Category Archives: mobile phone communications

Grants for further Education and Short courses

Posted on September 26, 2014 | Leave a comment
Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Call us to enquiry about our soft skills courses

Loads of grants and bursaries go unclaimed each year in the UK, so we’ve created this guide so you can bag the cash you’re entitled to.

Further education loans for mature students in England

If you’re 24 or over, you can apply for a 24+ Advanced Learning Loan to help with college or training tuition costs in England.

You’ll need to be studying a Level 3 or 4 course – these include A-levels, Access to Higher Education Diplomas and many apprenticeships You can take a loan for each A-level, but you can’t take them all at once. You must also have lived anywhere in the UK for the last three years.

There’s no credit check to get the loan, and it doesn’t depend on your household income. How much you get depends on what you’re studying and what your college charges in tuition fees. The minimum loan is £300. The loan will be paid directly to the college.

There’s also a 24+ Advanced Learning Loans Bursary Fund, which you can apply to if you need learning help, or to cover childcare or residential costs.

If you’re studying an Access to Higher Education diploma, then go on to complete a higher education course, your 24+ Advanced Learning Loan is written off.

You start paying the loan back when you earn £21,000 a year or more. Interest is charged at RPI+3% while you’re studying, then at RPI.

Who can apply? Anyone over the age of 24 studying a Level 3 or 4 course.
What’s the maximum award? £300 upwards. What does it cover? Tuition fees/training costs.

Top education grants

Free short courses

Fee-free tuition for Scottish students

If you live in Scotland and decide to study at a university in Scotland, you won’t have to pay anything towards tuition fees, you’ll be guaranteed to get a maintenance loan and may be eligible for a bursary. But if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, you’ll still have to pay up to £9,000 a year to study in Scotland.

The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) offers the Young Students’ Bursary, which covers day-to-day living costs if your family’s household income is less than £34,000 a year. Those on an income of less than £17,000 will get the full bursary of £1,750.

Anyone who applies through SAAS will be eligible for a loan of at least £4,750 if their household income is £34,000 or above, while others will receive £5,750.

There’s also an Independent Students’ Bursary and student loan for those who are 25 or over, are married or living with a partner, or responsible for a child. Here, you’ll get a bursary of £750 if your household income is under £17,000.

Loans work in the same way for mature students – you’ll get at least £4,750 if your household income is over £34,000, while those with an income under £17,000 can borrow up to £6,750.

Who can apply? Loans: Everyone. Bursary: Households earning under £34,000 a year.
What’s the maximum award? £300 upwards. What does it cover? Living or studying costs.

Why Study With Us Unemployed PosterIndividual Learning Accounts for Scottish adults

If you live in Scotland and earn less than £22,000 a year, you could get some funding from ILA Scotland.

This provides a grant of £200 towards the cost of learning something new at any approved provider, including learning centres, colleges, universities and private training companies.

Who can apply? Adults in Scotland. What’s the maximum award? £200. What does it cover? Learning costs.

Discretionary Learner Support

You can apply for Discretionary Learner Support from your education provider if you’re 19 or over, studying for a further education course, and facing financial hardship. This money can go towards childcare, accommodation, travel or course materials & equipment.

Your school or college decides how much you’ll get, and which scheme you’ll be put on, ie it could be a direct payment (you don’t have to pay it back), a loan, or paid directly to your landlord.

Who can apply? Anyone over 19. How much can you get? Varies. What does it cover? Any costs associated with studying

Care to Learn

There is help for those who have to bear the cost of course fees and childcare through the Government’s Care to Learn scheme. You must be 20 years or over at the start of your course to be eligible for the scheme, and be the main carer for your child. This is not suitable for those studying a higher education course at university.

The sum covers childcare, deposit and registration fees, travel costs for taking your child to the provider, and keeping your childcare place over the holidays. Childcare providers must be registered with Ofsted.

Payments of £160 per child per week (£175 if you live in London) will stop if you stop studying, you finish the course, or your child stops attending childcare.

Who can apply? Aged 20 or over, studying publicly-funded course in England. How much can you get? £160 or £175 per child per week. What does it cover? Childcare costs.

Professional and Career Development Loans

If you think grants and loans are only for university students, think again. These loans are offered at a reduced interest rate, which the Government pays while you’re studying, and are there to help those who want to top up their training.

To be eligible, you need to be over 18 and must have been living in anywhere in the UK for at least three years before the start of your course. Your course must last two years, or up to three years with a year of work experience.

The snag is that the course must be provided by an organisation on the Professional Career and Development Loan Register, so you’ll need to check.

Be careful of imposters – only Barclays and Co-op currently offer these loans. For more information, take a look at our Career Development Loans guide.

Who can apply? Anyone over 18. How much can you get? Between £300 and £10,000. What does it cover? Any tuition costs associated with developing your career.

Mobile Learning, Mobile Earning

Mobile Learning, Mobile Earning

Local council grants

Your local council may offer grants to advance your education. As councils can assign funding to different areas, search for local training providers using the Gov.uk website.

Quick Stats: Who can apply? Varies. What’s the maximum award? Varies. What does it cover? Depends on the type of grant available.

Setting up your own business

Over 50 and interested in setting up your own business?

The Prince’s Initiative, a charity that supports people who are out of work or facing redundancy, offers a Preparing to Run Your Own Business Course for the over-50s. It’s free but requires an £80 deposit, reduced to £25 if you’re claiming an employment-related benefit, which is refunded when you’ve finished the course.

The course runs all over the UK and includes areas such as marketing and finance. For more information, or to book a place, see the Prime website or call 0845 862 2023.

Who can apply? Over-50s. What’s the maximum award? N/A. What does it cover? 6-7 week course with 3 training days and coursework.

Want to improve your maths and English skills?

A simple maths equationIf you’ve ever wanted to improve your maths and English skills, virtually every college in the country offers free courses to help you from basic literacy and numeracy up to GCSE level. Check on the National Careers Service website or call 0800 100 900 for classes in your area.

Try this online quiz from Move On and the BBC SkillsWise site to see if you could improve your skills.

Who can apply? Anyone What’s the maximum award? n/a What does it cover? Free daytime and evening classes in maths and English (reading, writing)

 

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Worldclass Free Business Growth Bootcamp with Bill Walsh in London

Posted on August 29, 2014 | 1 comment

Do you need to fine tune your big business idea?  Are you looking for a partner? Then this is an event not to be missed!

Bill Walsh free Business Growth Seminar in London hosted by Diane Shawe

Bill Walsh has agreed to come to the UK from the US and give a free Business Growth Session whilst I host a business success panel.To post your question to the panelists Click here 

Come to this free event and learn how to launch & build an even more successful business with one of the World’s most successful Business Coach. Normally to attend one of his sessions would cost over £1,000

When you attend you will have the opportunity to put your questions to our Business Panelist and network
with local business executives.

The educational focus is on Business Growth – Public Speaking and how to create your own VIP Masterminds. Plus everyone will receive some amazing gifts just for attending!

Here’s why you should attend:

Bill Walsh will discuss:

How to Monetise your Intellectual Property
How to Build a 12-Month Success Plan
How to Connect & Do deals with the Ultra-Successful
How to Become laser focused & ultra-productive
How to Monetise your Passion

For Complimentary Tickets visit CLICK HERE

Sponsored by Diane Shawe CEO of AVPT Ltd.

get mentoring with diane shawe business start up loans

 

Bill Walsh New book out now Oblivion Get your copy now

Do you have questions about Business Start up and Growth Bootcamp with Bill Walsh Millionaire Coach? Click here to register your question

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Millions of grandparents expect to have to help fund their grandchildren through university

Posted on July 24, 2014 | Leave a comment
Grandparents up skill your grandchildren with a soft skills course

Grandparents up skill your grandchildren with a soft skills course

Millions of grandparents to fund grand children’s university education as students continue to struggle with high tuition fees

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed  AVPT

Due to the rising cost of tuition, it has been reported that grandparents are helping to bail out their family by contributing to the rising cost of education for their grandchildren.

More than 360,000 grandparents according to an article in the telegraph October 2013 states that they have already helped out with funding their grandchildren through university but this figure is expected to rise as more students struggle to cope with the cost of university tuition fees, researchers found.

Around one in eight over 55s think they will need to contribute to fees of around £9,000 a year, with many dipping into their savings to help out their grandchildren when they go onto higher education.

Researchers found as people got older more expected to make a contribution, 10 per cent of those aged between 55 and 64 planning to help with funding, which increased to 15 per cent for the over 65s.

Around 637,456 students applied to university in 2013, compared with 618,247 in 2012, which suggests people could be using their families to help them pay fees.

Accessing quality courses online and on the move

Accessing quality courses online and on the move

Ucas reveals 4% increase in the number of applicants to UK universities despite slight decline in number of 18-year-olds according to the Guardian’s report in  January 2014

The study of over 55s by Key Retirement Solutions found as many as one in eight grandparents – equivalent to 1.7 million over-55s – expect to have to pay towards their grand children’s university fees.

“The numbers of grandparents providing financial assistance for university tuition is set to rocket from current levels as the implications of the maximum £9,000 a year tuition fees become clear.

Young people from the worst-off areas in England are now almost twice as likely to apply to university as they were 10 years ago, according to the Ucas data.

But academics and policy experts said the buoyant figures masked some unhealthy trends, with wide gaps in participation and a worrying fall in the number of young men applying to university compared with women.

“With finances for the over-55s under strain from falling annuity rates and historically low savings rates taking on extra commitments requires careful thought and planning.”

Why online education will woo the person with the purse strings?

The higher-education model of lecturing, cramming and examination has barely changed for centuries. Now, three disruptive waves are threatening to upend established ways of teaching and learning.

Around the world demand for retraining and continuing education is soaring among workers of all ages. Globalization and automation have shrunk the number of jobs requiring a middling level of education. Those workers with the means to do so have sought more education, in an attempt to stay ahead of the labour-demand curve. In America, higher-education enrollment by students aged 35 or older rose by 314,000 in the 1990s, but by 899,000 in the 2000s.

So demand for education will grow. Who will meet it? Universities face a new competitor in the form of massive open online courses.
These digitally-delivered courses, which teach students via the web or tablet apps, have big advantages over their established rivals.

With low startup costs and powerful economies of scale, online courses dramatically lower the price of learning and widen access to it, by removing the need for students to be taught at set times or places.

This could eventually be the saving grace for lots of grandparents.

As one of the disruptive effects of the job market is the requirement for more people to develop and have doing skills, entrepreneur skills and all round communication skills, looking at short expert courses could be the best gift a grand parent or parent could give to their child.
AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

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Could you Access match funding up to £2,000 for every director and senior manager?

Posted on July 3, 2014 | 1 comment
leadership and management training by short courses expert

leadership and management training by short courses expert

GrowthAccelerator is a premium service that helps England’s brightest growing businesses achieve their ambitions with rapid, sustainable growth. It’s a partnership between private enterprise and the UK government. And it’s affordable.

GrowthAccelerator’s network of world-class growth experts work side by side with leaders of high-growth potential small and medium-sized businesses to provide them with the know-how and ability to achieve sustainable growth. The service helps business leaders discover the real issues that could be holding their businesses back, define the right growth plan and open doors to world class business experts and networks.

What will my business get from GrowthAccelerator?

Each Growth Managers and coaches will help you:

  • Appreciate your true potential for growth and set achievable goals
  • Attract investment by developing your funding proposition and introducing you to funder – identify and overcome the barriers holding you back
  • Stimulate product development, commercialise your innovation and motivate your employees
  • Energise your plans with one-to-one leadership and management advice
  • Connect with business experts and networks to achieve insight and build relationships

About Growth Coaches:

  • Have proven track records in helping small and medium-sized companies accelerate and sustain their growth, in every size, region and sector
  • Have made the same journey themselves so they know what it’s like to fight for success.
  • Know when to talk, when to listen, and how to lead you to ideas that will transform your business.

Leadership and Management

A great leader can make a business thrive. But having a whole team of great leaders could propel your business into rapid growth.

If investment in your leadership team is crucial to growing your business, GrowthAccelerator, with Government backing, can make a financial contribution that makes your commitment even more worthwhile – invest in your team and GrowthAccelerator will too.

This is where the Academy of Vocational & Professional Training can help as one of the registered training providers we can deliver your Leadership and Management training.

Access match funding up to £2,000 for every director and senior manager

To develop and empower your leadership team during your next drive for business growth, GrowthAccelerator offers match funding of up to £2,000 for every senior manager involved in the strategic direction of the business, to undertake leadership and management training recommended for your business.

Different directors and senior managers will be able to take different types of leadership and management training and you’ll be able to apply for training once you are signed up to GrowthAccelerator and have paid your invoice – with the proviso that training begins within 90 days of match funding being approved.

Any leadership and development training that you need will be given alongside other core workshops, masterclasses and coaching that your Growth Manager recommends in your growth plan. GrowthAccelerator has a team of Leadership and Management Specialists who will recommend the best training for your business needs.

Training eligible for match funding through GrowthAccelerator will fall under the following key areas:

  • Developing an effective personal leadership and management style
  • Leading and managing high performance
  • Planning and developing an effective organisation
  • Creating a joint enterprise culture
  • Sustaining growth and continuous improvement
  • Embedding a culture of innovation
  • New market entry

Is your business eligible?  

If your business is registered in England, has fewer than 250 employees and a turnover of less than £40m contact us on 0203 551 2621.

What do you have to invest?

This is done through the official GrowthAccelerator Managers. GrowthAccelerator is a partnership between private enterprise and government which means we can keep the service affordable. Because Government is investing with you in the growth of your business, the cost to you is significantly reduced. Your investment in GrowthAccelerator will reflect the size of your business:

Micro and start-up businesses (1 to 4 employees) – £600 + VAT

Small businesses (4 to 49 employees) – £1,500 + VAT

Medium-sized companies (50 to 249 employees) – £3,000 + VAT

source Main growthacceleraor website

If you would like to read about the GrowthAccelerator programme and what it has helped businesses achieve in its first year of operation please click here.

You will need to talk to a growth accelerator Manager initially in order for them to process your application and suitability. Call us and we will refer you to our Growth Accelerator Manager.

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Why the legal profession is changing – Part-time partners

Posted on May 7, 2014 | Leave a comment
CPD on the move with expresscourses

CPD on the move with expresscourses

Only 9.4% of equity partners in law firms are women, despite equal numbers of men and women entering the profession

Article by Nicky Richmond Guardian Professional,

The statue of justice at the Old Bailey court in London. Photograph: Martin Argles for the Guardian

In the world of big law, equity partnership is broadly equivalent to being on a board of directors. In the top 100 law firms in the UK, just 9.4% of equity partners are women. This is even lower than the percentage of board members at FTSE 250 companies who are women, at 9.6%.

Given that equal numbers of women and men enter the legal profession, why is it that so many women don’t reach equity partnership? The Women’s Business Council – set up to advise the government on how to get more women into executive positions – came up with some interesting conclusions in a recent report.

They reveal an overwhelmingly masculine, patriarchal corporate culture, and point to the double burden of work and domestic responsibilities, the “anytime, anywhere” model of management and, a particular curse in the UK, the long hours working culture wired into city law firms.

A large proportion of women who drop out of law do so because they decide to have a family. Many women feel that they simply cannot combine the demands of life in a law firm with the demands of their families.

It’s little surprise they reach this depressing conclusion; at most law firms it is either full-time or nothing. A law firm may offer a woman a career downgrade to ‘support lawyer’ status but for many the cut in remuneration for part-time working or a lesser role are options not worth considering. Factor in the expense of childcare, and it’s little wonder many women conclude that the high cost simply isn’t worth it.

The goal of a partnership becomes more distant for many women once they decide to have a family. In many firms there is no route to partnership for lawyers who work part time. It just isn’t allowed. This is not only morally wrong, it is nonsensical.

There is no reason why a part-time lawyer – female or male – cannot make an outstanding contribution as a partner in their practice. Critical to a woman’s decision as to whether or not she returns to work following maternity leave must be the availability of flexible working. This means flexibility in both hours and location.

In order for things to change in law firms, firms must prioritise retaining their best people for as long as possible. This could include accommodating requests for part-time or flexible working. Given the demands of clients this isn’t always easy, but in most cases – with a real will on both sides – it can be done.

I work for a law firm that is owned equally between men and women. This is key to the day-to-day operations. A number of our lawyers work on a part-time basis. Some work certain days from home, others are consultants who hardly ever come into the office. We try to accommodate people’s real lives and ultimately, it’s the service to the client that counts.

Equality in the law will not happen on its own. In the 25 years I have been in practice I have seen all sorts of attempts to deal with ‘the women issue’, but evidently none of them have worked. Suddenly, however, it has become clear to City law firms that losing women is losing them money. So now, in line with the government’s recommendations, some of those firms have introduced their own targets for senior women. Money talks, and that’s what will drive the change.

AVPT CPD PRESSED FOR TIME LAW FIRMS

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CPD pending? Pressed for time?

Posted on April 18, 2014 | Leave a comment
CPD on the move

CPD on the move

Continued Professional Development is entering a new phase for UK Law Firms.

At the Academy of Vocational & Professional Training we understand that you firm is often pressed for time, so nudge thinking, heuristic learning, or brain plasticity are great but, your law firm already have complex challenges, so we are going to keep it simple.

We train in soft skills courses like HR, PR, Management, Technology and Social Media to name but a few. CPD approved by the SRA to help you and your staff meet the challenges expected of skilled professionals.

Doing your CPD the smarter way

Doing your CPD the smarter way

You can study on the move using your smartphone, tablet or at our intense 1 day workshops.

Give us a call on 0203 551 2621 to request a quote or visit our http://www.avptglobal.com

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How can employers help keep their work force healthy so as to avoid high healthcare costs?

Posted on April 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

5-natural-ingredients-for-preventing-lung-disease-expresstrainingcourses.co.ukWhether you’re talking about asthma, cancer, COPD, or even rare conditions, lung disease is on the rise.

The experts are calling lung disease a “time bomb waiting to explode.”

sourced: by Diane Shawe from the  Institute for natural healing

Whether you are creating a workplace wellness program from scratch, or enhancing what you already have, you’re already on the right track! With increasing costs of health care, a shrinking workforce, and aging workers, a savvy workplace understands the value in supporting workers to improve their conditioning and to live a fitter lifestyle.

For instance you could help by engaging with your workforce through your company blog by blogging about five natural ingredients to keep their lungs young and healthy as follows:

1. Milk Thistle: You might already know that it has the power to help your liver regenerate its cells. But milk thistle contains silymarin. It’s a compound that flushes toxins out of your liver. It also helps prevent lung cancer from forming and spreading.

Milk thistle also contains silibinin. Like silymarin, it protects you from lung cancer. But even better. These cancer cells spread quickly to other organs in your body. And they can become drug resistant. Silibinin doesn’t only reverse drug resistance in these cells… It causes natural cell death in cancerous lung tumors.2 You can find milk thistle extract pills in health stores and online. Organic milk thistle tea is another option.

2. Fiber: Oddly enough, fiber is critical to your lung health. It may help relieve symptoms of–and even prevent—asthma.

A high-fiber diet changes the makeup of your gut bacteria. The good bacteria feed on fiber. When you keep these bacteria well-fed, they produce short-chain fatty acids. These fatty acids reduce inflammation and irritation in the lungs. But don’t add grains to your diet for more fiber. They actually increase the amount of inflammation in your body—including your lungs. Instead, eat more organic artichokes, peas, raspberries, and blackberries.

3. Ginger: It’s full of antioxidant power. But two of these antioxidants in particular protect your lungs against inflammation and damage. Gingerols help clear your lungs by reducing the amount of mucous they produce.3 And 6-shagaol, the compound that gives ginger its flavor, stops bronchial tubes from tightening.4 This keeps airflow open and easy.

Ginger can be pretty intense if you aren’t used to it. Add it to your diet slowly if you don’t eat it on a regular basis. When it comes to ginger, fresh is always better. Cutting up some fresh ginger and adding it to a meal gives you antioxidant power and extra flavor. You can also juice with it or use it to brew your own tea to help soothe your lungs when you have a cough.

4. Broccoli Sprouts: Broccoli sprouts are rich in vitamins A, K, and C. But they also contain sulforaphane. It’s a compound that helps you fight the inflammation that causes asthma. One study found that it helped restore defective white blood cells in the lungs. More white blood cells mean less bacteria and inflammation.5

Broccoli sprouts have about 50 times more sulforaphane than regular broccoli. But you may not be able to find them at your grocery store. If that’s the case, look at your local farmer’s market. Or you could grow them yourself. Try them steamed or throw them raw into a salad. For convenience, you can also find broccoli sprout extract as a supplement online.

5. Bromelain: It’s an enzyme used to reduce inflammation of the sinuses after surgery. But it’s also a natural way to treat pulmonary edema.6 This condition prevents the fluid from draining out of your lungs. The result? Shortness of breath. If left untreated, it can cause deadly infections. One study found that bromelain reduces the amount of inflammatory neutrophils in the lung by up to 85 percent.7

The best way to start getting more bromelain in your diet is by eating fresh pineapple.8 And lots of it. Most of the bromelain in a pineapple is in the stem. Or you can supplement.

Pollution and secondhand smoke aren’t the only things that can irritate your lungs. Inflammation is a major factor in the development of most lung disease. Lowering it will help ensure that your lungs are working at their best. Using these five natural solutions will help keep you free of disease—and breathing a little easier.

So you can see the benefits of preparing a workplace wellness program.

Creating a Workplace Wellness Program

Whether you are creating a workplace wellness program from scratch, or enhancing what you already have, you’re already on the right track! With increasing costs of health care, a shrinking workforce, and aging workers, a savvy workplace understands the value in supporting workers to improve their conditioning and to live a fitter lifestyle. We have a  two-day course includes all aspects of designing or upgrading a workplace program, from concept through implementation, to review.

AVPT’s two-day workshop will help you  to:

o   Describe the necessity of workplace wellness programs
o   Create program elements that reflect the needs of employees and the objectives of the organisation
o   Select program elements that fit the context of current operations
o   Establish implementation and evaluation strategies

Getting you qualified in days not years!

Getting you qualified in days not years!

 

 

 

 

 

 

other article you might be interested in : Dangers of Hypertension to Founder owners of SME.

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AVPT Supporting the Global Entrepreneur Week November 2013 after being awarded a High Impact Badge in 2012

Posted on August 16, 2013 | 7 comments

AVPT  is back for more after being awarded A High Impact Badge of Honour by the Global Entrepreneur Week in 2012

AVPT awarded High Impact Badge of Honour by Global Entrepreneur Week 2012

This year we have set up a range of 3hr ‘Jump Start’ your business bootcamp in support of the Global Entrepreneur Week starting on the 18th – 24th  November 2013

3 hour business startup bootcamp 2012

Last year 361 organisations ran activities in 2012 that met the

High Impact criteria set by Global Entrepreneurship Week – AVPT along with other High Impact providers was congratulated this week and awarded their high impact badge of honour.

Global Entrepreneurship Week is the world’s largest campaign to promote entrepreneurship, taking place in 115 countries.  In 2012, the campaign took place 12-18 November and Academy of Vocational and Professional Training supported the week by launching a 3 hour Business Startup Bootcamp which was attended by a group of candidates who enroled on the GEW website.

In the UK, the campaign is hosted by Youth Business International, a global network of initiatives that help young entrepreneurs to start their own business, in partnership with Barclays.

The theme for 2012 was: Pass it On!  AVPT supported Global Entrepreneurship Week UK to pass on the practical help & support needed by early start-ups and individuals who are considering taking the plunge. GEW’s aim was to create a collaborative, local and practical week which enables people to learn more about the wealth of support that is available to entrepreneurs in the UK.

Through the week, they wanted to: Encourage those people who are not yet entrepreneurs to think about starting up their own business Improve entrepreneurship skills for aspiring entrepreneurs and start-ups Help people to access practical support – locally, regionally and nationally We did this by passing on: skills, contacts, knowledge, confidence and resources.

Ruth Onuoho who attended the 3 hour bootcamp wrote on her feedback form: “That they should bring their brother, mother, sister, everyone! I would tell them to bring a dictaphone, note pad and pen and use it until their hands bleed” Abigail Shillingford also wrote: “Informative and professional and the business advice is different and more resourceful than the local government or high street agencies”. Antony Berry said ” “The bootcamp provided a masterclass in the ways to think about yourself & your business.

In the UK, the campaign is hosted by Youth Business International, a global network of initiatives that help young entrepreneurs to start their own business, in partnership with Barclays.

At this years campaign they  believe that a large national campaign to promote entrepreneurship is a vital part of making the UK more entrepreneurial, to encourage more people to start up their own business.

GEWUK’s aim is to create a collaborative, local and practical week which enables people to learn more about the wealth of support that is available to entrepreneurs in the UK. 20% of UK adults have heard of Global Entrepreneurship Week and it remains by some margin the nation’s largest entrepreneurship-focused campaign.

Very practical advice given”. Find out about our forthcoming events by visiting our http://gewuk-jumpstart-3hour-business-bootcamp.eventbrite.co.uk/

http://www.academy-of-vocational-and-professional-training.com Global Life Long Learning 0203 551 2621

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

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BYOD! The change is here.

Posted on July 24, 2013 | 2 comments

Bring Your Own Device

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Tim T Dingle BSc (Hons) MIBiol PGCE MBA Chief Development Officer at the Academy of Vocational and Professional Training.

AVPT Global is issuing a technological tsunami alert; feel the force of a very real wave of BYOD / BYOT and new mobile learning and learn how to avoid being swamped.

Here at AVPT Global we like to bring you some advanced news and perhaps a serious warning of impending change. I have worked in the education sector for 25 years and seen many changes in technology during that time. There is a clear and present need to improve the soft skills and learning of individuals- whether at School, University or in business. Already at AVPT we are using the latest technology to improve training and it is clear that mobile learning is massive. I came across the term bring your own device (BYOD) in a recent workshop for employers. It means the policy of permitting employees to bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops, tablets, and smart phones) to their workplace and use those devices to access company information and applications. The term bring your own technology (BYOT) is being used more frequently in an educational context. It is a part of a supplementary school technology resourcing model, where the home and the school collaborate in arranging for use their own digital technology to be extended into the classroom to assist their teaching and learning and the organisation of their schooling.

The BYOD / BYOT ‘tsunami’ is rapidly coming over the horizon for educational institutions and businesses. BYOD is making significant inroads in the business world already with about 75% of employees in high growth markets such as Brazil and Russia and 44% in developed markets already using their own technology at work. In most cases, businesses simply can’t block the trend.

We believe that BYOD may help employees be more productive and become genuine Life Long Learners. It can and should increase employee morale and convenience by using their own devices and makes the company look like a flexible and attractive employer.  Many feel that BYOD can even be a means to attract new staff (and we all know how hard it is to get the right person on board): 44% of job seekers now view an organisation more positively if it supports their device.

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

AVPTGLOBAL almost 400 courses all globally accredited

We have found at AVPT that if businesses are to survive they will need to be proactive and really note and respond to the trends.  They will need to shape the largely inevitable development to the best advantage or try to surpass the deeds of King Canute and prevent the wave from swamping their institutions. Perhaps not surprisingly at this very early stage many of the early BYOT moves are making this mistake, are naïve, simplistic and preoccupied with the relatively mundane, showing little appreciation of what BYOT could entail.

We believe at AVPT global that there are least six global megatrends coming together that will impact on all businesses, schools, institutions to some form of BYOT. These megatrends relate to the normalised use of personal digital devices in every facet of life, the burgeoning digital and educative capacity of the student’s homes, cloud computing, parent digital empowerment, government’s increasing inability to fund state of the art personal technology for all and the inexorable evolution of schooling from its insular paper-based mode to one that is more digital and networked.

Fundamental to BYOT is that personal choice of the technology by the individual (whether in School, Higher Education and Business). While businesses /schools might and probably should provide advice, the final choice should rest with the individual. The will give an enhanced facility for the personalisation of learning in and outside the business and educational premises. That is the secret of the success of online mobile learners. In our online Learning Management System that can be used by the owner of device, at home, work or on the move (found out VTF are driving this change).The individuals are having their ownership of the technology and the information respected and absorbed.

Get qualified whilst on the move with AVPT

Get qualified whilst on the move with AVPT

So the future that BYOD / BYOT is creating will cause a profound educational change. It has immense potential that will assist change in the nature of schooling, teaching, learning and the relationship with homes and work. However, to realise this potential there has to be really strong leadership in education and businesses management. It has to change thinking and begin to understand what is needed terms of the power of mobile learning. Leaders have to take charge of the process, understand the possibilities and appreciate what is required for sustained success and development. At AVPT we see leaders training who are training to be proactive, learning about the forces impelling institutions to some form of BYOT. We see the need to appreciate the real potential for society in educational, social, economic, technical, administrative and political terms.

At the Academy of Vocational and Professional Training we believe these are still very early days with BYOT / BYOD. There isn’t much out there being written about these changes to mobile learning except in some pioneers in the field. The focus of most business and institutions is technical with little thought given the wider educational or financial implications. The greatest challenge with BYOT / BYOD will be human. The technical aspect is easy- and always will be. The key is to understand the historic significance of this development and to recognise that we are moving to a new model of mobile learning, teaching and institutional resourcing where everyone collaborates, facilitates and genuine accepts these changes.

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Is Mobile Technology re-wiring the brains of our Children?

Posted on May 7, 2013 | 1 comment

Overload or Growth?

Overload or Growth?

Or is there hope in a BRAIN project funded by the President of the USA?

Well you do hear people say that mobile technology and smart tech is rewiring their brains brain, making a new breed of digital natives and even brain washing our children. The facts are that they will spend 11.5 hours a day using smart technology; whether that’s computers, tablets, television, mobile phones, or video games (and in my experience usually more than one at a time). That is a big chunk of their 15 or 16 waking hours. The media tend to exploit these facts and combine them with pseudo-science with outlandish claims of ‘brain rewiring’ and potential harm. I have heard this uttered in alarm, (usually by those concerned that children’s ability to learn and pay attention) and stated as a ‘good thing’ by others, convinced that a generation of digital natives has developed incredible powers of absorbing and applying information.

Indeed 4 years ago President Obama officially announced in 2013 that 100 million dollars in funding for arguably the most ambitious neuroscience initiative ever proposed. The project has the catchy name of Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neuro-technologies, or BRAIN, and aims to reconstruct the activity of every single neuron as they fire simultaneously in different brain circuits, or perhaps even whole brains. If you have seen Iron Man 3 there is marvellous moment when the evil Aldrich Killian (played by Guy Pearce) shows the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow inside his brain in real time; a must see moment. The next great project, as Obama called it, could help neuroscientists understand the origins of cognition, perception, and other brain activities, which may lead to new, more effective treatments for conditions like autism or mood disorders and could help veterans suffering from brain injuries. It also might just help people realise why they need to choose a great course and real focus.

neuroscience and nerve system neuroscience brainSo what are facts about neuroscience and mobile smart technology? Can we learn effectively using smart devices? Well, when our minds are engaged in a simple or complex task, the information relevant to that task is held in our STM or short-term memory. According to the late but great psychologist, George Miller, this mental holding space can only contain four to seven pieces of information at a time. To be retained it needs to be transferred to the LTM (long term memory). We can only move information from short-term to long-term memory using our attention; we have to be paying attention to, and thinking about, a fact or a concept in order for it to be encoded in memory.

To encode properly you need to eliminate distractions, which are often caused by multitasking events. Young people report frequent media multitasking (texting, emailing, surfing the web, Twitter and Facebook) while also doing homework. Their belief is they can do it effectively, but research shows otherwise. In fact, research demonstrates that individuals who multitask the most are actually the worst at it. Whether we’re learning with a tablet, smart device or a book, it’s best to give it our best attention.

The rapid evolution of mobile technology has placed quite a burden on our concentration. The day is constantly being challenged by external sources. Even the most pressing of matters can be interrupted at any moment by a familiar buzzing in the pocket. This gives a friendly nudge to pay attention that the brain responds to and many find virtually impossible to resist; alarmingly even while driving. These all too frequent interruptions, coupled with growing expectations for immediate responses (emails responded to at 2am), will challenge our cognitive control system at its very core.

The cognitive control system is our ability to focus on accomplishing a task in the context of competing demands. You might want to look at a course that explains this in more depth. This special ability is what has allowed humans to achieve remarkable achievements, from developing languages and building complex societies.

It doesn’t matter that we think children are growing up digital natives and somehow addicted to technology. It simply doesn’t change how we come to understand new information. Basic understanding happens when we process new information in terms of its meaning, rather than its surface features. Understanding happens when we connect new information to what we know already.

It seems that the competing noise and multitasking distractions, will have a more significant negative impact for those with undeveloped or impaired focus and cognitive control. Those that easily lose focus such as children and us older adults, or in the presence of neurological or psychiatric conditions like ADHD or Alzheimer’s disease. There is no doubt that we have to be careful about the influence of unending data streams of interference on our minds. We need to make more informed decisions about how best to interact with the technologies around learners and how we use the technology positively every day. Perhaps the BRAIN project will guide us on new ways being effective learners.

The lesson seems to be that when we are engaged in something that requires high quality attention (like one of our excellent express courses in critical thinking we should conduct ourselves in a manner that is most appropriate for how our brains function: in the absolute focus mode.
So it seems that despite all the real concerns, technology is not rewiring young people’s brains or brain washing them. Indeed mobile smart technology must and can be harnessed to improve our minds. This will come as a relief to some and a disappointment to others. This new brain research will shed light on our understanding, our attention and focus systems and better memory that can now be applied to a new generation of humans, not so different from the ones who came before.

Mindfeed ebooks by Diane Shawe

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 Shawe’s eBooks are available on Amazon right now at: https://www.amazon.com/Diane-Shawe/e/B0052WG8V6

About the Author

Diane Shawe is an author, speaker, trainer, mentor, consultant and entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience. She has personally trained over 2800 people around the world in a variety of fields and has published a number of works. She has contributed to over 100 Kiva Entrepreneur’s around the world.

She was also one of the producers of a Day time Ladies Talk Show in 2015 and Host of one of the UK’s best loved Annual Hair Extensions Awards.

Diane also enjoys oil painting, sailing and clay pigeon shooting. She focuses on topics that she is passionate about in her writing and has attracted over 36,000 followers on her popular blog.

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Company Name: AVPT Short Courses & Hair Extension Training Academy
Contact Person: Diane Shawe MEd
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Phone: +44 208 1333120
City: London
Country: United Kingdom
Website: http://www.academyexpresscourses.com

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