Training Highway - Media Coverage

News l Bite Size l Adult Learners Week

News

Sandwich Centre for the Retired
Some of the first courses run by Training Highway were at the Sandwich branch of Age Concern in June 2001 and we have had an on-going relationship with them ever since.

Recently re-launched, as the Sandwich Centre for the Retired they continue to keep up with the technological times and now have their own website.

Bite Size Success

Bite Size is an annual national campaign backed by the Learning and Skills Council to attract people into learning and show how acquiring new skills can be rewarding and fun.

Training Highway's courses attracted 265 learners on short 'taster' courses in May and June this year. There were 60 courses hosted by eleven primary school throughout East Kent.

Training highway believes that bringing learning into the heart of communities removes many barriers that people have to taking part. Our training courses are designed to be enjoyable and informative, demystifying technology and giving people confidence in using a computer.

Each participant completed an evaluation form and 98% gave Training Highway "full marks" when asked how satisfied they were with the course.

Our sincere thanks to the following schools who hosted the Bite Size courses:

St Peter's in Thanet CE Junior School
Dame Janet Community Junior School
Salmestone Primary School
Christ Church CE Junior School
Garlinge Junior School
Bromstone Primary School
Mongeham Primary School
Wingham Primary School
Holy Trinity & St John's CE Junior School
Charlton CE Primary School
South Deal Primary School

What the Papers Said about Bite Size

Parents back in class for web lessons

St Peter's Junior School has been pioneering computer courses for the parents of pupils.

They were able to sit courses on the Internet, word-processing and e-mailing as part of the European Union funded Bite Size programme run by Sandwich based company Training Highway.

St Peter's was one of the first schools in the county where the course was available. Courses will soon be offered to parents of children in other Thanet schools.

School secretary Caroline Da Costa said: "We were very pleased with the courses and had a good response from parents eager to take them up".

Parents on course to master the net

Parents could soon be challenging their children over computer know-how thanks to a new course. Training Highway is helping parents to surf the net and send e-mails as part of its Bite Size courses being run in Thanet.

Dr Steve Ladyman, MP for South Thanet, helped launch the course and took part in a taster session.

Six sessions are being run by the Sandwich based company, which takes a mobile computer suite to each session at Dame Janet Junior School, Ramsgate.

Managing Director Philip Birch said: "Training Highway's Bite Size sessions have been a great success.

"So far, more than 200 people have either attended or booked sessions and the feedback has been really positive. Many of those on the taster sessions have little experience of a computer or surfed the web and sent e-mails before".

The company has won three awards for computer and Internet training in the past six months.

Places at forthcoming sessions are still available. To book your place call freephone 08080 200 500.

Gale hopes Web will bring adults to school

North Thanet MP Roger Gale has visited parents and locals taking part in a computer course at a Margate primary school.

Holy Trinity and St John's school was hosting its second day of web and e-mail taster courses run by Training Highway. They are part of the national Bite Size campaign to encourage more people into adult education. Mr Gale, who is Parliamentary Information Technology Committee secretary, went along to support the campaign.

Following his visit he said he would like to see local schools more involved in providing computer training for adults.

He is especially keen to see if parents could arrive early to pick up their children at the end of the school day and be given basic training using the school's computer facilities.

"We know from the Bite Size experience that there are willing potential students, we know that there are facilities available and we know that there are schools that would like to help," he said. "It has got to be possible to bring these together and to secure funding to provide the qualified training. "I am going to try very hard to get this issue on to the political agenda."

The picture shows course member Alex Somerville with Training Highway's Philip Birch and North Thanet MP Roger Gale at the taster course.

Adult Learners' Week

Adult Learners' Week completed its 10th year in 2002. Training Highway supported the annual event with free 'taster' sessions in Deal and Sandwich.

A great day was had by all at the Deal Centre for the Retired on Friday 17 May - Silver Surfers' Day. Over 40 people came throughout the day to try their hand on the computers. Sessions included surfing and searching the web, creating a poster and sending a photo attached to an email. Our thanks to the Deal Centre for hosting the day.

Training Highway hosted a drop in day for anyone wishing to try their hand at computers and the Internet at the Guildhall in Sandwich on Monday 13 May. Dozens of people came in for a quick 'surf' on the web, with many staying for hours to sample the 'taster' sessions on emailing, word processing and web surfing and searching.

What the Papers Said about Adult Learners Week

Deal MP looks in on IT training for senior citizens

Deal's MP Gwyn Prosser took time out from his hectic parliamentary life to visit Deal Centre for the Retired.

He joined senior citizens to try out the computer training facilities as part of Adult Learner's Week.

The Park Street centre hosted a drop-in day for people to try their hand at computing, surfing the net and sending e-mails.

Mr Prosser is pictured speaking to Ron and Marie Flatteau at the centre.

Details of future three-day IT training courses are available from the centre on 01304 372608.