Training demand is increasing

Well hello Blog readers, it's good to be back. I have had a really hectic two weeks, and there is no sign of it stopping. Training seems to have taken off with a vengeance this year. I have been on the edge of turning work away, but luckily, I have colleagues in the paper Training Group that have helped out.

Its good to share!

In addition to all the face to face teaching, PaperClassroom has been assessed by PAA/VQ-SET, (an awarding body), and is now nervously awaiting the outcome. If successful PaperClassroom will become an Examination Centre for exams that are in the national Framework.

We have been working with West Notts College to get the Papermaking Apprentice Scheme off the ground with some UK mills.

Along with our National Skills Academy Accreditation, we can now offer a wide range of certified courses from absolute beginner, progressing to higher level formal qualifications.

Last week I was heavily involved in TWA's Machineman Development Course, along with Kate Leach of MILS Processes. 

At the moment I am busy finishing off the learning material for the Level 3 Technical Certificate, which I will start delivering after the Easter holiday.

I have also been requested to add more short quizzes to my free on-line self assessment quiz portfolio. In response, I have just added an 11th, on incoming raw water, and am working on the next.

The quizzes are 10 short multiple choice questions.

No logging on
No registration
No data collection

It's just between you and the machine. Why not have a go? CLICK HERE TO TRY

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they  can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.

Womens Day

News Bites
So today is International Women's Day. It's sad that things are so unequal between the sexes that we have to have such a day, so I support it fully.

On the other hand, one bit of me is a bit of a joker, and I will never change. For this reason I bequeath to all women, my thought for the day, below.

Trainer Talk

Its all go for training We have at least one course a week for the rest of March and for April. And there is only one week in May course-free, and that may change.

Next Monday I will be having discussions about Papermaking Apprentices, followed by four days teaching on the Machineman Development Programme along with Kate Leach who specialises in Energy management. 

I am a great believer in visual aids, much better than a page full of script, so I was quite impressed with a post from a friend of mine on Facebook this morning. I used the wonderful 'snip' tool to capture it. It shows the quantity of sugar in various drinks. Here it is

Thought for the day

Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they are sexy.

Bank on Dave

News Bites
Watched the fabulous Bank on Dave programme last night.What a guy! And how he shows the establishment up for what it really is, a self perpetuating totally corrupt machine!

We have had the banks cheating with the LIBOR, cheating with PPI, cheating with interest rate hedging and not a single person has been jailed, arrested, or sacked, and no bank has had any action taken against it to restrict its trade in any way, shape or form.

Almost immediately this guy Dave sets up in competition, the mates of the Bankers, the FSA, slap him with a letter forbidding him to trade. 

After a meeting to discuss the matter, they promise him an answer within seven days, and three weeks later, they have still not given him an answer. No apologies for the delay, no explanation for the delay, and no action taken by their mates in the Government for breaking their promise (contract?) to reply in seven days

Every day it becomes more and more clear that we need to find a new way of doing things!

Trainer Talk

Today has been a nice day off. Sometimes you need to recharge your batteries. There is a long training haul ahead!

Thought for the day

The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!

Negative interest rates

News Bites
Hmmm, yes, this was the first thing i heard on the news at 6.30 this morning. Did I hear it right? Yes I did

The latest government/banking plan, is to impose negative interest rates

And yes, that does really mean that if you put £100 in a savings account, then one year later, they will give you back £98, !

So, the lender pays the bank £2 for looking after their money

The good news is, this refers to banks, not to the general public like you and me

The bigger picture is, the UK Banks store most of their cash with the Bank of England, on which the B of E pays them interest.

This new idea is to discourage them from doing this, and instead, to lend it to you and me, for mortgages etc.

The bad news is, the 2% they have to pay, to have their money stored, will be paid for by us, in higher interest rates and lower savings rates

Trainer Talk

Finished our action packed 2-day catch up yesterday with some great test results.

Today I will be preparing for next weeks Front Line Manager Technical Programme

Thought for the day

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad

Ripped off once, shame on him. Ripped off twice, shame on me.

Trainer Talk

Had a great 1st day today with my group of lively and energetic learners. Here are 3 of them hard at work during one of the practical sessions.

The day was only spoiled by receiving a request to work with someone that ripped me off for about £10,000.

Would you?

Neither would I

Thought for the day

Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

Paperless? Not for me thank you!

News Bites
Google has been having a campaign about making a paperless world. But this seems to be backfiring. 

Naturally as a paper-maker myself I am not very keen on this idea. We do plant more trees than we cut down

The best comment I have seen to date is this

Hey Google Guys - If you want a paperless world, try wiping your bum on a piece of aluminium foil!

Trainer Talk
All packed and ready to go. For the next two days I will be involved with the MDP catchup session and Technical Taster

I have all my key accessories neatly packed. 

Light Sabre
Long length of rope

Fibres models
Wallpaper

Blank answer sheets!

Have just arranged a meeting to discuss Papermaking apprentices for next year. That is two mills now

Today I have applied to become an examinations centre. More news about that later!



Thought for the day

The teacher can only open the door. It is up to the learner to walk through it

And Finally

I have to commend this to you

Ever wondered what Prison Widow gets up to in her spare time

Prepare yourself and then.......

Watch this YouTube Video

If you like it, then please recommend this Blog and share the light

Money or Justice

News Bites
So Oscar Pistorius gets bail

He did not notice his girlfriend was not in bed with him
His first thought was not to check if she was OK
He did not try and find out who was in the bathroom

If he gets away with it, then life really is about money and not justice

I think my thought for the day is most appropriate today


Trainer Talk
Have started on the Paper Technics detailed program. Its tougher than I expected.

I have also added to my other Blog about the 2-day Introduction to papermaking course that I give. I think I will also add another unit after I have finished this.

Finished making up all my experimental stuff today, tomorrow is the testing day. The work itself is extremely boring, but the results are quite exciting, so looking forward to Sunday.


Thought for the day

To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit, the target