can be assured of content validity.
I encourage everyone to visit the site and hope they will find it as helpful
as we have designed it to be.”
(Martin Happs, Director, Rotherham Lifelong Learning Partnership).
Click Here For Article In PDF Format.
| ROTHERHAM LANGUAGES STRATEGY LAUNCHED! |
25th Sept 2006 |
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Following two years of preparation, discussion and consultation ‘Languages for All –
A Languages Strategy for Rotherham’ was launched on Monday 25th September
2006. The event at the Carlton Park Hotel was attended by over 60 invited guests.
As well as heads and heads of department from primary, secondary and special
schools and the Rotherham FE colleges, representatives from the Regional
Language Network for Yorkshire and the Humber, the Regional Comenius Centre,
Rotherham Borough Council, Sheffield City Council, the Rotherham Lifelong
Learning Partnership Board, Rotherham businesses and voluntary sector
organisations were present.
Welcoming the assembled guests, Giles Pepler, the Chair of the Steering Group,
warmly thanked the many individuals and organisations that had contributed to the
development of the strategy – in particular Greg Long, the project manager, whose
drive and enthusiasm had been crucial. Greg then presented prizes to Joseph Lee of
St Bernard’s Catholic High School and Chloe Tubman from Wickersley Northfield
Primary School for their winning posters and workbooks in the Language Strategy
competition.
The event’s main speaker was Ruth Linden, from the Regional Languages Network
for Yorkshire and the Humber. Ruth described some of the Network’s current
priorities and projects, stressed the importance to business and the local economy of
a thriving and effectively multi-lingual community and highlighted the importance of
valuing all languages, including British Sign language, equally. Following her
presentation, Giles Pepler briefly outlined the aims and vision of the Strategy and the
challenging targets that the Steering Group had set for the next five years.
Finally, copies of the full strategy were distributed to all those attending, as we
watched and listened to examples of some of the vibrant language learning which is
now taking place in Rotherham’s primary schools. A reminder of the youthful
enthusiasm we have to channel and nurture and, as Giles reminded the audience,
“the hard work starts here”!
Click Here For Article In PDF Format.
Rotherham Gets Connected!
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22nd Feb 2006 |
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Businesses, students and residents across Rotherham should soon be able to use the Internet much more extensively to boost their opportunities for learning and working, bringing new jobs to the area as well.
The Rotherham Lifelong Learning Partnership recently hosted a seminar for business and education leaders at CENT at Magna – Rotherham’s Centre of Excellence for New Technologies. The event showcased exciting new plans and current ground-breaking projects that are already opening up access to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and having an impact on the everyday lives of people in business, education and the community.
One of the examples, the Rotherham Connected Community Project, aims to introduce several key |
Margaret Coleman [the Learning and Skills Council Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber] and Giles Pepler, Chair of the Rotherham ICT Group at CENT at Magna for the launch of Rotherham’s Connected Community projects |
services to Rotherham including wireless hotspots, video conferencing and virtual classrooms. Bob Holland, Trustee and past Chair of Dinnington Area Regeneration Trust (DART) spoke about some of the existing developments in the Dinnington Community which provide a great foundation for the proposed Connected Community Project. |
People from Dinnington are working together to install a community-wide open-access wireless network to make ICT facilities available anywhere/anytime across the community. Based in a restored former church hall the project uses recycled computers and Open Source Software. Bob summarised the vision behind this work; "If we can encourage people to develop ICT skills around their own lifestyle then they're more willing to engage."
Andy Pickles of Rotherham’s Music Factory introduced the Investors in Education U-xplore project, a multimedia online resource produced in collaboration with Rotherham Council and a range of public sector partners, and aimed at young people. He said; “If we want to engage young people we have to be smart and use the right approach. What we’re saying through U-xplore is ‘this is your town and this is what’s available to you’. We want to present the young people in Rotherham with the full range of options that are available to them.” The project is an interactive online experience where young people can explore different types of careers that are available to them individually and see businesses in the borough that offer those careers.
Business Link South Yorkshire was represented by Steve Wragg, Head of ICT and EBusiness. Within a wider proposal to Yorkshire Forward, Steve has been developing the idea of a demonstration and showcase centre for small businesses to come and view and get advice on using Information and Communications Technology. The proposed Centre, which will be based in Rotherham, will be a resource centre through which Rotherham businesses can find out more about how IT can be beneficial and cost effective and how they can tailor it to their own needs. Steve said; “34% of businesses have no ICT at all, one of our aims is to change that by helping them see what is available, find out what their specific needs are and use the centre as a test bed.”
Other speakers at the event included Steve Richardson who leads the Job Interview Guarantee Scheme (JIGSAW) based at Thomas Rotherham College, which aims to match people with jobs in Creative and Digital Industries, as well as Manufacturing and Engineering, Health and Social Care. The programme has already placed 572 trainees into job opportunities in the workforce, building on the success of the pilot scheme for IT Technicians.
David Ashmore is project manager for South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme and spoke about the positive outcomes of the programme in Rotherham. Just one example is the Blackburn Primary School, which received new classroom IT equipment through the e-Learning Programme and started offering the European Computer Driving License to adults, starting with pupil’s parents.
Margaret Coleman, the Learning and Skills Council Regional Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, opened the event by talking about the importance of building partnerships between national and local agencies. She highlighted how Rotherham is leading the way by championing the role of e-learning and ICT via business, education and the community to make IT accessible to everyone. “All the work that has been done will mean so much to the future of learning and the future of Rotherham. The Rotherham ICT Strategy matches beautifully with the LSC’s priority to make learning demand led and involve local businesses. The Rotherham Lifelong Learning Partnership, ICT Strategy and Connected Community Project have all developed through partnerships forged in order to make progress in the local community.”
Giles Pepler, Chair of the Rotherham Lifelong Learning Partnership ICT Group that hosted the seminar added; “There’s no doubt that Rotherham is at the leading edge when it comes to using digital technology to change the ways we work, learn and use council services.”
David Kay, Chair of Digital South Yorkshire, emphasised this: “Every project presented here today is about real people producing real outcomes. We’ve got to think about real lives and the needs of businesses in order to continue building on these successes.”
www.learninginrotherham.org.uk
For further information contact:
Giles Pepler,
Principal of Thomas Rotherham College
Chair of RLLP ICT Subgroup
01709 300600
If unavailable; contact Liz Wallis 07795 494 547
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“Do It Again!” Was the Verdict for the IT Challenge
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2nd Dec 2005 |
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Students working in their groups during the challenge |
On 24th November, students from schools and colleges across Rotherham and Sheffield joined with Sheffield Hallam University students to square up to a ‘true-to-life’ IT problem set by some of the biggest names in the industry. The event was one of two high profile special events organised by a collaboration of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council to enthuse and inform local young people about the opportunities in the Creative and Digital Industries, one of South Yorkshire’s fastest growing economies.
Designed by David Kay, Chair of the Digital South Yorkshire employer network for the IT industry in South Yorkshire, the IT Challenge confronted 12 teams combining GCSE pupils, college students and specialist graduates with a knotty IT problem to solve in less than 90 minutes.
The 96 participants were drawn from Rotherham and Sheffield schools, Rotherham College of Arts & Technology, the Sheffield College and Sheffield Hallam University, which hosted the Challenge event. As well as their combined brainpower (and lateral thinking ability), the teams were able to take advantage of a limited number of phone calls and emails plus a one off chance to negotiate with the customer.
The problem was introduced at 2.00pm after introductory advice by industry experts from Fujitsu, Microsoft and Ufi learndirect. Team members included teachers and lecturers alongside the students. Industry participants who played various roles within the game scenario included IT consultant Brian Sutton, Gareth Cutts of Associated British Ports, Ian Lumley of Fujitsu, David Patterson of Learning Light, Mark Johnston of Microsoft UK, Kyle McGrath and Bob Banks of Tribal Technology and Dick Moore of Ufi leardirect.
By 3.30pm each team was ready to present its solution to a ‘Board of Directors’ that included Alan Powell (Editor – Sheffield Newspapers), John Hemmingway (Chief Technology Officer, Sheffield Hallam University) and John Taylor (Chief Executive of Sheffield College). Four winning teams were presented with prizes donated by Fujitsu and Microsoft.
Ian Lumley of industry leaders Fujitsu commented: ‘I can assure you that no one in the industry would have relished being faced with a customer problem of the magnitude of the IT Challenge event with the clock ticking. I was glad to be a judge!’
Dr Geoff Cutts, Director of Corporate Partnerships for the Faculty of Arts, Computing, Engineering and Science at Sheffield Hallam University said: ‘The sight of the winning teams leaving with their smart 'phones will be remembered and I am sure will be talked about for quite some time in the University, colleges and schools that took part. It was a great event that reinforced the importance of working collaboratively and communicating effectively – soft skills that we know employers in the industry are looking for first and foremost.’
Sheffield based Ufi learndirect senior architect Dick Moore reflected: ‘The challenge of running big systems with a lot of public exposure is becoming increasingly important as the web enters more aspects of our lives, in areas such as learning, health and public services. We need a future generations of IT professionals to be excited by and clued up about those challenges.’
The ‘IT Challenge’ event is part of an innovative programme of IT activities for schools, supported by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council. The programme offers the opportunity for students, teachers and technical staff to access the Creative and Digital Industries through a combination of special events like ‘The IT Challenge’ together with specialist vocational work placements. These activities are linked into the Objective 1 Pathways to Success Programme and the e-SY.info South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme, both of which are opening up a wealth of vocational study options to 14-16 year olds in South Yorkshire, focused on areas of high economic growth like the Creative and Digital Industries sector.
Jonathan Crossley-Holland, Executive Director of Children & Young People’s Services, Sheffield City Council, said: ‘It is a huge credit to the Pathways programme that we are working across South Yorkshire and across traditional sector boundaries with our Further and Higher Education partners to provide work related experiences that are outstanding by national standards. Most significantly, we are seeing pupils achieve excellent GCSE equivalent results in the academic courses linked to these Creative and Digital Industries vocational programmes.’
Dr Sonia Sharp, Senior Executive Director of Children & Young People’s Services, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council said: ‘The enrichment activities that we are now undertaking to strengthen the IT and digital media programmes in our schools, in collaboration with partners in Sheffield and in Further and Higher Education, are helping to create truly vocational opportunities for our students. We are particularly appreciative of the high levels of support from our local employers.’
| What the IT Challenge Participants Said: |
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Best Bit: |
| “Do it again.” |
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“Learning to handle pressure.” |
| “I would do it again.” |
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“Getting on with it, speaking to ‘real’ people.” |
| “I would definitely do it again.” |
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“Winning!” |
| “I think this should be done again.” |
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“Working on the solution and being able to phone and e-mail suppliers.” |
| “Fun and interesting.” |
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“Doing the challenge.” |
| “Good one!” |
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“Being able to act like a proper business.” |
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“It was challenging.” |
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'Dare to be Creative’ Young People from Rotherham and Sheffield Were Told
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16th Nov 2005 |
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Adam Morris, Nigel Humberstone, Martyn Ware and Ian Anderson speaking with
students
at the first ‘Dare to be Creative’ session
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On 16th November, The Designers Republic (TDR), Sheffield’s globally renowned design and media gurus, hosted the first of three ‘Dare to be Creative’ events to inspire and inform local young people interested in the music industry.
A select audience of 50 students from Rotherham and Sheffield schools filled the Peak Theatre at Sheffield Hallam University’s City Campus as Ian Anderson, founder of The Designers Republic, interviewed three South Yorkshire musicians and creatives about real life and work under the industry spotlight. Every audience member was given a limited edition Designers Republic product.
The line up for the first ‘Dare to be Creative’ session included the following speakers, in their capacity as musicians and creatives who had made their living in the industry:
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Adam Morris – at various times roadie and manager of The Orb, label owner of Wau! Mr Modo and entrepreneur. |
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Nigel Humberstone – whose career has included being a musician and band member of In The Nursery as well as specialist soundtrack production for TV and film. |
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Martyn Ware – musician and band member of the Human League and Heaven 17, turned record producer for BEF / Tina Turner, whose interests have also included 3D Sound Design. |
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With Ian Anderson of The Designers Republic, who went from band management to becoming one of the most influential contemporary designers. |
Explaining the inspiration behind the title of the events, David Kay, Chair of the Digital South Yorkshire employer network for Creative and Digital Industries, said: ‘The Arctic Monkeys are topping the charts and it’s coming up 25 years since the Human League took pop by storm with a succession of hits from the ‘Dare’ album. It made us stop and think about the personal success stories of South Yorkshire musicians over that time and more broadly about the nature of careers in the industry, which can be about much more than 15 seconds of fame in an MTV band.’
Ian Anderson, creative director of The Designers Republic and host of the ‘Dare to be Creative’ events, expanded the theme: ‘There is opportunity for wide ranging creative talent in and around the music industry – no better illustrated than in the careers of the industry figures participating in the Dare events, hopefully inspiring young artists, photographers, film makers, managers and promoters as well as musicians. Dare is all about how you can make a life in the industry, but it’s got to come from you.’
As Martyn Ware explained, ‘Even with an unconventional talent, you can find a way. You don’t have to follow the well publicised paths. It’s about creating your own style.’
Further events are planned for the New Year, when Phil Oakey’s Human League release will be fully 25 years old. Confirmed speakers include Phil Oakey and BBC sound recordist Chris Watson.
The ‘Dare to be Creative’ events are part of an innovative programme of digital multimedia activities for schools branded ‘Zapstudio’, supported by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council with Yorkshire Youth Music. The programme offers the opportunity for students, teachers and technical staff to access the Creative and Digital Industries through a combination of special events like ‘Dare to be Creative’, intense BizDay masterclasses in Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter, and digital skills workshops.
The Zapstudio multimedia activities are linked into the Objective 1 Pathways to Success programme which is opening up a wealth of vocational study options to 14-16 year olds in South Yorkshire, focused on areas of high economic growth like the Creative and Digital Industries sector.
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Rotherham Computer Scientists Named Information Technology Student Of The Year
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20th Sep 2005 |
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Simon Wilkinson, computer scientist and former attendee of Thomas Rotherham College has received an award for Best Information technology Student at the 2005 Science, Engineering and Technology Student of the Year (SET) Awards held in Guildhall, London.
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Judged by the Institution of Electrical Engineers, his project: “A novel benchmarking method for invisible digital watermarks,” was found to be a superb piece of work. The judges said: “Simon demonstrated creativity at the level of theory, in the Novel Benchmarking tools he developed and the use to which he put them….He used very mature software engineering techniques to build elaborate and robust experimental software”. Simon’s work is now the subject of a proposed IEE paper. He is currently at the University of Leeds. |
The SET Awards are Britain’s most important awards for science and technology undergraduates. Supported by British Industry and Britain's leading scientific and technical institutions, the multidisciplinary awards are reflect the wide range of degrees British universities have to offer.
The awards this year were presented in Guildhall, London by BBC television presenter Mishal Husain, before an audience of leading academics, senior industry executives; and senior figures from government, scientific and technical institutions and the media.
For more information about the SET Awards visit http://www.setawards.org/ |
Digital Media for Rotherham Communities
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15th August 2005 |
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A new project being launched in South Yorkshire will give Rotherham Priority 4 communities the opportunity to make the most of the Connected Communities pilot scheme and Adult Community Learning initiatives on a local level.
“Turn up the Volume” is a South Yorkshire Community Media Fund initiative being launched by CMA (Community Media Association) and CM Solutions that will enable £200,000 of Objective 1 and Yorkshire Forward funds to be spent on developing Community Digital Media and ICT in the 4 boroughs of South Yorkshire; Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield. |
| Grants ranging between £10,000 and £20,000 will be made available to developing and start-up projects in the region. Free advice and consultancy will also be provided to ensure the ongoing success and evaluation of beneficiary projects. |
The kinds of projects being supported include community newspapers, websites, information networks, radio, video and television and community based ICT access centres. The aim of directing funds into communities is one of enablement, improving access to information, supporting culture and community arts, supporting participation in the community and helping improve skills for jobs and enterprises. |
The consultative meeting for the Rotherham borough took place at the Unity Centre on Friday 12 th August and had one of the highest turnouts. Representatives from Age Concern, Dearne Community Arts Trust, Get Sorted Academy of Music, Canklow Community Partnership, Voluntary Action Sheffield, Rotherham Ethnic Minority Alliance, Springwell Community Centre among others, were all present to find out how they could make the most of this excellent opportunity. |
Thanks to the current initiatives already taking place through the Rotherham Lifelong Learning Partnership and ICT Sub-Group, Rotherham Communities will be able to make even more of the funding. The Connected Communities Pilot project and Rotherham Adult Community Learning Partnership may be able to provide Yorkshire Forward match funding for local organisations to take full advantage of the South Yorkshire Community Media Fund. |
The possibility of collaboration between the Rotherham Connected Communities Pilot project, “Turn up the Volume” and the Rotherham Adult Learning Partnership could prove to bring extensive benefits to Rotherham’s local Priority 4 Communities. For further information about The South Yorkshire Community Media Fund visit www.commedia.org.uk/volume/
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Read about:
Rotherham Adult Learning Partnership (RALP)
Connected Community
RLLP ICT Sub Group |
Thomas Rotherham College Wins Jigsaw Scheme Contract
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16th June 2005 |
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| Thomas Rotherham College has won the contract to manage the second phase of the Creative and Digital Industry (CDI) Skills Job Interview Guarantee Scheme (Jigsaw). |
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Thomas Rotherham College
(Photo courtesy of www.thomroth.ac.uk) |
The Jigsaw Scheme recently closed its pilot phase having successfully matched over 100 school, college and university leavers to jobs in the Creative and Digital Industries. 76% of the Jigsaw trainees who completed the pilot have reported positive outcomes as a result. Steve Richardson, project manager at Thomas Rotherham College will be leading on the second phase, enlarging the programme to benefit even more people in the region.
Jigsaw is part of the Objective 1 and Yorkshire Forward funded e-SY Skills Programme, which in the pilot phase invested £7.5m into South Yorkshire to develop the region’s flourishing Creative and Digital Industries. Along with Jigsaw, other initiatives the investment has supported include the Specialist Skills Scheme, providing ‘just-in-time’ training for CDI Companies, 4 regional ‘Centres of Digital Specialism’ providing state of the art facilities and training as well as the development of new courses and qualifications.
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Previously the Jigsaw scheme had two strands; the CDI scheme matching people with jobs within more creative working environments and the IT Technician scheme for people with more technical skills. Jigsaw trainees’ wages are subsidised by the scheme, which also provides limited funded industry training for those that will benefit from it. |
Planning for the new scheme is currently underway, but the positive outcome of the pilot phase has led the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) to enlarge the scheme to all high growth sectors so that its benefits will reach people with other skills such as engineering, business, finance and manufacturing to name a few. |
The second phase of the Jigsaw scheme resembles a ‘fast track-apprenticeship’; trainees benefit from an initial 30-hour induction focussing on employability skills, a six-month placement with an appropriate employer and a mutually agreed training plan to take place during the placement. During this time trainees are on a fixed professional salary and guaranteed an interview for a position with the company at the end of the placement.
The key to Jigsaw scheme however, is that everyone involved reaps positive benefits. Shaun Johnson, IT Services Support manager for RBT Connect, has recruited 12 Jigsaw trainees to date; “It’s been very successful for us, we’re up-skilling our existing staff and we’ve employed some of our trainees, but even the people who aren’t recruited benefit from the scheme, they leave with experience, training and a qualification.”
The project team at Thomas Rotherham College will manage the programme, but they are working closely with a number of partners who are crucial to the scheme. These partners consist of businesses, further and higher education, commercial training providers and regional government funding bodies. Steve Richardson, Jigsaw Scheme Project manager said, “TRC is pleased to have won the Managing Agent contract from LSC South Yorkshire to deliver the new ESF (European Social Fund) funded skills programme to employers in South Yorkshire and is looking forward to working with our delivery partners to meet the needs of employers in high growth sectors across the sub-region.”
Rotherham Vision Launches ‘Innovative IT Service’
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26th May 2005 |
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Rotherham Vision, a project providing training and IT resources to individuals and businesses in South Yorkshire, launched its innovative IT service on the 26 th May at Hellaby Hall in Rotherham. The service focuses on desktop and network support offering quality assured advice and on-site assistance as well as training utilities.
The service is a unique opportunity to give businesses affordable access to professional networking training and support at the Cisco Networking Training Academy based at CENT (Centre of Excellence for New Technologies), a state of the art IT facility based at Rotherham’s Magna Centre for Science and Adventure. The facility is one of four ‘Centres of Digital Specialism’ established in the region as part of South Yorkshire’s groundbreaking e-SY Skills Programme, bringing training and business opportunities to develop the area’s Creative and Digital Industries.
The event included guest speakers from e-SY Skills, a demonstration from the Cisco Networking academy and an official launch ceremony for the project’s new website, www.rotherham-vision.org.uk. Jean Wootton, Mayoress of Rotherham, opened the event by expressing her support for these initiatives and her desire to see Rotherham achieve a well-deserved reputation as an area that specialises in high technology industries. She talked about the friendly reputation of people in the town, and its potential to excel in customer focussed services in particular.
The overriding theme of the launch was the range of people that can benefit from schemes such as Rotherham Vision. George Trow, Vice Principal of RCAT (Rotherham College of Art and Technology) set the scene by explaining the need for education to integrate IT as a core element of developing basic skills.
Bob Johnson, Director of Workforce Development for the Learning and Skills Council, South Yorkshire expanded on this theme. He highlighted the importance of Rotherham Vision bringing IT training to the full range of companies and individuals that can benefit from it. Particularly industries such as construction that may not deal with digital technology at their core but use it as part of their day-to-day work. Initiatives such as Rotherham Vision can help inform companies and prospective employees in these industries about the availability of IT resources and the skills that they need in order to progress.
David Kay, Chair of Digital South Yorkshire, closed by talking about the challenge for Rotherham Vision to form partnerships with other funded schemes in the region, drawing on the Job Interview Guarantee Scheme (Jigsaw) as an example; “Jigsaw is now entering its second phase and will incorporate a wider range of high-growth industries such as financial services, manufacturing and health care. This could be a great way for Rotherham Vision to engage with a broader audience.” David emphasised that the 30000+ people employed by CDI sector in South Yorkshire is only the tip of the iceberg when considering the sheer number of people who use IT on a day-to-day basis and could enjoy real benefits from relevant IT training.
During his speech at the launch, Darren Bristow, Project Manager of Rotherham Vision said; “Information Technology is giving businesses across the global market a competitive edge. Rotherham Vision seeks to raise the IT aspirations of Local Businesses and SMEs through a portfolio of technical IT services. Rotherham Vision is dedicated to providing dynamic and flexible IT solutions to support the development of your business through the better use of IT.”
For more information about Rotherham Vision visit the new website
www.rotherham-vision.org.uk
Related Articles
Darren Bristow, Training Manager, CENT@Magna & Rotherham Vision (PDF)
Rotherham On The Starting Grid For New IT Campaign
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24th May 2005 |
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A cutting-edge campaign to boost learning in Rotherham schools through new technology starts next week - but the person launching it won't be there!
The newly-expanded Rotherham Grid for Learning (RGfL) will be officially launched at 1.45pm tomorrow (Wednesday May 25) at Thurcroft Community Library's ICT suite, with help from pupils from Thurcroft Junior School.
Read More >>
Launch of new video conferencing facility at CENT in Rotherham
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5th May 2005 |
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For the first time the annual Sheffield Management Lecture was beamed to Rotherham via a unique video conferencing facility that was launched at CENT@Magna. |
CENT@Magna, Rotherham (Photo courtesy of www.centatmagna.org.uk)
On Wednesday 4 th May, the annual lecture by Microsoft boss Alistair Baker was not only delivered to an invited audience at Sheffield Hallam University but was also watched by a further audience at CENT@Magna - the Rotherham Centre of Excellence for New Technologies - and Magna.
The audience included invited guests such as representatives from Rotherham Borough Council, Business Link South Yorkshire, local colleges, the Workers Educational Association, Business Education South Yorkshire and local businesses.
The event launched the 12-month trial of a video conferencing joint venture between CENT and Magna. Supported by Yorkshire Forward, it will enable high-quality video conferencing over the internet with up to 30 Mb of uncontended bandwidth. The facility also forms part of a video conferencing network, linking with other video conferencing sites across South Yorkshire, such as Sheffield Hallam University.
“The opportunities for all our clients within the corporate events space at Magna and the hi-tech training environment at CENT are very exciting. Rotherham's schools can interact with eachother in innovative educational workshops either via CENT and Magna, or between the schools themselves due to the set up of the Rotherham Grid for Learning. The ability to attract further high profile corporate events will also have a great impact on the development of our businesses,“ said Clare Collingworth, Centre Manager at CENT.
Video conferencing is the latest facility to be offered at CENT@Magna since it opened in September 2003. The Centre of Excellence for New Technologies is a £1.6 million state of the art training facility for business, education and community users offering a range of specialist training programmes and the hire of quality training facilities.
It works closely with local and regional stakeholders in visionary partnerships to support the ICT strategy of Rotherham Borough Council and the Community Strategy of the Rotherham Strategic Partnership. |
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