TrainingZONE LearningWire #111 - TSC report 'disappointing', talkback on government training initiatives, EMNTO asks for feedbac

TrainingZone

TrainingZONE LearningWire #111 – TSC report ‘disappointing’, talkback on government training initiatives, EMNTO asks for feedbac

By TrainingZone

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TrainingZONE LearningWIRE - Issue 111
24 July 2000
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk
Yell Awards 2000 Commendation - Best e-Commerce Site (B2B)
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LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES

1. Government training initiatives: 'talkback'
2. Training Standards Council: providers 'could do better'
3. Employment NTO wants your views on new occupational standards
4. Learning and Skills Council - weekly briefing available
5. Three great special offers for TrainingZONE Community members

***** LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST HEADLINES ***** LATEST

Editor's Note
=============
The Training Standards Council published its second annual report
this week, with some disappointing findings. Tales of NVQs being
assessed by inexperienced assessors, scant external verification
and lack of supporting paperwork for internal verification,
together with a shortage of work-based assessment make for
worrying reading.

With TECs often using long chains of subcontractors, the Council
says that responsibility for achieving a good result for trainees
is often obscured. The Council is concerned that some training
providers seem to be missing the point of the qualification -
employee retention may not be considered, and some very poor
providers are apparently offering trainees to employers as extra
pairs of hands, rather than putting the learning needs of the
trainee first.

Next year, the Council will join with part of the Inspectorate of
the Further Education Funding Council to form the Adult Learning
Inspectorate to cover all post-19 learning. Lifelong Learning
Minister Malcolm Wicks says that this will help to overcome a
catalogue of 'underachievement' which the government says it has
inherited from those previously in power.

The government says it will take the 'bull by the horns' and get
tough on any training that isn't up to scratch. How long before
they resort to 'naming and shaming' and sending in task forces to
deal with 'failing providers'?

Stephanie Phillips
News Editor
mailto:[email protected]
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk

Latest News
===========
A selection of this week's news stories
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/news

Government training initiatives:a TrainingZONE member talks back!
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TrainingZONE member Malcolm Harper comments on the perennial
debate about what constitutes an 'educated individual' and says
that we may be ignoring two things: human nature and reality.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22246

TSC: inspection of work-based training has powerful influence
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Inspection of training is a vital tool in maintaining and
improving standards in work-based learning, according to the
second annual report of the Chief Inspector of the Training
Standards Council, the government-funded Inspectorate for work-
based training in England.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22472

EMNTO launches the Learning Network
-----------------------------------
On 3 July the Employment National Training Organisation launched
the Learning Network, a network for NVQ assessors and verifiers
to work towards consistency and developing best practice. The
network has developed out of a project as part of a UFI/Adapt
sponsored programme.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22317

Chief Executive appointed for Learning and Skills Council
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Education and Employment Secretary David Blunkett has appointed
the current chief executive of Oxfordshire County Council as the
new chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC).
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22221

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Work-Life Forum and Industrial Society join forces
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The National Work-Life Forum, which campaigns for work-life
balance, is to come under the banner of the Industrial Society as
the Industrial Society Work Life Forum. The aim of the merger is
to use the support of the Industrial Society's influence and
existing work in this area.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22235

Employment NTO wants your views on new occupational standards
-------------------------------------------------------------
Last year, the Employment NTO started a review of its
occupational standards, which form the basis of NVQ
qualifications in Health and Safety, Personnel and Training and
Development and for Trade Union Officers. They are now asking for
your views on the new standards.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22336

Free offer to TrainingZONE members - ISM book
---------------------------------------------
The Institute for Supervision and Management (ISM) have about 300
copies of the Cassell - ISM title "Total Quality Management"
(Gordon F Gatiss 1996) book to dispose of.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22359

Any Answers
-----------
Question of the week:
Information on creating an appraisal scheme for shopfloor workers

We are currently trying to create an appraisal scheme for use at
production operative level, and I would be grateful for any
information from anyone who has operated one in the past, even if
it has gone badly wrong! All ideas will be gratefully received.

Paul Chetwynd

Other questions posed this week:

- Ann-Marie Webber is looking for Human Rights Act training
- Ray Jackson wants information on executive coaching and
mentoring
- Mike Taylor is looking for a personal development programme

Thanks to Clive O'Donnell, Derek Smith and Terri Williams, who
gave TrainingZONE members the benefit of their knowledge this
week. Visit https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/anyanswersto give
some of your own!

Learning Lab hopes to boil up recipe for improving CBT
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An enthusiastic vote of support for technology-based training
comes from a consortium of major companies and the University of
Wolverhampton. The Learning Lab aims provide advice and
guidance to any organisation wishing to use ICT in the education
and training sectors, and has been funded by a number of major
IT, telecommunication, publishing, training and service
companies.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22521

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49 instruments ranging from counselling to customer care and from
leadership to recruitment and receive a FREE copy of 40
Checklists for Managers and Team Leaders.
TrainingZONE price - 109.35 GBP

Business Applications of NLP Buy this collection of activities
that focuses on key factors in organisational performance and
receive a copy of Successful Communication though NLP, by Sally
Dimmick, absolutely FREE. TrainingZONE price - 149.85 GBP

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Online workshop: Introducing culture change into an organisation
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Human Resource professionals. How is it possible to establish an
open, accepting and trusting culture, where there is no precedent
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All our online workshops are free to join. Just visit
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from 13:00-13:45 BST on Tuesday 25 July 2000.

Those with NVQs lose out on earnings boost due to employer bias
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TrainingZONE member George Edwards responds to the Guardian's
piece about the relative boost to earnings of different
qualifications, and explains why this difference should not come
as a suprise to the government.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22537

Worth a look: AMED journal
--------------------------
The May edition of The Association for Management Education and
Development Organisations and People journal has a number of
interesting, accessible and readable articles, including a useful
article online about running a creativity workshop.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/item/22422

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WebWatch
========
Our round-up of useful sightings on other websites.
https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/webwatch

Simple web-based training for improving basic skills
----------------------------------------------------
Two sites to look out for providing simple training solutions on
the web are http://www.textrain.comand
http://www.makeheadway.com.Both sites are straightforward to use
and have clear, easy- to-understand visuals and text.
Textrain.com is applicable for anyone struggling with numeracy,
literacy and those needing to improve their communication skills.
Designed in a similar way but aimed specifically at interpersonal
skills, headway.com has a programme of study available covers
areas such as self-motivation, assertiveness, body language,
communication skills and teamwork.
Both sites are currently available to access free of charge.

Webcast on 'HR strategies for the 21st century'
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"HR Strategies for the 21st Century", the third webcast in the
IDC Live! series produced by IDC and ITworld.com, will take place
on Monday, July 24th. This free webcast will feature IDC analyst
Michael Boyd, and can be accessed on Monday, July 24th at 1:00
p.m. EDT.
http://www.itworld.com/itwebcast/idc

Learning and Skills Council - weekly briefing available
-------------------------------------------------------
The Training and Employment Network and the National Training
Federation have started to produce a weekly briefing on
activities in the run up to the launch of the new Learning and
Skills Council. The first edition, published last week provides
information on LSE Executive and local appointments and a
consultation update, together with a round-up of other relevant
developments.
To subscribe, send an email using the form to be found at the
website address http://www.lscbrief.org.uk.You can
read the current edition online at
http://www.learning-providers.org.uk.

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