Around 12,000 people made the second national Get online day their excuse to get onto the internet and try something new online. Get online day, which is run by UK online centres, took place at the end of October as part of Family Learning Festival and targeted the one in three adults in the country who still don’t use computers and the internet.

There were more than 500 events running at UK online centres up and down England, offering techno-phobe parents, grandparents, and carers – and even aunts and uncles – the chance to find out how getting online could help them and the rest of the family in everyday life.  Whether it was a very first taste of the internet, a first email or a first online shopping trip, families of all shapes and sizes took up the Get online day challenge.

UK online centres have just completed a survey which questioned both participating centres and visitors who came through the doors on the day.  Nearly everyone who went along to an event – 96% – enjoyed the day, with a full 99% determined to keep on using the internet in the future.  At UK online centres, 84% of event-holders said the Get online day campaign had helped them attract new customers, and 97% said they’d be signing up for a Get online day mark III.

Get online day 2008 was backed by a whole host of sponsors – Campaign for Learning, Becta, the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills, Directgov, Ofcom and TalkTalk.  All wanted to see more people take advantage of all the benefits the internet can provide.

Helen Milner, Managing Director of UK online centres, explains:  “The fact that a third of the population still don’t, won’t or can’t use computers and the internet might seem incredible to some, but with technology moving so fast it’s actually easy for anyone to get left behind.  This year’s campaign was all about trying something new online, and I’m delighted that so many people challenged themselves and their families by doing just that.”

One Get online day visitor now enjoying his new computer skills is 85 year-old Robert Booth, who went along to an event at Benchill Community Centre in Greater Manchester.  He was given a computer by his son, but decided he needed a bit of help getting to grips with it all.  Get online day came along at just the right time.

He says:  “I knew that I needed to get the best instructions on how to use a computer properly.  Get online day seemed like the perfect introduction!  I went along and it was all very welcoming.  I met Steve, the tutor, who was very supportive and incredibly patient, and to my surprise I actually found it all very easy.”

Robert was so impressed, he decided to attend regular courses to learn more about how the internet could help him keep in touch with his son, three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

“I was beginning to think I was falling behind with modern technology,” he admits.  “Even my four-year-old great-granddaughter Sophie knew more than I did!  Now I’ve worked out how to email, and I’ve also got a Skype unit which is just amazing – you can see the people you’re talking to on your computer screen, wherever they are in the world.  It’s fantastic that I can talk to my family about computers and the internet and understand what they’re talking about instead of just looking at them blankly.  But primarily, it’s keeping my mind lively.  You’re never too old to learn, and I’d encourage everybody to get involved.”

Helen concludes:  “While visitors like Robert were busy proving there’s a first time for everything, this was actually our second Get online day.  The campaign included incredible support from BBC presenters Jeremy Vine, Johnny Ball and Maggie Philbin, who helped spread the Get online day message, and were backed by the hard work of UK online centres going out into their communities and driving footfall to local events.  Marketing the internet to the digitally disengaged isn’t an easy task, but helping families make the most of technology is certainly a worthwhile one.  Getting online really can help people connect with each other, with their communities, with new opportunities and key – and that’s what Get online day was all about.”

[Original news story: http://www.ukonlinecentres.com/corporate/content/view/212/130/lang,en/]

For more information please contact Abi Stevens at astevens@ufi.com

A new, cutting edge qualification in I.T. has just been launched by the Government for 14-19 year olds that has maximum value as it has been designed specifically by employers, is linked to business needs and so equips students with the attributes businesses are looking for.

The Diploma in I.T. will be taught in some Liverpool schools from September 2008 and has been driven by Microsoft, BT, Vodafone and Toshiba.

It is being championed locally by the digital sector agency Merseyside ICT and local company Rapid Technologies.

What is it?

The Diploma is an industry & skills focussed qualification and an alternative to traditional qualifications such as GCSEs & A’ Levels. Students will ‘learn by doing’ in the I.T. sector, through employer input and in the classroom. They will also gain universal skills that all employers seek, such as how to think creatively, problem-solve, communicate, work independently and work as part of a team. Students will also have an excellent grasp of English & Maths while applying these subjects to real business scenarios.

How can you get involved?

Business support is crucial to give students business insight, skills and experience. You can help!

Be it by giving a Business Talk about your field of expertise in the I.T. world or the projects your company has worked on, giving students a real business problem to research, offering Work Experience or becoming a ‘buddy’ to an I.T. Teacher.

Even if you can only offer one activity once a year it will be appreciated!

How will you benefit?

You will be able to recruit well prepared, knowledgeable school leavers that can make an immediate, positive contribution at work, lessen the need for basic training and allow you to focus on specialist training.

Working with schools on projects is great staff development for your existing staff and they will find it very rewarding and enjoyable.

If you think you could work with a Liverpool School please call Maria Hart at Liverpool Compact Education/Business Partnership on 0151 728 9454

Mr Irranca-Davies visited the Parents and Children Together (PACT) project, run by EverybodyOnline and held at South Liverpool Personnel, which runs a series of taster sessions to help local parents access the internet, learn new skills and find out how technology could improve their lives.

Following this he went onto St. Cuthbert’s Catholic Community College for Business and Enterprise in St. Helens to hear about the Community Grid concept, which provides the local community with easy-to-use, low-cost, low-energy home access to the internet and other computing resources.

Commenting on the projects he had seen Mr Irranca-Davies said: “The two projects I have seen today are great examples of how we can make the latest technologies accessible to people who, without projects such as these, would not have access to the internet and other computer resources.

“By teaching parents basic information about the internet they can make sure their children are safe online as well as finding out how they can use the internet for day-to-day chores such as online shopping and online money management. I hope other areas can learn from this innovative project.

“All too often we hear about the expense of the equipment and technology needed to connect to the internet being a barrier for many people. Thanks to the Community Grid project over 600 homes in St. Helens and Liverpool will have access to software applications and the internet.

“By providing people with all the connectivity, hardware, software, licensing and maintenance overheads Community Grid is removing these barriers and giving people the access they need.

“The PACT project and the Community Grid should be congratulated for their innovative projects which are helping people in the North West of England become more digitally included.”

The Community Grid digital inclusion project is led by AIMES, (a spin out of the University of Liverpool) and its technology partner, e-communications specialist OciusB2, more information here.  It is part of a wider initiative, the Digital Inclusion & Enterprise Programme (DIEP), which aims to roll the service out to over 5,000 households in Merseyside.

ICDC Liverpool Digital, 2nd Floor, Babbage House entrance, Edge Lane, Liverpool, L7 9NW

The Information Revolution is transforming the nature of business. The ITIL® framework has become the most widely accepted approach to managing IT service quality and costs in a context of ever changing business requirements and increasing expectations.

Adopted and adapted by organisations of all sizes and sectors around the world, ITIL has become the de facto standard for IT Service Management.

At this FREE event Mark Flynn, founder of ITIL Consultancy organisation, Felix Maldo Ltd, will explain the nature of the ITIL material and qualifications – ITIL origins and credentials, scope, key concepts and the benefits, costs and risks of adopting an ITIL approach.

Following on from this event MERIT will be running the ITIL® V3 Foundation certificate training course. For further information visit http://www.merit.org.uk/training

For the ITIL experienced in the audience, this will be a useful introduction ITIL V3 which was launched earlier this year.

ITIL ® is a Registered Trade Mark of the Office of Government Commerce in the United Kingdom and other countries.

Recent reports and surveys indicate that Europe may face severe e-skills shortages and mismatches in the coming years. At the same time, e-skills are becoming central to boost innovation, productivity and employability and to respond to global challenges. To this end, the European Commission proposes today a long-term e-skills agenda and a set of action lines at EU level following extensive expert group and stakeholder consultations. These actions will complement and enrich significant efforts already under way in Europe.

Vice-President Günter Verheugen, responsible for Enterprise and Industry Policy, said: “The availability of e-skills is a key condition for successful innovation and for the competitiveness of European enterprises. We cannot afford to delay and we will only succeed if all partners join their forces. In this context, I warmly welcome the initiative of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) industry to create an e-Skills Industry Leadership Board”.

Ján Figel’, Commissioner for Education and Culture, said: “A learning society for all is the most valid guarantee against exclusion. Knowledge, skills and competences are the main capital of European citizens and e-skills are a key competence in the context of lifelong learning. But only 10% of the European population participate in lifelong learning. ICT has the potential to enable innovation and lifelong learning for all. We must ensure that this becomes a reality”.

Viviane Reding, Commissioner for the Information Society and Media, added: “Shortfalls of qualified ICT practitioners slow down new ICT applications in the economy and draw away billions of euros of investment funds to dynamic emerging economies, where hundreds of thousands of new engineers are qualifying each year. Digital illiteracy, still standing at nearly 40%, is also a persistent feature of Europe’s digital divide. We can no longer afford to waste the talents of millions of Europeans by leaving them out of the information society. Member States and industry must commit to a substantial e-skills strategy”

Most actions contributing to the implementation of a long term e-skills agenda are within the responsibility of Member States, industry, academia, trade unions, etc. The Commission encourages them to further develop their policies and initiatives, and facilitate the exchange of good practice, and will focus its own efforts on actions bringing added value at EU level:

• Raising Awareness: exchanging information and good practice for the promotion of science, maths, ICT, teacher training and gender issues; encouraging awareness campaigns to provide parents, teachers and pupils with an accurate understanding of opportunities arising from ICT education and careers and reinforcing the links between ICT, learning and innovation.
• Developing supporting actions and tools: supporting the development of a European e-competence framework, of a European e-skills and career portal, and the Europass initiative; promoting multi-stakeholder partnerships, quality criteria for industry-based training, new curriculum guidelines including services sciences, and appropriate incentives, especially for SMEs.
• Fostering employability and social inclusion: launching an initiative on e-Inclusion in 2008 with a view to halve the digital divide by 2010; encouraging corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives such as the European Alliance on Skills for Employability under the umbrella of the Business CSR Alliance; and promoting how public and private funding instruments can support such initiatives.
• Promoting better and greater use of e-learning: promoting the development of courses and mechanisms facilitating the exchange of e-skills training resources; supporting the networking of e-learning and training centres with the European Network of Living Labs and promoting successful e-learning strategies.
• Promoting long-term cooperation and monitoring progress: maintaining a regular dialogue with Member States and stakeholders; releasing an annual report presenting a synthesis of supply and demand and assessing the impact of global sourcing on ICT jobs and occupations.

The way forward to the widening and deepening of e-skills within the EU is through multi-stakeholder dialogue and partnerships for action. The Commission will organise a major conference in co-operation with stakeholders at the end of 2008 to report on progress, present the results of the actions and discuss the way forward.

More information

E-Skills for competitiveness, growth and employability

Liverpool Hope University is to become the first British academic institution to offer a degree in Microsoft technology.

The BSc Honours degree in Microsoft.NET Technologies will give students skills in desktop, server and mobile technologies.

The course will take its first intake of about 25 students in September 2008, and will give them cutting edge technology expertise in the world’s most widely used computer software.

The new degree is a direct response to the dominance of Microsoft in the world of commerce and business.

Undergraduates on the course are prepared for a career in any area of information technology, but are given additional depth of expertise in Microsoft.NET technology.

Hope’s School of Computing is part of its Business and Computer Sciences Deanery. Founded five years ago it now has 900 students and 65 staff at the Childwall campus.

Dr John Brinkman, Dean of Business and Computer Sciences said: “The Microsoft.NET degree is an example of our strategy to deliver courses and, by extension, students who not only have a sound understanding of the core principles of their discipline, but also have skills which are directly relevant to the world of work.

“We have worked hard to increase our links with the Merseyside business community and courses like this are a direct result of our understanding of the world outside academia.

“We believe a particular strength of the Deanery is the breadth and depth of industrial and commercial experience which the staff bring to bear, with many of them having spent considerable time in industry before entering the field of research and teaching.

“This has a direct impact on the quality and kind of teaching we offer, with courses which offer real utilitarian value to both students and employers.”

More information here: http://www.hope.ac.uk/content/view/203/41/

Recent Government statistics show that one third of adults in the UK have never used the Internet and 45% per of households are still without Internet access. According to the Future Foundation, if this trend continues 23 million adults are at risk of losing access to fundamental services like medical information and education by 2025, if they continue to avoid modern technology. Lucy Campbell, EverybodyOnline Project Co-ordinator for Liverpool 8, is working to ensure all members of the community in Liverpool 8 get access to technology and the skills to use it.

Include Neighbourhood Director, Erika Rushton says: “EverybodyOnline is delivering on every level in Liverpool 8. People who are excluded from educational opportunities, cheap flights, and online shopping can now access them. The band of local volunteers, have become IT experts, and all our community organisations are online. In just one year the project has assisted 14 people into employment – this is real community investment, investment in the people, and organisations that make Liverpool 8 work”

EverybodyOnline is unique in its approach, rather than simply bringing in technology and walking away, Lucy has been working with the community to remove issues that prevent access. For example, encouraging local schools to utilise their facilities by inviting the local community to use their computers.

Lucy says, “The project has really been welcomed by the local community. For some people, being able to use the internet has been a life changing experience, enabling them to do things that they never thought were possible. What I would really like to see now, is the success of the project being rolled out into other areas across the city. ”

The EverybodyOnline project is an initiative run by the national charity Citizens Online and is supported by BT. It aims to help communities overcome any barriers they may have to technology so residents can take advantage of the wealth of opportunities digital technology and the Internet has to offer.

Peter Connor, North West Regional Manager for BT says: “BT is delighted to support the Liverpool 8 EverybodyOnline project. New technology can improve people’s lives, but access to it is not an end in itself. It is only useful if it can open doors to the things that really matter to people, such as education, jobs, shopping, business opportunities, entertainment and contact with the people that they care about. Led enthusiastically by Lucy Campbell, this impressive project has captured the talent, imagination and ambitions of people of all ages in Liverpool 8, opening up the wealth of opportunities that digital technology and the internet has to offer.”

Plans for the next 12 months include the launch of the community portal, a Net Technicians course, a local heritage project, a guide to healthy living on the internet, and themed taster sessions. Furthermore, the project is now looking to secure funding from key partners within the Liverpool region, with the view to having a further three projects up and running by this time next year.

For more information please contact Lucy Campbell on 07793742349

But many small businesses still haven’t discovered how to use ICT proactively within their business to automate time-consuming processes. But others have. So there is a real danger they are losing their competitiveness if they remain complacent and don’t act.

All too often computer users experience ICT frustrations that result in wasting valuable time. Smarter small businesses are now dusting off the manual, getting their staff properly trained or engaging an ICT expert to improve productivity using the computer sat on their desk.

Eddie Reed of city centre-based kitchen manufacturers Capricorn is somebody who did just that. “Investing in hardware and software is not a box-ticking exercise, and your business is magically transformed. You need to sit down and analyse where your time goes and make sure your investment has directly tackled a business challenge.”

Capricorn have seen their productivity and business processes rocket after engaging some outside help. “IT is like a journey. Your PC is your car, and you know where you want to go. But if you don’t know how to drive, you may get there eventually, but you may crash!”

So if you know how to use the gear stick, the clutch, and accelerator, you can get there quicker. Too many small businesses struggle to get beyond basic word processing, accounts packages, basic email and spreadsheet use. Liverpool company Solveo are aiming to change all that.

Eddie continued: “Since we have worked with Solveo our productivity has dramatically improved. The impact they’ve had has been worth its weight in gold. It has centralised our company information, leaving us with a more streamlined, efficient way of working.”

“Our business has grown significantly over the past 2 years. We already had the IT infrastructure in place but needed to look at our systems and how we use them. We now have the same staff producing the same work in less time and with improved accuracy”

There are hundreds if not thousands of ways of getting typical small business tasks done in a fraction of the time.

Do the following sound familiar?

• “My document looks great on the screen, but when I print it all goes wrong”
• “My calculations aren’t calculating”
• “I need a report for a meeting, and quickly, but I’m stuck”
• “I’m in the middle of a mail merge but forgotten what to do next – help!”

If your IT department is busy, or you don’t have one, you spend time trying to resolve the problem yourself. It can be long winded but what’s the alternative?

In an ideal world you’d have an ICT expert on hand to help with all of those niggling queries that seem to eat up your day. That’s where experts like Solveo can help make it happen. Jenny Gallagher believes small businesses get an instant return on their investment. “Small businesses realise that their time is better spent delivering their product or service. And what better way to make that happen than have one of our experts working through day to day queries with them?” she says.

How useful would it be if you could have an experienced IT problem solver at your Desk, in under a minute, looking at your query and working through it with you? What if you could have monthly remote training session designed to develop your business processes by helping you use your computer smarter? And what if you could have unlimited answers to your queries? What if this was available for all staff, for all queries? If this sounds appealing get in touch with Jenny Gallagher on 0151 2271817 or email jennygallagher@solveo.co.uk

Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Community College and Blackburne House, have formed Mersey Skills Network, a consortium that will be the first point of call for business training. Companies are urged to apply quickly, the funding offer lasts just 12 months. Businesses from sole traders to firms employing up to 250 staff are all eligible.

SkillWorks provides up to 60% of the costs of the costs of employee training for companies in all sectors across the Merseyside region. All of the partners in the Mersey Skills Network consortium have an excellent track record in successfully distributing Skillworks funding and delivering training to businesses across the region for the past four years.

Kevin Griffiths, Mersey Skills Consortium Project Manager said: “With partners of this calibre, Mersey Skills Network is in an excellent position to improve and develop the skills base on Merseyside and contribute to the region to remaining competitive in global market. All four consortium members have previously worked independently to support Skillworks and are all experienced in assisting businesses to maximise the training offer. This further funding is a superb opportunity and I urge all eligible businesses to take advantage of the funding.”

Ian McKay, a Reception Officer at Merseyside Police Federation, achieved his Customer Service Level Three NVQ this year. He commented: “Gaining this qualification has improved my confidence.”

The course was funded by Skillworks and Federation Centre Manager, Paula McIntosh-Kemp says: “Skillworks has been really useful as we don’t have a big training budget. It has funded training for most of our staff from food hygiene courses to higher degrees.”

“I’m delighted with the achievements of our employees and I’m keen to continue using Skillworks funding to further support our staff development programme.”

Find out more at the Mersey Skills Network website: http://www.merseyskills.co.uk/

Running a business is a complex challenge, requiring a diverse mix of skills. ICDC is running one-to-one sessions aimed at improving your marketing and sales performance. To ensure these sessions fit your requirements perfectly, ICDC intend to run business audits first. Run in association with VK Media, these audits will be held on the 20th, 21st and 22nd of June at ICDC, Liverpool Digital, Edge Lane.

ICDC can accommodate 15 companies but the opportunity is strictly first come, first served. These audits are your opportunity to shape support that is bespoke to your company which ultimately will be delivered at your premises, maximising effectiveness and minimising disruption to your team. Both the audit and the bespoke support is free of charge.

If you are interested contact the ICDC events team on:
Tel: 0151 231 4704
Email: icdcevents@ljmu.ac.uk

The free-to-join, live and interactive online session will include a panel of industry experts and end-users who will explain how new technologies are fundamentally changing the way people use the internet and, more importantly, what relevance this has for the UK’s smaller businesses.

For more information about BT’s web seminar or other forthcoming events, please visit their website.

With electrical waste now one of the fastest-growing waste streams across Europe – expanding at around three times the rate of general waste – the aim of the Directive is to encourage more recycling, recovery and re-use, and ultimately divert more used goods away from landfill. Companies that produce, rebrand or import electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), are being urged to sign up with an approved WEEE compliance scheme. The seminar will provide guidance on what the WEEE and RoHS regulations mean for your business and key steps you need to take to comply. Lunch will also be provided but places are strictly limited so book your FREE place now.

Date: 19th June 2007
Time: 12.00 – 2.30pm
Venue: Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool L9 5AS

Who should attend?
- Supply Chain Managers
- Directors
- Environmental Managers
- General Managers
- Logistics & Operations Managers
- Operations Managers
- Buyers
- Business Development Managers
- Store Managers
- Heads of Waste Management / Recycling Officers / Managers
- Quality & Technical Managers

BOOK NOW FOR YOUR FREE PLACE

Please fill in this form and fax it back, or
Email anthony.seasman@groundwork.org.uk, or
Book on-line at http://www.merben.org.uk/, or
Phone the Groundwork EBS team on 0151 644 4720.

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This seminar is delivered in partnership with Envirowise:
Envirowise helps UK companies gain competitiveness by improving environmental performance and reducing waste, by offering free independent environmental advice, on-site reviews, training, publications and software. Contact the Environment and Energy Helpline (0800 585794) or visit http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/

Everything you need to know about Building Successful Web Sites & Web Site Accessibility in a morning.

Part 1.

This session will provide you with everything you need to ensure your site creates the right impression.

Part 2.

The event delivers an overview of the legal implications of accessibility, including the history and market potential of compliance. The session is aimed at people concerned about the legal implications to their businesses.

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. contact our Events team for special offers. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here

Everything you need to know about Making Money from your Website & E-mail Marketing in a morning.

Part 1.

Making money from your web site – Come and learn the art of doing business on-line and how to convert visitors to customers.

Part 2.

Promoting your products or services by email can be a powerful and flexible form of direct marketing. You can communicate your messages quickly and cheaply.

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. contact our Events team for special offers. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here

Part 1

Discover the secrets of getting top rankings on Google and other search engines. This session will show you powerful tools and how to use them to out- compete your on line competitors. With 250 million searches conducted in the UK alone – getting top rankings is one of the most cost effective ways of getting new business. You will come away with:-
- Knowing how to strategically select the right keywords and phrases to attract the right traffic
- Understanding how to use some web based tools to analyse your current search engine performance
- Understanding some web based tools to allow you to select the best keywords and phrases
- Knowledge of the best practice process to search engine optimisation
- Knowing how to structure the metadata in your site for top performance
- Being aware of the issues involved in producing keyword rich content and how to write effective copy for your site
- A framework to help you develop your optimisation plan and the associated process for getting links from directories and other important sites.

Part 2

Learn how to use the fastest growing marketing method on the internet to bring in new business.

Pay per Click advertising is changing the way small businesses develop business on the web. For the first time the playing field between major companies and small businesses has been levelled.

You will come away with:-

- Knowledge to identify the best key phrases to drive targeted traffic to your site
- Understanding how to use the ‘keyword assistant’ tool and the ‘view bids’ tool to identify the best key phrases for your business
- Understand the ‘best practice process’ to success in pay per click
- Awareness of the 3 critical stages to bring targeted traffic to your site
- How to structure you ads for maximum performance
- How to construct ‘landing pages’ to convert visitors to customer and how to monitor your results
- Learn of some great small business success stories

There is a charge of £10 for St Helens Chamber members and £15 for non members. You can book online to attend this event by clicking here