Skillstories

Maths made interesting

Can maths be fun?

Maths has long been associated with difficult school lessons and dreary household calculations, but for Rob Eastaway, author of How Many Socks Make a Pair, this does not have to be the case. See if you can answer this surprisingly interesting maths puzzles.

Adult Learners’ Week Awards for 2009 are now open

As you will know, The Learning and Skills Council, as part of their campaign ‘Your Life in Your Hands’ advocating learning at work, says to employers……..
‘If your staff don’t have the right skills for the future then neither does your business.
It may not seem an obvious link but Adult Learners’ Week nominations support this statement by celebrating the success of employees (and their employers) from the widest of fields to encourage more learning at work to take place.
In the West Midlands this year almost every winner of an Adult Learners’ Week award did so because of their personal effort and the time taken to improve their employability, or to enhance the skills of their staff.  Bob Lawrence, Director of the West Midlands Wildlife Park, having worked in the ‘wildlife industry’ for 35 years, won the national Learning Works award for encouraging his staff to improve their qualifications but also for putting into practice what he was preaching.  He studied for his degree after a 12 hour shift in the Park every day. Robert Galloway was celebrated for his efforts on moving from a truck driver to an archaeologist, Clare Harris was a cleaner and is now a classroom assistant heading nicely towards being a teacher and Isiah Williams, having started off as a DJ and street seller, found his niche working for the Youth Justice Board in Coventry and has successfully passed his Professional Certificate in Effective Practice.

Skills secretary to hire an apprentice

The skills secretary John Denham said today he would be the first cabinet minister to take on an apprentice as he announced new measures to make sure all apprenticeships are of equally high quality and have the confidence of apprentices and employers.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/story/0,,2291110,00.html

Channel 4 launches ‘Can’t Read, Can’t Write’ series of programmes

Today in Britain, over 5 million adults have a reading age of 12 or less or worse cannot read at all. Can't Read Can't Write is a new three-part series on Channel 4, starting on 21st July 2008 at 9.00pm.

Learning and Skills Council launches new drive for ‘It’s in Our Hands’ campaign

Our world is changing – we all need more skills than ever before. Two out of three jobs in the future will require a higher level of skills and better qualifications. In fact, in less than 10 years, there will be very few unskilled jobs. Learning a new skill or gaining a new qualification could be a step in the right direction towards moving up the career ladder at work, earning more money, finding a job, or just simply improving your confidence and self-esteem.

Funds promised to end skills shortage

The government addressed Britain’s skills shortage today with a promise of £300m to train workers for jobs in construction, hospitality and manufacturing.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/story/0,,2287308,00.html

How our adult literacy initiative has changed people’s lives

David Lammy, the minister for skills, on the government’s success in helping adults with their English and maths skills.

http://education.guardian.co.uk/further/opinion/story/0,,2287461,00.html

Coe rejects London Games cynics

Lord Coe says the London Olympic games will leave a positive educational legacy by “changing attitudes” among young people.

The language of integration

Speaking English is “fundamental to integration and cohesion”.

Science students lack essential skills

Top universities struggle to teach “spoonfed” school leavers that do not have basic maths and science skills despite getting A grades at A-level.