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The TrainingZONE LearningWIRE - Issue 72
25 October 1999
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
The Learning Community
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Copyright (c) 1999 Sift plc. All rights reserved. May be reproduced in any medium for non-commercial purposes as long as attribution is given.
What's coming up?
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The main event this week is the IPD's National Conference and Exhibition in Harrogate. It's the UK's largest gathering of training and HR professionals and attracts an international audience. TrainingZone will be on Stand Q16 so do come and meet us in person. There are free bottles of wine for everyone who writes a short review about other products and services on display. We'll be launching the new online Shopping Mall where you can buy books, software, equipment and courses from a wide range of suppliers. And we'll be launching several new Directories enabling you to enter and update details of your own services completely free.
There are also two online Workshops this week.
On Wednesday at 12:00 BST, Chris Elwood leads a session on Games and Simulations.
On Thursday at 12:00 BST, there's a topical online discussion on 'Which way now for the IPD?'
Come and make your views known. Workshops are free to enter from your own desk and you can record them for your own CPD.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/workshop
There's a new Poll this week surveying the different forms of staff development in use in your organisation. Cast your vote - and check the results of previous surveys at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/poll
For further information about any aspect of TrainingZone, contact Tim Pickles, Editor
mailto:editor@trainingzone.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
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Online Learning conference London, 23rd & 24th November 1999
This event is brings together speakers from Cable and Wireless,
BBC Education, KnowledgePool, Open University Business School,
Financial Times Management and TrainingZone. Themes to be
discussed and developed are:
- Providing a framework to assess online learning
- Creating and maintaining a successful online learning environment
- Can technology based training improve productivity
- Achieving management support to online learning
The conference is the ideal opportunity to develop your knowledge
of online learning.
http://www.learning-in-business.com
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Direct your message to our regular audience of over 3,500 professionals engaged in training, learning and development.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/help/advertise.html
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WebWatch
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WebWatch brings you information about useful and relevant resources from other Internet sites around the world.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/webwatch
The fax machine and answering machine are dead
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At least, that's the opening slogan of MessageJet's Unified Messaging service. This free service will give you a private number in London, New York or Tokyo (or all three) and delivers voicemail and faxes sent to this number to your nominated e-mail account. So now you can set up an international network of offices for precisely - nothing!
http://www.messagejet.com
New international community for trainers in technology
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The Node website has announced the launch of a new service to be called theNode.org. This aims to be an international community of instructors, trainers, designers and administrators with a professional interest in teaching with technology. Services will support users in developing and sustaining effective induction and training practices, and in exploring new ways to use technologies to support learning objectives.
http://thenode.org/membership/prospectus.html
Accreditation for Software training
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The Computer Manuals website has developed a new online service for accrediting training and learning in a wide range of software application skills and programmes.
http://www.certifynow.co.uk
Colleges set up virtual high schools
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With the spread of widely accessible internet technologies, distance learning programmes are booming. This report explores the trend in American colleges to create virtual high schools delivering courses way outside their traditional catchment areas. The implications for the future of school and post-school education and training in this country are considerable.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7552&d=1
On-Line Blend
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The Virtual Manaagement Group is providing a "blend" of on-line learning and tutor led training using digital and phone communications. Their aim is to provide development opportunities for businesses and executives who are too busy to learn. You can discover more about them at their new web site:
http://www.virtualmanagement-grp.com
Download ready-made HR policies
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The Policy Network website seeks to take the strain out of creating HR policies by publishing a wide range of ready-made template policies for companies to download over the Internet. With prices starting at 100 GBP, this could be a cost-efficient way of putting a policy framework in place. The company claims that the policies conform to current legislation and best practice. Have any readers tested them out to see if this claim is justified? I suspect that a certain amount of adaptation will be required to tailor these templates to specific circumstances.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?ap=1&id=7589&d=1
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Any Answers?
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https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/anyanswers
There's a steady flow of questions to the interactive Any Answers? area. Most questions receive between one and ten replies. All replies are automatically forwarded to the person posting the question. Can you help with any of these new questions?
** Which websites would you recommend to brush up my training
knowledge?, asks Stephen Brand
** Could your staff help with my research into mentoring practice?,
asks Susan Lyons
** Do you know of any employment development schemes in the SME
sector? asks Brian Mackie
** Can you recommend any good training evaluation forms? asks Andrew
Goodman
** Can you suggest any practical TNA methods? asks Tony Phua
** Which management team games would you recommend, and where can
I buy such games in the UK? asks Sarah Parker
To view each question and post your response, just go to
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/anyanswers
Please keep sending new questions to the Editor
mailto:editor@trainingzone.co.uk
ADVERTISEMENT
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Special Half-Price Offer
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You can obtain full company reports on ANY UK company direct
from the TrainingZone website. They're invaluable for
researching a prospective client. Company reports are
available at half-price until 30 November
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/icc
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HR News
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https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/hrweb
Please send all relevant HR news postings to Cecilia Bingham
mailto:cbingham@trainingzone.co.uk
Yet more developments in online recruitment
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Web-based recruitment and job-hunting seem to throw up a new story every day. The latest development is Upseek.com, a free "one-stop" source through which jobseekers can tap in to every other such site. Meanwhile, Monster.com continues to dominate the field.
http://www.upseek.com
http://www.monster.com
Free, easy access HR community launched
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HRfree.com describes itself as "a new online community created for Human Resource professionals by Human Resource professionals".
http://www.hrfree.com
Health & Safety - Intranet based computing guide
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More employees are using computers for greater portions of their work. The result is an increased risk of computing related injuries and a corresponding rise in costs to minimize that risk. A new product from the USA could save your company both money and trouble.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7647&d=1
Women and minorities still face career barriers
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Survey results from the USA show that the old career barriers are still in place. Would the picture be any different in the UK?
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7635&d=1
Graduate salary figures - no equality here
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For new graduates last year, women trailed men in the salary stakes by about 19 per cent, and the gap is growing.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7549&d=1
"Pick and mix perks" trend is growing
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Companies that have introduced "flexible benefit packages" are reporting higher levels of employee satisfaction.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7521&d=1
Companies risk a drain of talent
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New research on social change points to rapid shifts in corporate and working culture. Those that permit home-based working are more likely to grow.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7522&d=1
EU help planned for elderly and/or disabled in the labour market
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Ways to help the elderly and/or the disabled in the labour market were discussed at the conference organised on 5 and 6 October in Helsinki by the Finnish EU Council Presidency, on the theme "Independent Living of Older Persons and Persons with Disabilities".
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7537&d=1
Modern Apprenticeships flop
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In a recent issue of The Guardian, Peter Kingston uncovers the facts about modern apprenticeships, and asks why government claims for this employer-led training programme have failed to materialise.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7538&d=1
European Commission launches new EQUAL initiative
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The new European Community EQUAL initiative has the objective of promoting new practices to fight labour market discrimination and inequalities of all kinds.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7477&d=1
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Tenders
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https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/tenders
The new area devoted to publicising invitations to tender.
Freelance assessors/verifiers required in Sales (level 3) and Field Sales Management (level 4)
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7588&d=1
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Earn yourself free bottles of wine !
Going to the IPD National Exhibition at Harrogate?
We invite all LearningWire readers to write a short review
of any product or service on display. Come to Stand Q16
and we'll publish your review online on TrainingZone on the
spot. Bottle of wine for each review whilst stocks last.
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Other News
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Network of City Learning Centres
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The government has announced details of the establishment of a new network of Learning Centres in several cities throughout England and Wales.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7425&d=1
Biology gives new scope for lifelong learning
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The concept of lifelong learning picked up a new layer of muscle this past week, and a well established belief about a supposed "structural limitation" within the species seemed headed for the scrap heap.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?ap=1&id=7536&d=1
New Books from Gower
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New titles from Gower this month include a revised edition of the Gower Handbook of Training and Development, Facilitating Learning Organisations, The Learning Organiser, and Creating a Thinking Organisation. Several of these titles are being reviewed in our Reviews area. Most of the titles will feature in the new TrainingZone online shopping Mall being launched this week.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7571&d=1
Individual Learning News
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Issue 9 of the online news service funded by the DfEE and promoted on the Lifelong Learning website was published recently. It's full of interesting news and examples on developments in workplace and community learning, funding for training and learning, and innovative initiatives. If you don't keep an eye on this site, you're missing a lot. It's one of the top sites for information and updates in the UK in this field.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7693&d=1
Do local authorities promote learning?
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A major study by the Industrial Society into organisational learning within local authorities has been published recently. We've not been able to find the full report online, but this article from the current issue of People Management magazine provides a useful, if pessimistic, overview.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7590&d=1
ADVERTISMENT
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Best Training and Learning Website 1999
Make your nomination for this award at
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/nominations.html
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New postings in the PressZone
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Publish details of all your news in the PressZone. To become a member, see
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/presszone
ISM announces franchising of accredited training courses with Woodward Development Centre
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7507&d=1
dominick hunter group wins 13th annual Kielder Challenge 1999
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7508&d=1
Intuition Publishing introduces Web Tutor for Series 7
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=7574&d=1
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http://www.learningwire.co.uk
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About Sift
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Sift plc is the award-winning UK developer of online communities bringing you TrainingZone, AccountingWeb, BusinessZone, Travel Mole and LawZone.
http://www.sift.co.uk
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