Talking TAP

May Welcome

Welcome to the May issue of the Talking TAP Newsletter...read on to see how the TAP Diploma in e-Learning has helped our TAP Qualified L&D Professional of the Month, Ian Gray.

To continue our e-Learning theme we are offering a 50% discount off the TAP Certificate in e-Learning Facilitation running 16^th – 17^th May - to book your place email me on c.brookes@trainingfoundation.com

As always we have the solution to last month's Brain Teaser, and a new riddle to keep you on your toes.  Spring is here, please see the  picture of this year's ducklings on the Science Park Pond... more pics to come next issue. 

Enjoy reading


Claire Brookes
Editor TAP Newsletter

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Industry Professionals Invited to Submit Papers for the Premier L&D Event in the UK

Leading L&D professionals are being given the opportunity to share their expertise and advice at the industry’s leading L&D event.

The World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, taking place at the NEC in Birmingham on Tuesday 27 and Wednesday 28 September 2011, is inviting L&D professionals and companies to submit proposals for papers to be presented within the free seminar programme at this year’s exhibition.

The two-day exhibition is the premier event for learning and development and will bring together around 100 UK and international exhibitors, alongside key features to enhance learning opportunities for all visitors. It is a key diary date for thousands of L&D and HR professionals from a wide variety of sectors from across the country.

Proposals are invited for an extensive programme of free seminars that will provide practical advice, along with case studies and examples covering a range of essential issues. These aim to help visitors to learn new techniques, update their knowledge, and gain valuable insight into the latest business learning solutions and best practice. Submissions must be made via the form that can be downloaded at www.learnevents.com/free-seminars.php

Sponsored by TrainingZone.co.uk, the seminars offer valuable advice on key industry issues. Last year, topics addressed included e-learning, improving performance feedback, work-based learning, building a high performance culture and enhancing CPD within organisations. These useful presentations offer the chance for visitors to learn from other professionals as they offer first-hand accounts of their experience.

The World of Learning is designed to enable L&D specialists to develop their skills and learn from their peers and experts in order to progress their careers and address the issues facing the industry in the current climate.

In addition to the programme of free seminars, other free features within the exhibition will include: the Experiential Learning Zone, facilitated by Pearlcatchers, providing hands-on sessions about creativity and communication; the Professional Development Zone, hosted by the British Institute for Learning & Development (BILD), where experts offer invaluable careers advice; the Social Learning Zone; the International Zone, supported by UK Trade & Investment, bringing together L&D decision-makers from a variety of markets worldwide; skills workshops; the Workplace Wellness Zone; the Trainer Base; and the Business & Networking Lounge.

The World of Learning also features a highly regarded conference, which reflects today’s business market as well as the future direction of the industry, addressing and providing valuable insight into the key issues facing L&D, from talent management, employee engagement, leadership development and coaching, to informal learning, collaborative learning, e-learning development and proving ROI. An impressive programme of top-class speakers will be announced in June. The World of Learning Conference is a CPD-certified event, providing delegates with a CPD Certificate of Attendance.

Andrew Gee, Senior Project Manager for the World of Learning, comments: “The free seminars are an increasingly popular feature and were extended last year in response to popular demand. They provide an invaluable opportunity for visitors to take away practical advice from experts, which they can put into practice on their return to the office. We had a good response to the call for papers last year and look forward to receiving some great submissions for this year’s event.”

A form for submitting proposals for papers can be downloaded from www.learnevents.com/free-seminars.php and the deadline for submissions is close of business on Friday 13 May.

The World of Learning 2011 is held in association with BILD and is supported by the following associations and industry titles: UK Trade & Investment, Personnel Today, HR Magazine, Training Journal, TrainingZone.co.uk, eLearning Network, the European Institute for e-Learning, Towards Maturity, PersonnelZone.com and Learning Magazine; Government Business and Government Technology are public sector media supporters and Training Journal is the conference media sponsor.

Those interested in attending the World of Learning 2011 can register at www.learnevents.com, where full details about the event are also available.
For the latest news and updates about the World of Learning 2011, follow the exhibition on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Learn_EventsUK and join the World of Learning Conference & Exhibition group on LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/groupRegistration?gid=2124244).

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Late Availability Offer

This month we are offering a 50% discount off the TAP Certificate in e-Learning Facilitation running 16^th – 17^th May.

If you are currently involved in facilitating classroom learning, this two-day course with online activities,  will help you transfer your skills to an online environment – very important as how learning is delivered is changing so rapidly.

This significant discount reduces the price to £630 plus VAT and we expect the places to fill rapidly, so please call us on 024 7641 1288 or email info@trainingfoundation.com to reserve your place.

Regards
Sharon Litterick

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Website Watch

Welcome to the Website Watch feature, here we update you with new developments on our website


* View the TAP approved Training Tips for May- just follow this link:
http://www.tap-training.com/page/communities/trainingtip.html

* Download our NEW 2011 TAP e-Learning Brochure
http://www.tap-training.com/docs/e_learning_brochure.pdf

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TAP Qualified L&D Professional of the Month, Ian Gray

Hi my name is Ian Gray, and I work as the Systems Training Leader at Arco Ltd. Arco are the UK’s market leader in the supply of safety clothing & equipment with a head office in Hull, and 40 other branch locations around the country. My route into the learning and development field could be described as destined –  I joined the world of work; joining Arco as a Commercial Trainee back in October 1983 – and 27 and a bit years later I’m still here!

Having undertaken roles both within the Hull branch sales office, and as an Account Manager, ‘out on the road’ – I eventually applied for a role as a Training Executive within the in-house training team in 1994. I was successful in obtaining the role and took my first steps into the world of L&D, and loved it! In those days the most technical piece of equipment we used as a ‘trainer’ was an extendable ‘pointer’ which allowed you to highlight items on your OHP’s – for the uninitiated an OHP was an ‘Over Head Projector’ on to which you sat hand made acetate slides – the ‘handraulic’ version of Powerpoint slides.

I got to build, deliver and evaluate a range of skills and product knowledge courses, with delegates travelling from all over the UK to attend courses and workshops at our training centre within the head office in Hull. In 1997 I took on the mantle of what could loosely be termed as the IT/Systems trainer – having being the first Account Manager to receive a lap top in the business – it was decided that I should deliver the workshop and write the manual for it. In addition I did the same for our in-house ‘legacy’ sales system used by the office based sales teams. The fact that I developed this initial systems training led to me being asked, in 1998 to head up a sales training team in the delivery of the training to support the implementation of a SAP ERP system into the business. This major project entailed planning, developing, and delivering classroom based systems training around the Arco network, a cluster of branches at a time, generally spending about 13 weeks per ‘roll out’ in a region. This was an incredibly hard and difficult project, but made more palatable by the fact that I spent time away with a terrific group of people – otherwise trust me spending time away in a hotel is not what it’s all cracked up to be. The project took 5 years to complete but it was so successfully.

Between 2003 and 2006 I continued working on systems training projects – with the two major one’s being the implementation of warehouse management software into both our Clothing Centre and National Distribution Centre – once again the training was very much classroom based. In early 2006 I was asked to look at the area of SAP training once again – a changing workforce and the fact that we had not continued with a development programme had led to the identification of a skills gap within the business. Now as a team of one, there was a physical impossibility of doing anything wholly face to face. I had become interested in online learning during the SAP ‘roll out’ but had not really had the opportunity to develop anything further, but here really was the opportunity.

I put together a proposal which entailed the employment of eLearning content developers, and the development of an initial batch of short ‘screencasts’ covering the SAP sales system, utilising Adobe Captivate to support our end user development. It was at this stage that I knew I needed to develop my understanding of the whole area of online learning, and quickly identified the TAP range of eLearning courses as the one’s to undertake – with a view to obtaining the ‘flagship’ eLearning Diploma.

So whilst developing and implementing the business strategy, I fitted in the course requirements – certainly one of the beauties of the online learning elements of the courses. In order I undertook:

• 2006  -  TAP Certificate in Blended Learning
• 2007  -  TAP Certificate in E-Learning Management Skills
• 2008  -  TAP Certificate in E-Learning Development Skills
• 2010  -  TAP Certificate in E-Learning Facilitation Skills
• 2011  -  TAP Diploma in E-Learning (work based project)

So as you can see the whole process has been spread over a four and a bit year period, which has been ideal. At each stage of the development of our online strategy I’ve been able to undertake the qualification to support that, and build a robust offering.

I have gained so much from undertaking the E-Learning Diploma – from being given the little gem that is Clive Shepherd’s ‘Blended Learning Cookbook’, to developing a podcast and facilitating an online session through to the theoretical elements supported by undertaking assignments to test and ensure understanding. All were delivered in an enthusiastic and efficient way which is a credit to all of the TAP team. From a business perspective it’s given them someone who has developed an understanding of his subject area and can make an effective contribution to supporting the goals and objectives of the business. From a personal point of view it has helped me to build my knowledge, and also obtain a recognised qualification, validating the work that I am undertaking.

What’s next? –  I am considering looking at taking what I have learnt within the diploma and using it towards the Foundation Degree in L&D Practice.

Regards
Ian Gray

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My Training Tale... A Missing Delegate

This silly tale that occurred just prior to the Easter break, and is a great example of the need to double check! 

I welcome delegates to Technology House, provide them with their name badge and show them to the refreshments.  This occasion at around 09.30am I had a name badge remaining on my desk.  The usual protocol is to contact the account manager to let them know that their delegate may be running late / not turning up.  However after much calling, voice mail messages, and chats to the delegate’s colleagues back in the office we discovered that the delegate had checked in to the hotel the night before.  Now we began to worry for the safety of our ‘missing delegate’ fearing that there was an accident on the way to our venue.

Just as we were about to call hospitals and police - the course broke for coffee, together with the trainer of the course, and all 6 delegates!  It transpired that our ‘missing delegate’ had been very eager had actually arrived at our venue at 8.30am!  He had duly signed in without me seeing him and had located the coffee machine without my help, and without his name badge.  Glad as we were that the delegate was safe, I now double check that the sign in book corresponds to the list of delegates without a name badge, before we start to bother the local police department!

All the best,
Julie Burdett
Reception and Administrator for Technology House

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TAP Partner of the Month, Avelo

Avelo is the leading technology provider to the Financial Services industry, with the breadth of capability and depth of expertise to connect the entire industry.  Our technology connects consumers and intermediaries, intermediaries and providers / lenders or consumers directly to providers / lenders – through whichever channel they choose.

Based in Cheltenham, Warwick, Woking and Cirencester, with a specialist workforce of 400 professionals, no other technology company knows the ins and outs of financial services better than us.  With the most comprehensive technology suite in the market (face-to-face, call centre, direct-to-consumer, front office, back office, portal transaction), our experts blend financial services insight and experience with specialist technology capability.  

We believe in building long-term value through long-term relationships. Clients can trust, rely on us and be reassured that we recognise what they need and adapt our expertise to suit. Our commitment is to deliver remarkable solutions for our clients. We’re constantly investing and developing our technology to ensure it keeps on delivering tangible value, now and into the future. We place great importance on ensuring our clients get the maximum benefit from our technology and believe that this involves providing appropriate training, consultancy and support.

We are a Gold TAP partner, and this is extremely important to us to demonstrate to our clients our commitment to providing a first class training service to them.  Our clients can be reassured that our training materials and courses are delivered with consistency and by experts within their role, who benefit from the continuing professional development that attending TAP courses provides.  The combination of these elements helps ensure that the style, delivery and pace are tailored to our clients’ needs.

With a shift in demand in our industry for more online learning versus classroom training we are currently putting together proposals for developing specialists within the e-Learning environment.  This is to supplement our onsite training, which remains the most popular choice with clients and we will continue to review our service offerings to ensure that the courses remain appropriate and excellent value, helping clients achieve their business objectives and competencies in the shortest timeframe possible.

Warm regards,
The training team at Avelo
http://www.avelo.com/ 

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Celebrate Success

Each month we celebrate the success of our customers that have adopted TAP as a standard to join as a TAP Partner Organisation.  This month we are proud to announce the following new Silver TAP Partners:

•  Telemetry and business solutions specialist CSE Servelec Ltd (http://www.cse-servelec.com/)
• A key NHS partner, Cheshire & Merseyside Data Quality & Clinical Coding Team : (http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/data/clinicalcoding/trainingaccred)

Both of these organisation's commitment shows that all their training is delivered by professionals holding the relevant TAP Qualifications. Well done to the hard working teams of CSE Servelec Ltd and Cheshire & Merseyside Data Quality & Clinical Coding Team!! 

Here we also celebrate the success of our hard working delegates, who have achieved one or more of our role-based TAP Diplomas.  This month we congratulate the following hard working individuals:

To feature in next month's celebrate success feature please contact me to learn more about the TAP Partners Programme or our range of role-based TAP Diplomas.  Tel: 024 7641 1288 or email, d.hickling@trainingfoundation.com.

Many Thanks
Dave Hickling - TAP Partner Programme Co-ordinator 

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Brain Teaser

 This month's Brain teaser is suggested by Jim Thomson the Senior Technical Training Consultant from Fidessa plc.  The riddle is entitled "3 Switches" - read on to see if you can solve it:

'Three switches are in a corridor leading to a windowless room and are connected to three light bulbs inside the room. How can you determine which switch is connected to which bulb if you are only allowed to open the door and enter the room once, with the door closed behind you?'

Email your suggestions to me at: c.brookes@trainingfoundation.com - just put 3 Switches in the subject line.

Last Month's Brain Teaser Solution:

The solution to last month's riddle of how could the driver have possibly seen the black dog in a powercut to swerve in time was..... It was during the day!!

All those who correctly solved the Brain Teaser are:

Kerry Young - BAE Systems
Danny Willis – Atkins
Warren Churms – knowledge point
Tim Bowden
Peter Skyrme- BAE Systems Submarine Solutions
Roz Tritton-South Central SHA
Richard Pegg-Wolseley Group Services 
Paul Quayle - BAE Systems Submarine Solutions
Paul Millard – oracle
Zahid Mahmood – NHS
Lindsey Byrne
Peter Langley - Warrington Primary Care Trust
Kate Thomas  - Crossrail 
Karen Wicks  - Containers 4 Sale UK Ltd
Eric Jones – NATS
John J Cassidy - Perth and Kinross Council
Jim Thompson – Fidessa
Jim Ireland - BAE Systems
Tony Horseman- Environment Agency,
Rich Hall – LV
Mark Grief - Identity and Passport Service
Daniel Finn- Guy's & St. Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
Tanya Dubber - Hampshire Partnership Programme for IT 
David Gray- UK Technical Academy
Andy Cole – Barclaycard
Avril Harrison- University of Oxford
Anita  Wood - Goldsmith Williams Solicitors
Alistair Scott- Serco Group – CIO
Karen Adams - NHS
As you hold a TAP Qualification, or are head of an L&D Team, you are entitled to receive a copy of this free Talking TAP Newsletter each month.  This will be forwarded to your email on a monthly basis.  If, however, you no longer wish to receive the Talking TAP Newsletter simply hit the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email

Many thanks
The Training Foundation

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