Vanessa Harwood-Whitcher, who heads up the NTI says: “We know from our research that managers of West Midlands businesses are becoming increasingly alarmed because they do have enough IT knowledge. They know that to keep their businesses alive they will have to understand the technology which is underpinning innovation and competitiveness. To help solve the problem we are launching our ‘Meet the IT Doctor’ surgeries where people can learn from experts who are offering jargon-free IT advice.”
At ‘Meet the IT Doctor’ manger will learn from experts and discuss topics such as implementing effective websites, e-commerce, wireless technology, internet security and legislation, internet trading, Broadband technology and managing CRM systems to name but a few.
Harwood-Whitcher continues: “We know that business leaders want to adapt and grow and continuing education is more important than ever before. In fact our research shows that 70,000 people in the West Midlands alone need to improve IT user skills.”
“We have developed ‘Meet the IT Doctor’ for business people who haven’t much time and need to quickly assimilate new IT topics and assess how they will affect or benefit their businesses. ‘Meet the IT Doctor’ offers two hours with an expert in the field to help businesses adopt best practice.”
Coventry and Warwickshire New Technology Institute
The NTI offers high quality subsidised IT learning programmes and its aim is to close the skills gaps that exist locally.
Housed in a brand new £2 million purpose built hi-tech building on the former site of Rolls Royce Engines in Coventry, the NTI is providing a range of courses in information and communications technology (ICT), business skills and media.
Employees can build their skills from intermediate right up to expert levels at the NTI, with courses costing two-thirds the price of that available elsewhere.
Coventry and Warwickshire NTI is one of 19 funded by the government through the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), working in partnership with the Learning Skills Council.
The New Technology Institutes will boost the regional supply of information technology and other high-tech skills, and the transfer of technical knowledge to local businesses.
NTIs are consortia of high education institutions, further education colleges and private sector partners. They have been designed to increase the number of learners receiving high quality teaching in information and communications technology (ICT) and advanced technology skills. They provide a range of courses from NVQ level 3, with pathways through to foundation degrees and on to degree level qualifications . advise and support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) on the effective adoption of new technology and business practices . collaborate with local employers, regional and national organisations to identify skills gaps and to tailor NTI activity to local needs.
The key to the NTI initiative is delivering technology training in an accessible and responsive way, which is essential for both business and individuals and critical to the success of local and regional economies. NTIs work with all the key regional agencies and networks to achieve the
aim of helping to close the skills gap. Learners at the NTIs have access to top class provision and SMEs can gain the technical skills to compete on national and international stages to create and sustain prosperity.
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