Angela wins centre award

Mother of three Angela Gallagher has won this yearís Dairy Farm Training learndirect Trainee of the Year Award. Angela visits the West Belfast centre at least a couple of times a week and is busy working through the learndirect ICT courses to boost her knowledge and experience as she aims to get the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL).

She has been going to the centre for about six months and is much more confident at using a computer than when she first started. She said: "My three boys all use computers and I wanted to find out more about them myself so I could help them and wasnít left behind.

"Visiting the centre is ideal. In the past I would have taken the boys to school and then gone home to do the ironing and cleaning. But now that work can wait for a bit and I come to the centre to do a bit more of my course.

"Even though I have a computer at home I like coming to the centre as I know the support and help is there if I need it. I know much more about computers now."

Angela was presented with a trophy and some vouchers by staff from the centre during Adult Learnersí Week.

Centre manager Brenda Close said: "Angela wins our award because of the level of commitment and her enthusiasm".

ITxp Internet CafÈ officially opens

Belfastís biggest internet cafÈ was opened by Carmel Hanna, Northern Irelandís Minister for Education and Learning, earlier this month. The ITxp Internet CafÈ - in the Kennedy Centre Shopping Complex - has 100 Internet access PCs and uses the latest flat screen and webcam technology.

Operated by Springvale Training, the cafÈ offers customers access to learndirect and also incorporates a Gamezone, which is available for children aged 10 and upwards.

The Gamezone gives access to more than 20 digital computer games and is very popular with younger visitors.

Grainne McBride, e-learning manager for Springvale Training, said: "The cafÈ is already open to the public and it is proving very successful. The shopping centre is very busy and we get a lot of passing trade. "Lots of people are interested in finding out more about learndirect and what sort of things they can learn.

The children aim straight for the Gamezone but parents are really interested in finding out more about the computers and the Internet and what they can do to get involved.

"The range of people we get in here is amazing. Thereís a group of nuns who come in to learn about IT, we have a 96-year-old man who is doing a course and thereís also a professional Irish dancer who comes in to learn about and use the Internet"

learndirect course helps organiser of peace walk

Alex Maguire is the co-ordinator of ëThe Knock Walkí - an annual walk that aims to promote peace across Northern Ireland . The 57-year-old spends lots of time organising the walk - everything from arranging transport and accommodation to writing and designing marketing materials - and he knew this would be much easier if he used a computer.

So Alex visited his local learndirect centre - North City learndirect in north Belfast - and enrolled on the Introduction to Office Skills course. Now Alex has found the use of a computer has made organising the walk a lot simpler.

This yearís walk - which covers 140 miles over four and a half days - takes place between 18 and 22 July and Alex is busy organising the finance and funds as well as ensuring everything goes according to plan for the 80 to 100 participants.

He said: "I have really enjoyed the courses I have done. learndirect is a great way of learning and the staff at the centre have given me superb support."

"I firmly believe in the Chinese proverb ëlearning is a treasure that will follow its owner anywhereí."

A new way of learning for hospital staff

Employees at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast have been signing up to learndirect thanks to a partnership with the Springvale Training learndirect centre.

Staff from the centre organised a number of open days for employees at the hospital so they could find out more about what learndirect and the centre could offer.

And the training team at the hospital - the biggest in Northern Ireland with a staff of around 5,000 - arranged for employees who took up the offer of doing a course to have two hours a week paid leave to complete their course.

Now employees from the hospital pop in to the centre to do their course.

Grainne McBride, e-learning manager at Springvale Training, said: "The hospital has been looking at computerising many of its processes and it is introducing more and more computers into wards.

"So, many of the hospital employees who are using the centre are doing some sort of IT course so they can get used to using computers. "The flexible method of learning that learndirect offers is ideal for this client group as it can be difficult for them to commit to traditional training because it is hard for them to plan for things like emergencies and busy times.

"It has also been pleasing to see the sorts of people who have taken part. Itís not just nurses who have come in we've also had porters, managers and physiotherapists."