Get Me Off The Dole » Self Awareness

Vision2Lean has vacancies for distance learning courses

Brian — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:38:22 +0000

If you are serious enough about job hunting you will be assessing your portfolio and seeing if you can add extra skills or qualifications to it. One way to do this is to enrol on a course at your local college. You will be surprised to find that some of the courses are discounted if you are unemployed. You may even find some free courses too.

British Gas opens UK’s first Green Skills Training Centre

Brian — Thu, 20 May 2010 20:24:44 +0000

The British Gas Green Skills Training Centre in Tredegar, South Wales, has been officially opened by Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales.

The centre is a first for the UK and aims to train over 1,300 people each year, including local long term unemployed people. The Heads of the Valleys has the lowest employment rate in Wales – 64 per cent, compared with 71 per cent nationally.

ICT courses ‘should be chosen with care’

Brian — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:49:06 +0000

Many people will find themselves in search of a new direction at the moment, whether they have become a victim of the recession or simply want to pursue a different career.

There are inevitably some areas which are in need of talent more than others – and the IT sector is one example. With the digital age in full swing, there has perhaps been no better time to become competent in the industry.

A recent study conducted by e-skills UK showed that regardless of the recession, employment in the country's technology industries has continued to increase.

It estimates that around one in 18 people now work in the sector, with the IT and Telecoms professional workforce growing at twice the UK average over the past eight years alone.

However, those who are interested in taking this direction will find numerous IT training course providers vying for their attention. And it can be hard to differentiate between the good and the bad.

There are a number of top tips which potential students need to consider before signing up to a course, as learning new skills involves a high level of commitment.

Firstly, anyone thinking of enrolling needs to look into the company's history – does it have a good reputation? What are other people saying about it? Perhaps looking beyond the firm's PR material is a good idea, as the most accurate reflection of what it has to offer comes from the consumers.

Another key area worth considering is whether or not the training course provider will give you the opportunity to work flexibly. Let's face it, few of us have the time to sit and study for hours on end, seven days a week. By opting for a training programme with a bit of leniency, this stress is removed and you can get on with gaining your qualifications.

As with any challenge, it is worth assessing the likelihood of success. Therefore it is worth getting in touch with an IT training course provider to ask what their first-time pass rate is. Figures speak volumes, remember, so this can be a crucial tool in working out where to send your business.

Cost is bound to be a consideration for many a candidate. Some companies will provide more for your money than others, so think about looking into whether examination fees and course materials are included.

Accreditation is an important part of the selection process; going to a company which has the relevant certificates and affiliations will no doubt offer you peace of mind. Some of the main endorsements people need to be on the look out for include the Institute of IT Training and the Personally Funded Training Accreditation scheme.

So, you've got your qualification from a reputed provider – now what? Having IT skills and the certificates to prove it is all well and good, but you will only reap the rewards once you have a career to really show what you can do.

Having an IT training provider which leaves you high and dry once you've completed the course is not likely to be on anyone's agenda. Therefore it is worth considering whether your chosen course offers a job search support service. Some may even have companies they are involved with who will take new recruits on board, which offers great opportunities to those with their newly-acquired IT skills.

The e-skills survey found that around 140,000 new entrants to the profession are required each year and that a lack of applicants for the positions with the required skills, qualifications or experience is a major problem for many employers.

It would seem that there are opportunities aplenty for people to make the most of after undertaking their training qualifications, it's just a case of knowing where to start looking.

The key to being successful in embarking on a course is doing your homework first. Becoming involved with a company which has all the right credentials will pay dividends in the future in more ways than one.

£300m to revive communities and create jobs

Brian — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:42:39 +0000

Just before Christmas, Housing Minister John Healey announced that communities across the North and Midlands will share £311m this year to boost work already underway to transform homes and regenerate communities.

New Funding For Engineering Construction Trainees

Brian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 09:30:20 +0000

A £4.5 million increase in Government funding for apprenticeships and trainees in the engineering construction sector will mean that opportunities for young people to train for skilled jobs could double to 1,200 by 2011, Secretary of State for Business, Lord Mandelson said recently.

Making its initial response to the Gibson Review of Engineering Construction, a study of productivity and skills in the sector, the Government has committed to:

Jobs funding for sports jobs, uk

Brian — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:31:09 +0000

Young people will have the opportunity to take up one of 2,000 sports jobs such as coaching football, swimming and tennis under the Government’s Future Job Funding (FJF) scheme. 7,500 sports jobs are expected to be created, bringing the total number of jobs that will be created through FJF so far to almost 55,000.

Unemployed Given Opportunity to SHINE

Brian — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 21:51:38 +0000

In light of the disheartening fact that around 2,350 people in Brighton and Hove have lost their jobs in the last year, City College Brighton and Hove has launched an initiative called SHINE which provides a range of free short courses designed to give unemployed people the edge when they’re applying for a job. The news has been welcomed by Tony Mernagh, Chairman of the Brighton and Hove Economic Forum. Mr. Mernagh says:

What job is right for me?

Brian — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:30:14 +0000

In a previous article I mentioned that your personality is an important factor in deciding which job is right for you. However, there is another part to the jigsaw that will give you a clearer insight as to whether you are going for the right jobs.

Read more on What job is right for me?…

Tips for counting the pennies

Brian — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:23:32 +0000

Finding well-paid work isn’t quite as easy as it was a few months ago and it is likely to get worse for a while before the economy starts to improve. In the meantime you should be looking to making your money go just a little bit further. There are many things you could do:

How determined are you to find a job?

Brian — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 14:18:56 +0000

If you’ve been out of work for any length of time then there is a danger of just giving up especially when there is a recession on. After all the news seems to highlight redundancies everywhere, companies closing down so what’s the use? I know just how you feel. I’ve been felt like that on more than one occasion I can tell you!