Train4TradeSkills takes glittering prize
ONE of Britain’s leading colleges has won a major award for bringing training for a good old-fashioned trade into the cyber age.
Train4Tradeskills has expanded its virtual reality training studios and students are able to study all the major skills demanded by the building industry which experts say will boom again, particularly as the Coalition Government moves towards its Big Society vision.Ministers already plan to spend a billion over six years to encourage local authorities to allow the building of new homes. Local government will have the council tax they raise on new homes matched by an equivalent Government contribution, Housing Minister Grant Shapps said.
Mr Shapps said: “This new homes bonus will ensure that those communities that go for growth reap the benefits of development, not just the costs.”
The Government will provide a contribution equivalent to 125 per cent of the council tax paid on new “affordable homes” for low earners, Mr Shapps said.
Nearly 500 business people gathered at the London Marriott in Mayfair for the event where 37 winners were announced.
Train4Tradeskills received the award in the category Most Innovative New Product or E-Learning Tool along with AiSolve which helped develop the virtual reality system. Aisolve are made up of a group of extremely talented ex-students from the University of Bedfordshire who have been inspired by Professor Carsten Maple and managed by Train4Tradeskills.
E-learning is the biggest growing part of the distance learning industry as more and more people find the best way to gain a skill to help guarantee a job for the future is by learning at home across the internet.
Train4Tradeskills students have the added advantage of the practical classrooms too.
Other leading companies attending the awards included Jaguar Land Rover, PricewaterhouseCoopers UK, BUPA, The Open University, Hibernia College, St George’s University of London, Gloucester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the Olympic Delivery Authority and Boots UK.
Mr Jan Telensky, of Train4Tradeskills, said: “This is a fabulous award for a company such as this and the prestige names at the ceremony reveal the kind of competition companies were up against.
“It means we have been recognised for taking people into the future and not only are they learning traditional skills, things that are the bedrock of society, within an industry waiting in the wings to rebuild Britain, but they are understanding IT and the benefits of new technology. I am over the moon for the teachers at the college and also for the students who are getting the best and most innovative training in the world.”
Train4Tradeskills is well known for its determination to change the world. Mr Telensky helped one of his web design students – a former Harry Potter star – realise his ambition to record songs for charity.
The businessman and philanthropist sponsored Shane Board, a diabetes sufferer, to record four tracks at Jools Holland’s London studios. All profits went to Diabetes UK.
Mr Telensky also sponsors youth initiatives including the Dunstable College Student of the Year Awards, the YOPEY (Young People of the Year) Awards and recently supplied the University of Bedfordshire and a local school with thousands of pounds worth of new computers.
Many of Train4trade Skills students have gone on to find well-paid employment. Average salaries for newly qualified plumbers range from £25,000 – £40,000 but for those wanting to go it alone, the college also shows students how to run their own businesses.
The Government’s agreed expansion of new residential properties, the increasing regulation over work in houses, the drive towards energy efficient heating systems and the implementation of the European Performance of Building Directive means a greater need for more skilled traders.
Source: http://train4tradeskills.wordpress.com
Holidays4Heroes & AquaCity help hero Liam Brentley
Seventy years on and the whole country still owes a massive debt to the armed forces fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq. Train4TradeSkills is a proud supporter of Holidays4Heroes and is pleased to announce the recipient of the latest holiday is Liam Brentley. The 25 year old was shot through the head while serving with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan's Helmand province and miracously survived and is currently recovering from his injuries.
In an extremely kind gesture from Holidays4Heroes co-ordinator Major Terry Butterworth, along with AquaCity founder and CEO Jan Telensky, have given the former Sheffield Eagles rugby player a free week-long holiday for Liam and his whole family at AquaCity, which has been named the world's number one green resort for the second consecutive year.
AquaCity is a luxury, five-star resort in Slovakia that uses natural energy to power its hotels, water park, spas and all of the facilities on offer, whilst saving money through using green energy and conserving the environment.
We at Train4TradeSkills wish Liam a full and speedy recovery as he recovers from his injuries.
Author: Tom Jinks
Source: http://train4tradeskills.wordpress.com
Jan Telensky awarded an Honorary Doctor
The value of an education at the University of Bedfordshire as a gateway to a better job was underlined this week as the University celebrated the graduation of hundreds of its students in Luton. The first of its ceremonies on Tuesday (21 July) was broadcast live on the BBC Radio 5 Live Victoria Derbyshire Show which discussed the subject of graduate employment.
The distinguished Fleet Street journalist, broadcaster and writer Geoffrey Goodman was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Arts. Entrepreneur and businessman Jan Telensky was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business Administration while Derek Ludlow CBE, chairman and owner of the Ludlow group of companies was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his outstanding service to the University.
Dream trip to Old Trafford
resents young Tomas with a signed Manchester United football during his dream trip to Old Trafford
New IT Suite for Village School
He continued “ICT is a hugely important area of the curriculum and we are now able to support the work of the children with our new mini-suites around the school. Good ICT skills help the children become more independent in their learning and help to motivate pupils in their learning.
Mr Telensky said, “Education is very important and children deserve the best facilities available to enhance the learning experience. IT skills are an important part of our future and IT will definitely play an important part in their futures.
Mr. Telensky has previously dontated a number of computers to Flamsted Village School and recently dontated donated £60,000 worth of state of the art computer equipment to the University of Bedfordshire, to enable the University to open a new Forensics Laboratory.
Jan Telensky helps fight cyber crime
Cybercrime is a rapidly growing problem these days, with ever-increasing internet use leading to more and more crimes such as online credit card fraud and child pornography.
As the criminals get better and better at circumventing online security, police authorities have to stay one step ahead of them to stop them in their tracks.
Last week the University of Bedfordshire, which runs a Computing, Security and Forensic course, launched its new high-tech Digital Security and Forensic Laboratory.
It's a laboratory worth £60,000 containing 15 computers – each of which is 20 times faster than the most up-to-date home PC.
And it’s what the Department of Computer Science and Technology hopes will see businesses flocking to recruit their students once they have graduated with hands-on experience of combating cybercrime.
Tim James-Hammond, a 32- year-old second year Computing, Security and Forensic student, said: “There are gaping holes in the industry at the moment. This course is quite cutting edge. The lab is great because it’s important to have somewhere which is dedicated as a sandbox.
“We use a lot of virtual machines – a computer within a computer – and now we can go in there when we need to.”
Fellow student Ronald Edema, 36, from Leagrave, said: “The lab is brilliant – it’s at the forefront of cybercrime. A lot of what we do is online. With this launch we can also raise awareness of cybercrime.”
It is hoped that students like Ronald and Tim will develop the skills necessary to help prevent criminals engaging in illegal online activities.
Professor Carsten Maple, who instigated the idea of putting together the lab in the first place, said: “One thing we try to do is give the students as much practice as we can.
“Computer security is in the news a lot now and has really hit the public eye.
“As public awareness increases, we’ll see more students attracted to it. That’s where the new lab comes in.
“In the last year, more information was created than in the last 5,000 years. Things are changing massively. The security of data is a real worry.”
Geraint Williams, who was involved in designing the lab, said: “When the opportunity came we looked at what was needed to meet the demands of students on the programme.
“All these devices which are capable of storing a lot of information, for example hard drives, even pens – things that commonly sit on our desks – investigating any of these devices is what the lab is all about.”
Luton entrepreneur Jan Telensky made the generous donation to help create the lab.
Myra Smallman, who attended the launch on behalf of Mr Telensky, said: “Jan came over from the Czech Republic with no money and couldn’t speak English.
“He had to try so hard, he learned English and had a huge work ethic to do well.” Of the new lab she said: “It’s lovely – it’s been done really well.”
The new facility, a security lab that is completely isolated from the university network, allows students to work on security testing and forensic analysis without the risk of the wider network being compromised by the student experiments.
University vice-chancellor Les Ebdon said: “I’m very excited.
The lab puts us at the forefront of computer forensics. It’s a growing business the security business. As vice-chancellor, I use computers for personal data, data for university.
“If someone could hack into that I’d be pretty concerned – so I’m glad it’s separate from the rest of the university.
“It’ll make our graduates very employable. It’s a growing industry. Even in times of the recession, there are going to be jobs for them.”
Picture courtesy of the Luton News:
In the picture, Professor Les Ebdon, Myra Smallman, Professor Carsten Maple look on while a student uses the high tech equipment
