Isle of Wight learning centre wins top national learning award
11/06/2009
The Albany Learning Centre, based in Newport on the Isle of Wight, is celebrating its success today after winning an award at the national learndirect Achievement Awards Ceremony.
The Albany Learning Centre, based in Newport on the Isle of Wight, is celebrating its success today after winning an award at the national learndirect Achievement Awards Ceremony.
The Albany Learning Centre won the national Working with Employers Award, which recognises learning centres that work with local businesses using a variety of methods, resulting in benefits for the organisations they support.
As well as working with the prison service and POA (Prison Officers’ Association) members, over the last year and a half, the Albany Learning Centre on the Isle of Wight has delivered learndirect courses to staff at Newport Fire Station. Numeracy and Literacy courses were extremely successful, with more than 70% of staff gaining a Level 2 qualification. Staff in the control room were also offered the chance of doing an IT qualification, with tutors coming to the station at times suitable to the learners. The development programme has since been rolled out to all fire stations on the island.
On winning the national award, Nicola Volley from the Albany Learning Centre said: “learndirect offers flexibility through online e-learning – it’s great for employers as learning can fit in around varying work commitments and shift patterns. It’s great to see how proud learners are when they gain their qualifications.”
The learndirect Achievement Awards, now in their third year, celebrate learners who are going that extra mile to learn new skills, businesses whose employees are gaining new qualifications, and the people and centres supporting them. The Awards recognise people from all walks of life, for example learners who have overcome personal difficulties or have returned to learning after many years, and businesses working with learndirect to train their workforce.
The Albany Learning Centre had previously won the Working with Employers Award at the South East regional learndirect Achievement Awards in July.
TV presenter Eamonn Holmes, who presented the awards with his wife Ruth Langsford said:
"Ruth and I are both delighted to support the learndirect Achievement Awards. We have worked with learndirect in the past to highlight the difference learning can make to people’s lives, and have seen first-hand how learners from across the UK are boosting their skills, improving their job prospects and becoming more confident. All the finalists are truly inspiring, and we were honoured to help celebrate their success at the national learndirect Achievement Awards ceremony.”
Chief Executive of learndirect, Sarah Jones said:
“The national winners and highly commended finalists have shown exceptional determination, and have gone that extra mile to learn new skills and improve their qualifications, or have supported others to achieve their goals. These finalists are an inspiration to millions of learners, support staff and businesses across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and truly deserve recognition.”