CONNECTED Magazine First Edition 2018

Connected!

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Allan Norton, General Manager of NCC Education

discusses his vision for the future of the company and its people

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Our alumni success story - Asheni Shamina making waves in the retail industry with her clothing line

STUDENT TO ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

IN THIS

ISSUE

NCC Education student Asheni Shamina talks about her retail success after graduating from Worcester • Allan Norton discusses his vision for the future of NCC Education and why people matter • Social media marketing for education providers • Top 5 trends in online learning • Our marketing support for centres and much more

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Contents

06 07

The NCC Education Level of Support for Partner Centres

ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS

04 04 05 05 08 11

Meet the Team Continuous Improvements Out & About Favourite Tweets Centre Star Plaque awarded to SAM Trinidad Press Release • DICE Technololgy • Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies

15 New Updates to Computer Programmes 18 NCC Education welcomes Carlé Van Schalkwyk 20 Our new offices in Kuala Lumpur 21 Shortbytes • New Healthcare Streams for the IFD Qualifications 24 Press Release • NCC Education selects ProTech's Cloud- based CRM & Digital Solution connected!

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Techtalk

Top 5 Trends in Online Learning

Runnin' Rough

Newsflash

12 STUDENT TO

19

08 Newsflash

Centre Star Plaque awarded to SAM Trinidad

09

22 Insight

What does a business degree pathway mean?

25

Digi Press Release

Interview with...

Allan Norton

10

Refugee Education in Chios

26

Are you Ready for the Digital Revolution?

3 Ms Charlotte Heyn Marketing Coordinator (South Africa)

Ms Kathyn Woodhead Content Writer (United Kingdom)

Ms Yvonne Kok Graphic Designer (Singapore)

Letter

Editor’s

elcome to the first edition of CONNECTED, our new quarterly magazine designed for everyone in the NCC Education network. We’re delighted to be able to produce this magazine for our centres. This magazine is designed to keep all our centres up to date with the latest news, updates and successes across our regions.

Ms Kerry Voellner Marketing Coordinator (United Kingdom)

In this issue, Allan Norton, General Manager of NCC Education talks about the importance of networking, the challenges of running a global organisation, emerging technologies and how the success of the business is down to its people.

We have had contributions from Kathryn Woodhead looking at online trends in learning, Martin Buck talks about the Digital Revolution and Andrew Rennie explains what a business degree pathway is.

We speak to a former business degree pathway student Asheni Shamina Ehelepegamage from Sri Lanka about her new venture in the retail sector and how she has grown her own fashion label since graduating. In fact, her business has become the number one fashionlabel in Sri-Lanka!

In the first of our series on social media marketing, Charlotte Heyn and I discuss Facebook and how centres should be thinking about using Facebook to reach out to students and much, much more…

I would like to say a massive thanks to the marketing team for putting CONNECTED together around their usual job roles. We love what we do and are delighted we can use this magazine as a space to highlight the wonderful work our centres do across the globe in delivering Great British Qualifications!

This magazine is for you, so please do get involved! We love hearing your stories, so if you do have something you would like to share, you can contact me directly: Kerry.voellner@nccedu.com We hope you enjoy our first issue!

Kerry Voellner | Editor

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NEWSFLASH

Meet the Team...

Kerry Voellner

Yvonne Kok

In her spare time, Kerry likes travelling, reading, watching films and box-sets and taking part in charity events.

In her spare time, she likes to explore nature parks, hiking, fun runs and is an active volunteer in an animal sanctuary in Malaysia, looking after abandoned cats and dogs.

Charlotte Heyn

Kathryn Woodhead

In her spare time, Charlotte enjoys hiking, travelling locally and abroad.

In her spare time, she likes to write, get involved in local politics and is a keen activist for disability rights, being a long-term volunteer for Disability Rights UK

Kerry is responsible for marketing at our head-office in Manchester, U.K. She has a passion for anything digital and loves creating content for the web and magazines. She has a background in journalism, so can often be found looking for stories and likes to interview interesting people.

Charlotte manages the marketing and business development activities across Africa and the Middle East and can often be found with a camera in hand, taking pictures and creating lots of original content for our social media channels.

NCC Education continues to offer great value and premium-quality education and qualifications to our global network of Accredited Partner Centres.

Candidate and licence fees not only cover our existing material development and assessments, but also in the last year, we have been working on and delivering an OFQUAL regulated L3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES).

This was the first such qualification across the industry to hold this accreditation, and at the same time, added an additional stream supporting students wishing to progress towards an engineering degree (and university progression arrangement to match).

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Yvonne is our Graphic Designer, based in Singapore. She has over 23 years' working experience and is passionate about imagery. Yvonne executes all the NCC Education visuals used in our marketing collateral.

Kathryn is the Content Writer of NCC Education. She works closely with both the Marketing and Product Development Team. She is constantly doing research on current trends in education and she manages the NCC Education blog, sharing industry news with our online communities.

CONTINUOUS

We have added an additional set of comprehensive teaching and learning materials to support the children’s EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER digital literacy product full Master’s Degree; and refreshed our Business • Refreshed the English Diplomas. A new Virtual Language Framework Learning Environment programme; (VLE) will benefit across • New regulated Level 6 the business and enables Diplomas in Business and us to enhance the delivery Computing; and student experience of • New regulated some of our qualifications.

Computing pathways in Gaming, Animation and These developments don’t E-Sports; stop here as we have some • A new centre portal ambitious plans for 2018: underpinned by a CRM • Further pathways in platform which has Science and Healthcare targeted and tailored on our regulated support for our centres; International Foundation • Rolling out digital and Diploma for Higher online assessment.

Education Studies; • Relaunched Level 7 We continue to invest in Postgraduate Diploma marketing services and in Business with an support to our network of option in Business IT partner centres and we are and systems supported confident that you will see by strengthened increasing evidence of this progression routes to a

IMPROVEMENTS

throughout 2018. The nature of marketing is changing with an increasing shift towards new media, such as - social media, videos and content marketing to help raise the NCC Education brand, which ultimately supports you.

We are now actively supporting Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Our website can receive up to 30,000 visitors per month and we have 29,000 followers on Facebook and with your contributions and involvement we can get even more people talking about NCC Education qualifications!

OUT & ABOUT Global Product Manager, Martin Buck, and delegates attending the NCC Education China Academic Conference

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FAVOURITE TWEETS A few of our favourite tweets.

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #NCCEdu and include us in your tweets!

Two of our IDM Botswana students at their graduation ceremony from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan)

OUT Dr. Sue Greener, NCC Education graduate Aisha Syed, Director of Student Recruitment and International Partnerships John Gardener and Aisha Syed’s father at Aisha’s graduation ceremony at the University of Worcester

Melina Yong, Emma Dawkins, Allan Norton, Janette Lister, Darrell McGivern and Michelle Zhang from NCC Education with the team from the Singapore Cyber Sports and Online Gaming Association (SCOGA) discussing the future of E Sports in education

and

Regional Director for South Africa & the Middle East Roger Chetty and Academic Development Manager Bev O’Donovan from NCC Education with the Business Management class from Westford University College in Sharjah, UAE

Business Development Manager, Marcelle Du Rand, attending the IDM graduation ceremony in Botswana. First cohort of University of Worcester graduates

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IN THE LOOP

NCC Education have been

RUNNIN’ ROUGH

Staff from the NCC Education Head Office took part in what (some say) is one of the UK’s toughest obstacle courses.

WRITTEN AND EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

14 employees including General Manager, Allan Norton and Regional Director for Europe and South America, Andrew Rennie, braved the cold, wet, Manchester weather on one of the windiest days of the year to take part in the gameshowinspired challenge.

The participants completed the course which was set amongst the English countryside on the 300-acre grounds of Ashley Hall, in Cheshire.

Long-distance running, strength and endurance obstacles were just some of the challenges faced by the team as they completed the course.

Andrew says, “Taking part in challenges such as Rough Runner is important for us at NCC Education. We believe team bonding encourages collaboration and teamwork and enables our staff to connect with each other outside of the normal working environment.”

Our team had a great day and are now looking forward to taking part in another team challenge for 2018

BSc (Hons) Business Computing & Information Systems

Convert your Diploma to a Degree Study online, graduate from the University of Central Lancashire connected!

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• Final year of a degree, awarded by the University of Central Lancashire • Flexible online teaching • Study in your own time • Designed for students who have completed NCC Education Level 5 Diploma in Computing/Business IT or HND Computing (or equivalent) In partnership with

NEWSFLASH WRITTEN BY ANDREW RENNIE EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

The NCC Education

LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR PARTNER CENTRES A letter from Regional Director for Europe and Latin America to our partner centres

Dear all,

As part of our ongoing support for Accredited Partner Centres, we believe that having dedicated points of contact and the relevant marketing tools is important in assisting you with providing your students with the best study experience possible throughout their journey with NCC Education.

Our team of experienced marketers, who work alongside our Business Development Managers (BDMs) are on hand to provide you with any advice, support and tools you may need, they are: • Ms Charlotte Heyn (South Africa) - Marketing Coordinator • Vacancy (Asia) - Marketing Coordinator • Ms Kerry Voellner (UK) Marketing Coordinator • Ms Yvonne Kok (Singapore) – Graphic Designer All our marketing materials are being reviewed and updated at present with the guidance notes on our online centre portal - Connect (https://connect.nccedu.com). We encourage our centres to make sure their marketing person/team is aware of Connect and are using the resources available.

Connect has a range of collateral and information, such as leaflets, posters and templates for your perusal which will help you to further promote your centre and the range of NCC Education courses on offer.

Please also ensure all your staff take the time to familiarise themselves with the new Centre Marketing Guidelines on Connect.

These guidelines stipulate the NCC Education marketing and communication rules, which all Accredited Partner Centres must adhere to.

Please liaise closely with your Business Development Manager and the Marketing Team when producing new marketing materials and or websites. They can provide an important check to ensure that the guidelines are being followed.

The Marketing Team will also make sure you are making the most of the marketing opportunities available for each NCC Education programme. The Marketing Team have a lot of knowledge in both online and offline marketing and are happy to share this with you.

Our Marketing Team aim to have all queries responded to within 48 hours. This quick response ensures an open conversation and communication between our team and our centres. Please ask your marketing person/team to keep checking Connect as it continues to be updated.

On Connect, you will find highresolution files of the NCC Education logo, an image bank to support your own materials, design templates that can help you in creating co-branded marketing materials, banner and poster designs and at your request - we can provide co-brand programme sheets. Due to high demand, we ask for at least seven days notice for co-branded material.

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student testimonials and any success stories you want us to know about.

Additionally, NCC Education are highly active on social media. Any images or updates you send to us will be posted on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Articles of interest may end up on our website (which generates over 30,000 visitors per month) and/or printed materials, such as brochures and magazines. It could also be posted on our Facebook page, which has over 29,000 followers, with our content reaching tens of thousands of students daily.

After a full review of our digital platforms, we have developed a standalone website for Digi, the children’s digital programme, which is due to be launched over the next few weeks.

Finally, we have started redesigning the programme materials, with a new focus on the degree pathways supporting the new level 6 diplomas. We will keep you updated of our progress as we go along.

Our ongoing partnerships with our centres is of the utmost importance to NCC Education. Marketing is a key element in building the NCC Education brand. Working with trusted partner centres has shaped our organisation to be known and trusted across the world when it comes to delivering Great British qualifications.

We endeavour to assist you with your marketing efforts, so do take advantage of the support on offer and please do not hesitate to contact me directly should you have any comments, suggestions or feedback.

Kindest regards Andrew Rennie

We also encourage all our centres to share with us any news, forthcoming events, graduation dates and highlights from any ceremonies you have,

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NEWSFLASH

Centre Star Plaque awarded to SAM Trinidad WRITTEN BY KERRY VOELLNER

to our Accredited Partner Centre, The School of Accounting and Management (SAM) in Trinidad, who were awarded our Centre Star Plaque.

Andrew Rennie, our Regional Director of Europe and Latin America presented the award to SAM Trinidad for their outstanding service and long-term pursuit in the achievement of quality education within their respective market.

SAM Trinidad is renowned for offering a range of flexible business courses available on a full-time and part-time basis. Classes can be attended during the evening and weekends for students, with full time, part-time, evening and weekend courses available.

Many of SAM’s graduates are employed across the world in Dubai, Egypt, Europe, Australia, the USA and Canada. A large majority of their graduates of their graduates find employment within 6 months of graduating

Your Final Step to a British Business Degree Study Online, graduate from the University of Worcester BA (Hons) Business Administration

• Final year of a degree, awarded by the University of Worcester • Flexible online teaching • Study in your own time • Designed for students who have completed HND in Business/a Foundation degree in Business (or equivalent)

www.nccedu.com connected!

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In partnership with

INTERVIEW

A Business isn’t a Business without its People

Kerry Voellner talks to Allan Norton, General Manager of NCC Education, about the importance of networking when building a business, the challenges of running a global organisation, emerging technologies in the development of online learning and how the success of the business is ultimately down to its people.

With a career spanning over 20 years’ in the legal, operations and financial aspects of business and being a fully qualified CPA (Chartered Professional Accountant), the nature of business has become second nature to Allan. Prior to joining NCC Education two years ago, Allan had been immersed in the technology sector, working with and even running his own companies.

Having no prior exposure to working in education, changing industries has been something Allan has adapted to easily, noting that although the profit side is important, there is much more to the industry, “What I like about NCC Education (and it’s probably because I was never involved in education before), is because I come from technology companies which are profit-driven, cash-driven, monthly results-driven companies. It was all about profit, loss and the balance sheet. It was all about numbers. You tended to lose a bit of the business you were working in. It was all about making money."

“I came to NCC Education and yes – it is about money, as we are a business.

But, to be involved

in a business that’s providing education and providing education pathways and degrees to people who wouldn’t otherwise have it, that

to me is something to talk about. I’m proud of

telling people where I work now, more than what I did in the past. I can now talk from a more altruistic view about supporting people getting education."

“Ultimately, we are here to run a business but there is so much more to it. I get excited by seeing what happens. I’m an avid cyclist, so watch it a lot and there’s an advertisement which runs on high rotation about education in Africa and I get excited when I see it.

There is an uplifting and motivational song in the advert called Straight to the Top by Wildcat, it uplifts me every time I hear it."

“The advert is nothing to do with NCC Education, but the message is about giving people an opportunity to get an education. It’s exciting watching that, knowing the business I’m involved with now is doing something similar.”

Having a focus on key areas of the business itself whilst not losing sight of what NCC Education stands for is at the forefront of Allan’s mind, “When I first joined, given my financial background, one of the first things I wanted to focus on was how we managed our cashflow and finances and returning investment to our shareholders.”

“Whilst at first, it was purely financial and that’s still a very important thing to look at;

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but we can now see beyond that. I can now see what we’re providing; education programmes for people. I get a greater kick out of that – but the reality is we are a business and I will never lose focus of that."

probably the best piece of advice I have ever been given. He said you must always be networking, you must engage with people and don’t be afraid to do it!

That’s the most important part. Don’t be afraid to do it!

“I will continue to keep an eye on that, but knowing full well that other people in the business see the value of education and we don’t want that to change. People are passionate about education and I don’t want that to change at the expense of everybody becoming purely about the business. I can certainly provide that, and other people can as well. It’s nice for people to know there are soft parts to what we do as well."

“You should always be making an effort to engage with people at all levels and be in contact. Networking back then is probably equally the case today.

It’s not all about social networking. Sometimes people think once you’re on LinkedIn, you’re networking.

That’s not the case. It’s one of the tools, an enabler, but it’s not engagement in the proper sense.

Running a business that spans 50 countries with over 200 centres doesn’t come without its challenges, Allan adds, “When running a global organisation, you can’t be everywhere. If I’m in Singapore, I can’t be in the UK, if I’m in the UK, I can’t be in Africa. That is one of the biggest challenges. Ideally, I’d like to be engaging and participating in all 50 countries. That’s the main challenge I face."

“You can’t be everywhere you’d like to be. Thankfully, technology makes it easier and the gap a lot smaller. However, it’s still a personal business and you can’t completely rely on technology and you still need to have that personal engagement.”

Engagement is a key focus of Allan’s. Honing in on words shared with him at his own graduation, he adds, “You’ve got to engage with people. It’s a bit of advice which was given to me when I first graduated.

The keynote speaker was a prominent business journalist, media personality and alumni of the school.

At the beginning after six years of university – it was

“Sometimes getting on the phone is better than writing.

But, even better is when there is an opportunity to visit, do so and have that personal time."

“Sometimes when I’m at centres, I feel like I take my own advice.

I feel I connect with the people more.

I’m circulating, I’m in the middle of the company, am part of it, rather than being sat in an office.

I give this same advice when I go to graduation ceremonies.

Unashamedly, I could be plagiarising this advice but it’s the best advice I ever got, so it’s good to pass it on after."

Utilising the digital tools available coupled with his knowledge of the technology industry, Allan is aware of how embracing these are fundamental in changing how NCC Education operates transatlantic, “The Internet has changed the way we do everything. It’s taking what used to be old and finding a new way of doing things. Cameras have been around for a long time.

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INTERVIEW

People have been around for a long time. But, now the Internet allows us to interact through that camera. It’s the enabler between the old and the new."

“NCC Education are continually looking at new ways in which to deliver older, more traditional programmes, such as degrees. But, we are going to use the Internet and other technologies to make that happen and bring it to people who typically wouldn’t be able to do it otherwise."

"Doing a degree online for many students is a much easier and convenient way to study. It could be that they have a family, a business to run, or simply because it’s costly to relocate to another country to study, so by using new technologies and enhancing opportunities to study this way, we’re enabling students to progress by offering the same levels and quality of education, but by online delivery."

“We are now bringing that to people. This isn’t necessarily new, but it’s a new thing we’re doing and we’re bringing out new ways to deliver these programmes and that I find exciting. It’s innovative."

“I firmly believe the growth and delivery of education will be online and that has a lot to do with the way the world is moving.”

Allan wholly attributes the success of the business to its people,

"NCC Education would not be successful if it weren’t for its people.”

"We can have all the programmes in the world, we can have new programmes, good programmes, but it is all about the people.

Ultimately, it’s all about the people that develop, the people that deliver, the people that support - so the students themselves benefit."

“Whilst we may have university partnerships and programmes, it’s all about the people we have.

The difference between a good programme and a bad programme, a good company and a bad company, a successful business and a nonsuccessful business is typically the people."

“I’m sure if someone were to track the correlation of the successful times and the non-successful times, it would be a lot to do with the employees; not just who they were, but also how they worked together, the way they engage with each other and their basic philosophies and attitudes.”

Allan is committed to NCC Education for the long term, “I’d like to think in the future, I’ll still be sitting here, doing what I’m doing today, operating a much more global business than we already have - way into the future, even up to the point of retirement. I don’t have a

desire to look at something else as I feel like we have opportunities to grow and develop what we do have and it’s something I’m excited about and will enjoy being a part of.”

Refugee Education in Chios WRITTEN AND EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

NCC Education staff at The Towers collected hundreds of stationery items to be donated to a refugee education centre in Chios, Greece.

The school, run entirely by volunteers desperately needs stationery supplies to help with the growing demand at the school.

The project, which started in May 2016, welcomed 40 refugee children, in less than a week, this had grown to 120.

The school teaches standard subjects, such as English and maths, but also life skills, such as personal hygiene.

According to a study by global charity Save the Children, refugee children in Greece have missed out on around 18 months of schooling.

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Some of them have never been to school.

Janette Lister Partnerships Manager and Project Leader says, “I came across the school in Chios by chance on Facebook last year and have been following them ever since. I thought it would be a very worthwhile cause for us to get involved in.

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of local businesses and would especially like to say a huge thank you to OCS Worldwide Couriers, DGOS Office Supplies, Ryman Stationers and Hope Education who have helped make this collection possible.”

The school was started by Be Aware and Share, a small NGO from Switzerland.

The Greek island of Chios is home to more than 700 refugee children under eight, and almost 400 aged between eight and 17.

You can find out more about the work the project does at www.facebook.com/ refugeeeducationchios/

PRESS RELEASE

DICE Technology RESPONDS TO CUSTOMER DEMAND FOR DIGI PRODUCTS

Dice Technology (M) Sdn Bhd are delighted to announce they have added Digi and its products to their product range, due to an increase in demand for computerlearning programmes of this kind.

Dice Technology (M) Sdn Bhd, based in Malaysia, have a long track record of addressing the needs of a large client-base, spanning private households, corporate, academic and government markets.

The technology company which specialises in supplying IT solutions across a broad spectrum of markets has responded to feedback from local customers.

General Manager Velayuthan Surrendran of DICE Technology says, “We have found that the Digi products have improved the way students are taught, it is also important that students learn to use computers to

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improve their own work and prepare for digital careers wherever in the world they find themselves.

“Digi programmes provide complete guidelines and plans for kids to improve their levels from beginner to advance. These programmes familiarise children with the technology and later, they are then able to implement that technology in other areas of study.”

Evaluation from teachers and students using Digi in classrooms has resulted in positive responses allround. Surrendran adds, “Based on current studies and feedback from schools and the students; they like the programmes. They reduce the teachers’ tasks, so they can concentrate more on the learning process. Students are engaged with the lessons and happy with activities.

“The most important thing for us, is that most of the schools in Malaysia don’t have proper syllabuses or guidelines to conduct ICT lessons for Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 3, so Digi will be helpful in addressing this.”

DICE Technology is renowned for understanding and catering for the needs of information technology users across a broad spectrum of markets and strives to bring a total solution to its clients' information technology needs by using specific elements from its portfolio of products and drawing on both its technical and people skills.

To find out more about DICE Technology, visit:

www.dice-technology.com

Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies partners with NCC Education to deliver the International Foundation Diploma Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies (CCSS) has partnered with NCC Education to deliver the Level 3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES).

The Level 3 International Foundation Diploma for Higher Education Studies (L3IFDHES) formerly called the International Foundation Year is a one-year pre-university qualification which includes a significant degree of English language teaching.

The qualification is designed to provide an entry route to UK and international university courses or progression onto the NCC Education Level 4 Diplomas in Computing, Business and Business IT. Stuart Nicholson, Principal of CCSS, says, “We are delighted to have partnered with NCC Education, who have given us great support from our very first contact with them. They helped us understand how the IFD is structured, its suitability for the students who have been asking us to provide a pre-university Foundation Diploma, and have been clear about processes and timescales. We are looking forward to enrolling our fist cohort in September.”

Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies is a well-established independent sixth-form college which has been preparing students for university for more than 35 years. CCSS are excited to now be working in partnership with NCC Education to deliver the International Foundation Diploma (IFD) from September 2018.

To find out more about the Cambridge Centre for Sixth-form Studies, visit:

www.ccss.co.uk

NCC Education students will be able to access the wealth of experience and support offered at CCSS to obtain the IFD qualification before progressing to university study

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COVER STORY

Asheni Shamina Dilhara Ehelepegamage has recently graduated from the University of Worcester with a BA Hons in Business Administration. After completing her studies, Asheni Shamina has become one of Sri Lanka’s most successful, young entrepreneurs and started one of the region’s most popular online fashion retail outlets.

She tells Janette Lister about her experience studying online and how it helped pave the way to her phenomenal success…

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COVER STORY

TE LISTER AUTHOR | JANET

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RY VOELLNER EDITED BY | KER

What made you choose to study your degree pathway with NCC Education?

I chose the degree pathway because NCC Education qualifications are recognized by professional bodies and employers worldwide and is the global provider of UK education. And, of course it’s based in United Kingdom, which I think is the best place to complete "My tutors were a degree, as the UK is known for its worldsimply the best. recognized and high-quality education.

What did you enjoy most about studying online for your final year?

Sometimes it felt as if the experience wasn’t online because of them."

I loved the unique, student-centric and supportive approach. Everything from lecturers to lessons were perfectly organised and everything was so easy and flexible.

The lecturers were approachable and always ready to explain and even re-explain things.

Did the course meet your expectations?

Yes, it met all my expectations. Everything was made to be convenient for myself and my fellow students.

What were the advantages of studying online?

I would say being able to study from home was a huge advantage. All lectures and materials were provided via online platforms and we were guided well on what we should be doing every day. My experience was that it was convenient and flexible.

Also, I was able to access the lectures from anywhere and anytime in the country via my phone or laptop, so I never missed one - as they are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

Also, I had the opportunity to make new friends from different countries and backgrounds and connect with them. We keep in touch now.

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COVER STORY

What type of support did you receive from your tutors?

They were approachable, helpful and always made sure we were clear on the entire lecture before it was over.

How does it feel now you have graduated?

It feels like the weight of exams, essays and final projects have finally been lifted off my shoulders... forever!

All I must say to fellow students - is study hard, because time flies and soon you will be graduating too and that is the day when hard work pays off.

You feel like all the time and effort you put in for your education is worth it 100%.

NCC Education, I set up my own business and it has gone from strength to strength.

Recently we became Sri Lanka’s number one online fashion store and I couldn’t be more thankful to everyone who has helped me come this far.

I’m especially grateful to my family and my dear friend who also opened the business with me. My tutors at NCC Education taught me so much about business.

I think determination, dedication and drive is all it takes.

How do you think the NCC Education business degree pathway has helped you in setting up and managing your business?

People can take almost anything away from you, but education is something that no one can take from you. And, education is something "I owned my you do alone and shine moment and alone too.

What inspired you to start your own fashion business?

I couldn’t have been prouder of myself than on the day I graduated."

I’ve always wanted to start something by myself. Starting up my own clothing line was always a big dream of mine and I’ve always had a big passion for fashion.

Since I completed my degree with

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"My graduation was the happiest day of my life. Now, I feel extraconfident and it has led me to believe that there's nothing we can’t achieve."

Everything I’ve learnt from NCC Education has been of value. Most modules like business communication, strategic management and finance management have been the most supportive modules that have helped me a lot in managing my business.

Due to the evolution of the Internet and social media, for me, doing everything online was a convenient and flexible advantage.

I felt no difference at all in choosing to study online. It was ten times more convenient and flexible than having to attend lectures.

What would you say to anyone considering online study?

If you’re considering studying online or having any doubts, erase all the doubts away and note to yourself you have made a smart decision in choosing to study online.

I’ve enjoyed studying with NCC Education. Thank you for the remarkable memories you’ve given me

"Online education was the best decision I could have made, especially with NCC Education having such approachable and helpful staff who were easily available."

You can find out more about Asheni Shamina's fashion business here:

https://m.facebook.com/ Aluraasheni/

NEW UPDATES

TO COMPUTER PROGRAMMES

This unit aims to provide the learner with an underlying knowledge of the computer hardware components and peripherals commonly found in a business environment, different approaches to the connection and architecture of these components, and an understanding of approaches to troubleshooting these systems.

LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA IN COMPUTING

Each of the 12 topics have been updated by our expert Principal Examiner so that virtualisation and cloud-computing have been introduced to the unit specifically because modern software development platforms and file management systems are now largely cloud-based in order to utilise a global team of IT staff. The ‘Internet of Things’ concept, whereby anything can be attached to a computer network, has also been introduced.

Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to: Understand the function of computer systems; be able to design computer systems; be able to build and configure computer systems; and be able undertake maintenance on computer systems.

COMPUTER SYSTEMS LEVEL 4 DIPLOMA IN COMPUTING

This unit aims to give the learner a thorough knowledge of web coding in HTML and CSS and an understanding of website design and testing. The first topic introduces the World Wide Web (WWW) and the fundamental challenges facing the designers of websites. Later topics explore HTML and CSS in detail, equipping students with the skills and knowledge to build effective websites. The module finishes by considering the design of websites and user-centred approaches to the design and evaluation.

All twelve topics from this unit have been updated so that HTML 5 is now used as the programming language. Graphic processing has also been incorporated into the unit.

DESIGNING AND DEVELOPING A WEBSITE LEVEL 5 DIPLOMA IN COMPUTING

This unit aims to build on existing knowledge of both databases and web design to build dynamic websites connected to databases using technologies such as PHP and MySQL. The unit also covers XML-based services (e.g. RSS) to equip the learner with a range of skills to present content dynamically on the World Wide Web. These refreshed materials introduce more modern ways to create websites. So, now includes more responsive methods, such as making them viewable on mobile devices. Moreover, the content of web design and web security has been increased.

DYNAMIC WEBSITES

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FEATURE

SOCIAL MEDIA MATTERS (Facebook)

WRITTEN BY KERRY VOELLNER & CHARLOTTE HEYN EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

Marketing co-ordinators Kerry and Charlotte have a combined 15 years’ experience between them. That may not seem a lot in terms of experience in most industries, but since the major social media platforms only started to exist within the last 13 years, it’s quite impressive.

In the first of our series of articles on ‘Why Social Media Matters’, Kerry and Charlotte discuss the importance of social media and what education providers should be doing to make sure they get noticed online when speaking to audiences of a younger generation.

The focus for this issue of CONNECTED is Facebook and why education providers should be looking at this platform as a valued marketing channel for raising awareness of their courses and to engage with students.

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Social media has grown exponentially over the past ten years, giving businesses and organisations increased opportunities for exposure and an open platform to engage with their audience online.

Facebook was launched in 2004, yet didn’t rise to popularity in some countries until much later.

It now has approximately 2.07 billion monthly active users, meaning approximately 2 in 7 people around the world use this social media platform.

Smartphone usage has grown exponentially. To put it into perspective, according to the UN – there are more Smartphones in the world than toilets.

And, by 2020 – the number of Smartphone users is expected to surpass the 2.9 billion mark.

Kerry says, “Businesses who aren’t on Facebook are missing out. For me, one key factor that is

"In the digital age, ‘social sharing’ is now probably as powerful as Wordof-Mouth advertising"

~ Kerry Voellner

Source: Number of monthly active Facebook users worldwide as of 3rd quarter 2017 (in millions) https://goo.gl/FL6JCS

underestimated by business owners is the option for instant social sharing, which is not an option within most other marketing channels.”

“If someone shares your content, it means they are

FEATURE either; agreeing with it, disagreeing with it, recognising it or it means something to them. They become minipublishers by sharing what they deem as interesting with their networks, usually made up of family and friends.

“Whilst LinkedIn and Twitter have similar sharing functions, Facebook has more impact when it comes to sharing, as it is commonly people in your personal network, rather than professional. “ Charlotte adds, “As someone who is active on Facebook every day, a share can go a long way. For example, on the NCC Education Facebook page, when a post gets shared by a student, we instantly know they are engaging with us.

“Engagement such as likes, comments and shares increase the reach of a post and therefore a larger audience is exposed to a post.

“Social media channels such as Facebook give brands an opportunity to communicate with their target audience in an environment that allows for two-way conversations where queries, comments and all interactions are instantly received.

“But, more importantly, they find the content worthy enough to share amongst their family and friends, some of whom are likely to be students also who are within our audience target-range.”

For businesses who are targeting younger people, Facebook is an effective channel due to the way younger people consume social media. Kerry says, “For education providers who are looking to attract a younger audience and engage with them Facebook is a no-brainer.

“Young people can look at their Smartphone to check for notifications between 100 -200 times per day, so having the ability to engage with them this way is powerful."

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According to the Salesforce 2015 State of Marketing report, Facebook is

still the #1 social channel for marketers in 2015. With 80% of marketers currently using the platform, not being active on Facebook is akin to giving your competitors a golden ticket. Marketers also stated that Facebook is one of their top 10 most effective channels, with 73% saying it’s very effective/effective for marketing purposes.

creating content, it is important to understand ‘media consumption’ – something often overlooked by marketers.

“For example, people in their forties and over are used to reading newspapers, so creating long, wordy, well-researched articles is effective. However, for the younger generation, they are used to picking up their phones and scrolling through – so creating visual posts which capture their attention is more effective than long-worded content.”

Charlotte adds, “Social media is interactive, the various channels and platforms enable businesses to engage with new and potential markets. Brands that are active on social media can connect with communities and influence brand image and association, making a global brand accessible in real-time.”

“When looking at the target audiences and

Getting started with Facebook is not as complicated as you think. Watch out for our next article in CONNECTED, where we will be publishing a Facebook for beginner’s guide.

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INTERVIEW WRITTEN BY CHARLOTTE HEYN EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

NCC Education welcomes

Carlé Van Schalkwyk

Business Development Manager for Africa Carlé Van Schalkwyk joined NCC Education in November 2017. With a passion for education and a motherly outlook towards helping students, Carlé tells Charlotte Heyn why she likes her new role and which qualities she believes are important when working as a BDM. What was your first impression of NCC Education?

My first impression of NCC Education is that the company is passionate about taking quality British education to students across the world.

The rich heritage of NCC Education appeals to me. It is a well-established, global brand which incorporates online and traditional teaching environments, it is obvious to me that the focus of NCC Education is to inspire students to be the best they can be, no matter where they are or where they are from.

What is a typical day like at NCC Education?

Working in a global space with people who are passionate about world-class education is truly inspiring.

During our morning meetings we brainstorm ideas and business development strategies. This sets the tone for an innovative and proactive team environment, where we collaborate between regional offices and various time-zones to ensure high-quality education and service is delivered.

Our routine varies between officelife and meeting with centres. This assists us in keeping our ears to the ground and understanding our target audience in the African market. I hope to establish further key relationships with our Accredited Partner Centres in the months to come.

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What do you want to accomplish at NCC Education?

Firstly, I would like to gain in-depth product knowledge, thereafter I want to focus on developing innovative business strategies for NCC Education to grow its global footprint even further.

I want to establish strong relationships with our Accredited Partner Centres in Africa while finding new businesses within the Middle East Region.

The Digi range of products resonates with me as a mother, as the main objective of this computing curriculum is to create a core understanding of computer science in the 21st century.

Digi is a comprehensive primary and secondary computing curriculum developed by NCC Education for children age 5-16.

It’s based on the UK’s up-to-date computer science curriculum and Digi recognises the importance of having strong digital skills.

I would like to promote this programme in the South African market.

What will you bring to the role which will help the centres to support students?

My communication skills equip me with the proper tools to problemsolve. I believe my caring nature and flexibility will assist with adding value to Accredited Centres by building relationships, listening and ensuring quality centre-support.

What in your opinion, are the qualities which make a good Business Development Manager?

For me, it is having a passion for education. Without a passion for what you do, there is no point in doing it. You are in the wrong job if you don’t genuinely enjoy what you do every day.

Working alongside individuals who are solution-driven helps, especially in a sector which is ever-evolving and when you are working with centres who can have large volumes of students who all need to be guided. Being solution-driven is important if you are a business development manager.

Most importantly, I think being a good listener is the most important quality a BDM can have. You must be aware of the needs and challenges centres and students may face and only by listening can you help to achieve outcomes and meet expectations.

I’m proud to have become part of the NCC Education team.

What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

In my free time, I enjoy reading, being outdoors and spending time with my family. I’m a wife and mother of a sixyear-old, and I strive to incorporate cultural experiences of learning in my family Favourite quote -

If someone offers you an amazing opportunity and you are not sure you can do it, say yes - and find out how to do it later. ~ Richard Branson

TECHTALK

TOP TRENDS IN

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WRITTEN BY KATHRYN WOODHEAD EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

ONLINE LEARNING Kathryn Woodhead NCC Education Content Writer, looks at some of the different trends in online learning Technology is expanding at an alarming rate. It is estimated that around 2.32 billion people globally have access to a smartphone and usage has increased by 220 million from 2016.

Smartphones and tablets allow students to view teaching materials whenever they need to, wherever they are.

Marc Prensky- a well-known American education writer, describes young people as being ‘digital natives’ - they grew up around technology and learnt how to use mobiles, laptops and the Internet from an early age. He also describes the older generation as ‘digital immigrants’ because they did not grow up with this technology and instead have to try and adapt to it over time.

‘Digital natives’ prefer to receive information quickly and can process a lot of information simultaneously in a short space of time. Hence, smartphones and tablets are a useful tool for young people to learn from.

With more people using digital media in their everyday lives, online learning has become increasingly popular. Current trends in online learning include: 1. Smartphone and Tablet Usage

In the UK, 96% of young people (aged 16-24) own a smartphone and 67% of people use their mobile devices to learn.

As people lead busier lifestyles, they want a convenient way of accessing information on the go.

2. Cloud Learning

Interaction between students, their lecturers, their peers and with the content of the course is vital to keep students happy and reduce attrition rates.

Cloud learning is the use of a Virtual Learning Environment. VLEs allow students to have access to course materials whenever it is convenient for them and they also contain online past papers and quizzes to further test themselves with. Students become more engaged with the course content if they can view it online and take control of their own learning.

It is also imperative for students to have a line of communication with their lecturers. Lack of interaction between students and lecturers can lead to confusion about the course content and student dissatisfaction with the course. Cloud learning allows students to take part in online discussion forums with their lecturers and peers to instantly clarify anything and ask questions.

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TECHTALK

One of the most interesting features about MOOCs is that students can pick and choose different elements they would like to study; it is essentially a ‘buffet of learning’

References: • Elucidat. (2016). Profile of the modern learner – helpful facts and stats (infographic). Available at: goo.gl/vM15nL • McGoonan, C. (2016). ‘YouTube is now more popular than Google.com on desktop computers.’ The Telegraph, 1 February 2016. Available at: https://goo.gl/enrQWi • Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

• Statista. (2017). Number of smartphone users worldwide from 2014 to 2020 (in billions). Available at: https://goo.gl/dUvbzj • Statista. (2017). UK: smartphone ownership by age from 20122017. Available at: https://goo.gl/D75ZTv

3. Video Lectures

Watching videos online is increasingly popular with young adults, the hours that people watch on video sharing websites such as YouTube, increases by 60% every year.

Videos are popular because they engage the viewers by providing them with both auditory and visual cues. It is also often easier to digest information from a video than it is to read text.

Video lectures are progressive way to learn, as unlike face-to-face lectures, students can replay it as many times as they need. The ability to repeat the lecture is also a useful tool for revision.

With video lectures, students can take their time to familiarise themselves with the course content and ensure they understand the topics. They can additionally pause the video to search for things they’re not sure of and make notes.

4. Learning Through Gaming

In a bid to make courses more interactive, course content could be delivered through video games in the future. The further introduction of technology such as virtual reality with the Samsung Gear VR, can create an active approach to learning.

Games teach students co-operation, teamwork and concentration. The interactivity of the game means students are directly engaged with the course content and are more likely to retain information from the game over usual methods such as reading.

5. MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses)

MOOCs are courses available to access online, content is free, but courses are not always standardised and tested. Instead, they focus on teaching the student useful skills and allow them to control their own learning outcomes.

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Unit No. C-7-4 Wisma Goshen Plaza Pantai No.5 Persiaran Pantai Baru 59200 Kuala Lumpur Telephone: 03 - 2284 6200 Fax: 03 – 2283 6220 • PLAZA PANTAI is a landmark on the side of Federal Highway, with its high visibility.

• It is adjacent to Menara TM, an iconic state of the art building headquarters of Malaysia’s leading integrated telecommunications company.

• It has a train station (LRT Kerinchi station) located within the building itself.

• From the LRT Kerinchi station, it takes less than 10 minutes to LRT KL Sentral station, Malaysia’s largest transit hub, which also includes hotels, office towers, condominiums and shopping malls.

• It is located in between Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya.

• About 10 to 15 minutes drive to Kuala Lumpur city centre.

• Less than 2km away from University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia oldest and most esteemed university.

FEATURE

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WRITTEN BY KATHRYN WOODHEAD | EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

New Healthcare Streams

for the IFD Qualification

Darrell McGivern is our Head of Product in the Product Development department. He has been working with NCC Education for two and a half years and his role is to oversee the development of new course materials for our Accredited Partner Centres.

Darrell is currently working on a project involving the creation of a new International Foundation Diploma - Healthcare stream, which will be available to teach in September 2018 (resources will be launched in Spring 2018).

Kathryn Woodhead speaks to Darrell McGivern to find out more...

What can you tell us about the new IFD healthcare stream?

carefully selected the right content for the course.

We therefore, conducted detailed market research to ensure that students got the best possible experience.

What can students expect from this course?

We also spoke to IFD centres during this development stage, asking them to give us feedback on our ideas. One of the things we picked up on was that a lot of centres would prefer theory-based courses because they might not have access to lab equipment. We then made sure to develop theorybased chemistry and biology materials, but for extra added-value, we also included optional lab exercises for centres that have the equipment.

It will be made up of two modules, chemistry and biology at Level 3. It’s designed to provide students with the necessary skills to progress onto healthcare-related courses at university.

There are 12 different topics; each topic has a PowerPoint for lecturers, lab exercises and written exercises for students to complete.

In Chemistry, you can learn about topics such as; the Periodic Table, chemical reactions, chemical structures, bonding and formulas.

Biology covers the features of living organisms and human biology the nervous system, skeletons and muscles.

What type of skills will students pick up on this course?

Analytical skills, students will learn about complex scientific theories and how to analyse data. They can also work on their mathematical skills, especially in chemistry where there are formulas and equations to utilise.

How are the students assessed for this course?

Students will be assessed through examinations, everything is theory-based, so they will be tested on what they’ve learnt during lectures and tutorials.

They will also have access to sample exams and mark schemes, so they can familiarise themselves with how they’re going to be assessed.

What have been the challenges in developing this stream?

With it being a new pathway, we had to make sure we

What type of study can a student go onto after completing this course?

Aside from degrees in chemistry and biology, we anticipate progression routes will soon be available in chemical, gas engineering and healthcare degrees, such as nursing, pharmacy, psychology, midwifery, optometry and dentistry.

It’s a good course to take if you’re interested in working in the public health sector.

What are the requirements for centres to teach this course?

They need to have teaching staff with a minimum of a Level 4 Diploma in chemistry/biology and have teaching experience or a teaching qualification. It’s not necessary to have lab equipment as the course is based on theoretical science.

Who can apply to study the IFD healthcare diploma?

Any student who has completed secondary education in a range of appropriate subjects (such as science, biology and chemistry) can apply.

They must score at least 4.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or have completed our free NCC Education Standard English Placement Test at one of our Accredited Partner Centres

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INSIGHT

What does a business degree pathway mean?

With so many ways to study for a business degree, NCC Education’s Regional Director for Europe and Latin America Andrew Rennie tells CONNECTED what a business degree pathway is and what students can expect to achieve at the end of their studies.

WRITTEN BY ANDREW RENNIE | EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER As a director working across different continents with a variety of students from all different backgrounds, there can often be confusion (especially for international students) as to what different types of business degrees there are and ways in which people can study for them.

One question I often get asked is, ‘What does a Business Degree Pathway mean?’

The word ‘pathway’ simply means - it is the route to how the degree is obtained. So, students who take a route (pathway) gain a full degree, just as if they had done it the conventional way, i.e. - three years study at university.

Business degree pathways enable students to gain a full business degree by doing what is known as a ‘top-up’ year. To enrol on a top-up year, students must have a level 5 diploma or a HND in a relevant subject.

Students who have already studied at Level 4 and 5 with NCC Education find that our approach to learning gives them the transferable skills needed to complete the full undergraduate business degree pathway. Through our stackable degree offering, they earn certificates after year one and two, giving them more flexibility and options should their personal or professional circumstances or situations change.

The course credits students take along their journey as part of their Level 4 and 5 build up a range of skills, increasing their employability opportunities. Unlike some education providers, our approach to flexibility allows students to study full or part time. We also consider applications from other level 5 qualifications like BTEC HNDs in business related subjects.

With the challenges faced by many overseas students, we find that this flexibility helps students to do well, rather than impose restrictions such as looming deadlines.

What’s more, NCC Education offers the level 4 and 5 diplomas in business across many of its Accredited Partner Centres, which can be found in nearly 50 countries.

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Once a student successfully completes level 4 or 5, they then have the option to either seek direct entry into one of the UK’s many business schools, joining year 2 or year 3. Alternatively, they can remain at home and complete the final year online securing the University of Worcester BA (Hons) Business Administration degree.

Students who are fortunate enough to be able to complete their undergraduate studies abroad, i.e. in the UK, get the international campus experience and live the typical student way of life. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford that option. However, undertaking routes to degrees, such as by doing an online ‘top-up’, gives the student exactly the same degree of the same worth!

So, if you have studied online to gain your Business Degree Pathway, it holds the same recognition and has the same merit as if it were studied in a face-to-face environment!

Another question I also get asked, ‘What can I do with a business degree?’

A Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration will give the graduate vast opportunities for career progression.

Popular job roles for this type of degree include: • Business analyst • Salesperson • Human resources generalist • Operations manager • Marketer Business management or business administration (both terms are commonly used interchangeably) is a wide field that can incorporate many types of management positions in various functional areas.

From major corporations to smaller, independent businesses, every operation within the business needs skilled administrators and managers to function effectively.

Some business administration graduates may venture into entrepreneurship, creating their own successful enterprises whilst others may go into teaching. The NCC Education business programmes give students the skills and insight into the world of international business they need to be successful.

INSIGHT

INSIGHT

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Andrew Rennie with Lana from Serbia at the University of Worcester graduation ceremony, and one of our NCC Education prize winners in 2016.

Whether you complete a degree pathway or a full three-year straight degree, either online or in the classroom, the opportunities are endless but depends largely on how the learner effectively uses these transferable skills and knowledge.

A business degree pathway with NCC Education, run in partnership with the University of Worcester, has been prepared by some of the most revered business academics in the UK education industry. The fact that many students who choose this route are international is considered throughout the programme, almost giving an edge to students over those who choose traditional study.

Ultimately, there is no compromise on quality or teaching standards when it comes to considering a business degree pathway.

Here are just some of the transferable skills the learner will gain from a business degree pathway: • An understanding of how organisations function internationally • Strong communication skills (oral and written) • Analytical and critical thinking • Problem solving • Decision making • Logical thinking • Presentation and report writing skills • Numeracy and an understanding of how to interpret and use financial data • Data analysis • Self-motivation, initiative and self-promotion • Effective time-management • Project and resource management • An understanding of economic fluctuations and other external changes affecting business internationally • A variety of different business software applications

NCC Education currently have plans to launch our own level 6 diploma in Business from late 2018, and this will be offered through our network of Accredited Partner Centres for classroom delivery. More information to follow next year.

We have students studying on the programme from as far as Jamaica in the west, Mongolia in the east, Finland in the north and South Africa in the South. The syllabus is international in content and a truly modern international classroom as you would expect from NCC Education. The students are guided and supported by an expert team based here in the UK of both business professional and experienced online teachers.

I followed a very similar journey when I was younger and at University. I was never very keen on study after leaving school and I was drawn towards a BTEC HND in Business and Finance over two years, and then having enjoyed the experience I enrolled on a one-year top-up degree in Business Administration at a different university. My degree studies were completed over a three-year period, like those above and I got the opportunity to study at two different business schools. This gave me the appetite to continue further and at the same time I enjoyed learning about business. Once I had my degree I decided to continue to a master’s qualification. I’m still learning but without those formal qualifications at the beginning of my career many invaluable experiences and opportunities would not have happened.

More information about our BA (Hons) Business Administration degree can be found here together with an application form: http://www.nccedu.com/qualification/ba-hons-businessadministration-2/ If you are a teaching centre and interested in offering the NCC Education business degree pathway please contact me for more information in becoming a member of our Accredited Partner Centres network

CREDIT ACCUMULATION TABLE

The Credit Accumulation Table gives you a guide to how this step by step approach works in terms of awards, levels, credit value and how it equates to a traditionally taught full time three-year degree programme.

Award

Higher Education Level Credit Value

Full time degree equivalence

NCC Education Diploma in Business

Level 4 (L4)

120 Credits

Year 1

NCC Education Diploma in Business

Level 5 (L5)

240 Credits (120 credits at Year 2 L4 and 120 credits at L5)

B.A. (Hons) Business Administration (An online top-up degree taught by NCC Education, awarded and validated by the University of Worcester)

Level 6 (L6)

360 Credits (120 credits at L4 plus 120 credits at L5 plus 120 credits at L6)

NCC Education, awarded and validated by the University of Worcester)

Year 3

120 credits at L5 plus 120 credits at L6)

Year 3

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PRESS RELEASE

EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

NCC Education Selects ProTech’s Cloud-Based CRM & Digital Solution to Enhance Customer Service, Improve Operational Productivity, Efficiency and Support Business Strategy

ProTech’s digital platform ProWeb and its specialist CRM software Pro9, delivering a highly secure, integrated web and CRM solution hosted in ProTech’s ProCloud, has been chosen from a shortlist of competitive solutions to deliver an Awarding Body Management System for NCC Education. The ProTech solution will significantly improve NCC Education’s levels of customer service, reduce its operating costs and support its business strategy to deliver a web based communications channel for its customers, employee users and learners.

“Our current Awarding Body Management System, developed around ten years ago, is now constrained by physical and technological limitations,” said Emma Dawkins, Director of Qualifications and Academic Delivery for NCC Education, a leading awarding body and global provider of high quality British education qualifications, recognised by universities, professional bodies and employers worldwide. NCC Education currently offers its complete education solution through its global network of Accredited Partner Centres in more than 50 countries worldwide.

“As our Awarding Body Management System is now out dated it does not integrate fully or in some areas at all, with other systems we deploy,” continued Dawkins. “This has resulted in our inability to take advantage of modern technology and its application in innovative teaching delivery and assessment activity which are at the core of an awarding organisation.”

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One of the key criteria in the selection of ProTech as NCC Education’s preferred CRM provider was its ability to provide an integrated web and CRM solution that supported the delivery of a cloud-based Awarding Body Management System. This will enable NCC Education to move away from its existing ‘on premise’ system thereby removing the need to manage and support the infrastructure required to host the CRM and digital solution.

NCC Education’s Awarding Body Management System will be hosted in ProTech’s ProCloud, a highly secure, always available, fully serviced managed Cloud infrastructure, supported 24x7, 365

by ProTech’s front line support team.

The implementation of ProTech’s Pro9 software delivering CRM, Education, Record Management, Sales & Marketing and Sales Ledger modules, specifically designed for the Not for Profit (NFP) sector integrated with ProTech’s ProWeb

digital platform, will ensure that NCC Education’s Awarding Body Management System will be scalable, flexible and adaptable to meet its current and future business requirements, providing crucial integration with other major systems it uses.

ProWeb will allow ProTech to design and build a new Centre Portal for NCC Education that will initially provide an online interface for its Accredited Partner Centres.

The Centre Portal will enable NCC Education’s Accredited Partner Centres to perform additional online activities including: registering students and their individual profile, register students onto their specific qualification journeys, schedule exams, conduct online exam assessments, receive qualification results, monitor and track students’ progress, throughout their learning journey and to download and view key resources.

The integration of ProWeb and Pro9 will enable NCC Education to fully leverage data captured from our corporate website and Centre Portal and to crucially share it across the organisation delivering a richness of data that was not previously possible

~Emma Dawkins

PRESS RELEASE ProTech’s cloud-based solution will compliment NCC Education’s existing Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) ensuring that it offers learner-led and customised features in line with and exceeding those of other VLE’s currently on the market.

“We chose ProTech as its team quickly understood our business requirements. It was clear that the team’s pragmatic and transparent approach would ensure that a partnering relationship would be established with NCC Education’s project team,” Dawkins added.

Business benefits to be delivered will include: user accounts fully integrated with NCC Education’s main student and Centre Portal database, automated workflow, and integrated document management across the organisation. More importantly, NCC Education’s financial processes and data will now be integrated with its accounting system.

“ProTech has met our key objective around the replacement of our existing Awarding Body Management System as it will enable efficient manageability and sustainability of our systems through controlled development and systems integration. At the same time, it will support and deliver

Following on from the success of Digi, a brand-new website has been launched to promote Digi as a standalone course, separate from the other NCC Education qualifications.

The website has been carefully designed to appeal to its target market of children with its use of bright colours and playful imagery.

Parents and prospective centres can also view detailed programme information, sample materials and case studies. Amongst some of the new features is the ‘Info Hub’; showcasing key aspects of the curriculum and providing some of the latest news in computing and tech.

Martin Buck, our Global Product Manager in charge of Digi, is pleased with the creation of Digi’s

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customer self-service and drive out waste and zero value workflow and processes,” said Dawkins.

The deployment of ProTech’s integrated web and CRM is a key element of NCC Education’s overall business strategy to implement an integrated IT and CRM solution.

The objective is for the solution to support the operational management and delivery of NCC Education’s core teaching and assessments business and deliver a web based communications channel for its customers and employee users enabling a direct relationship with its learners

ite s b e w w e n for digi new platform and said, “We are thrilled to launch the new Digi website and to provide a dedicated online space for our fantastic range of computing programmes for schools.

development of digital skills and building a core understanding of computer science in the 21st Century.

The Digi programmes are split over four key stages, each containing expertly written student and teacher books and additional online learning content.

“NCC Education is proud to be playing our part in shaping the future of computing and the new Digi website provides a great opportunity for people to find out about how we are supporting different schools around the world to deliver the highest quality Computing education to their students.”

The programmes are designed to be taught across 11 years of schooling and pay close attention to the four pillars of Digi; coding, computational thinking, online safety and digital literacy.

Based on the English National Curriculum for Computing, Digi programmes focus on the

The new website is expected to provide Digi with plenty of exciting opportunities for growth.

You can visit the new Digi website at

www.studydigi.com

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FEATURE

WRITTEN BY MARTIN BUCK

| EDITED BY KERRY VOELLNER

ARE YOU READY FOR THE

Digital Revolut Food security was defined by the United Nations in 1948 as a basic human right.

For many governments and world organisations, ensuring ‘digital skills security’ - having access to the required skills training, sufficient and safe access to the digital world - may be the new challenge of our time!

The rapid evolution of digital technologies and big data is transforming our personal and professional lives. We are living through an unprecedented digital revolution with the potential to impact the economic prosperity of people in all corners of the world.

In the UK, for example, 30% of all current jobs will be affected by advancements in automation by the early 2030s. We are set for a huge, technology driven, shake-up in the decades to come. The question is, are we ready for this? Will we be ahead of the technological curve or behind it in the years ahead?

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Given the incredible digital backdrop to virtually all aspects of modern life, education has never felt so important; in providing that range of skills and understanding necessary to survive in – indeed thrive in - the new digital world and economies.

As a recent and widely publicised report from the UK’s Royal Society put it, ‘Computing

education must enable young people to keep up with the pace of technological change so that they can remain effective, well informed and safe citizens’

(see royalsociety.org/computingeducation).

The challenge for governments, industries, relevant non-profit organisations and educational bodies is to encourage a comprehensive and sustainable digital skills set which will safeguard peoples’ livelihoods and national prosperity as we move further into the 21st century.

All governments have their work cut out to meet this challenge.

In England, 11% of students took Computer Science at GCSE in the 2016/17 academic year, and only 5% of Computer Science graduates are currently working in education.

However, things are beginning to change here in the UK and elsewhere around the world.

A new National Curriculum for Computing, launched in the UK at the end of 2013, aims to vastly improve digital literacy in British schools, creating a generation much more able to ‘use and express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world’.

One key focus of the new curriculum is the ability to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of Computer Science, and there is no shortage of ambition in the new requirements provided to schools around, for example, the teaching of coding.

Students at Primary Key Stage 1 (5-6 years old) are now expected to be able to ‘create and debug simple programmes’ and by the time they are studying in Secondary Key Stage 3 (11-13 years old)

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they must be able to ‘use two or more programming languages … to undertake creative projects that involve selecting, using, and combining multiple applications, preferably across a range of devices’.

This is a hugely ambitious approach to facilitating the delivery of 21st century digital life skills in schools and we are seeing similar initiatives in many countries around the world, as recognition of the importance of Computing education for future economic and social prosperity grows.

An emerging ambition around the world, driven by new national curricula and standards, is to move students away from being merely passive consumers of software packages. The intention is for students to be active producers of new and innovative computing artefacts; to truly have the skills and understanding to change the world, to create the next M-Pesa (the micro-payment platform which has taken parts of Africa by storm in the last 10 years, supported small businesses and is lauded for helping reduce poverty) or Seeing AI application (the free narration software helping to transform the lives of those with visual impairments).

A grand ambition indeed. But can it be realised? Well, according to The Royal Society’s 2017 report After the reboot: computing education in UK schools there are significant challenges still to overcome. For example; around addressing the significant gender imbalance in computing, increasing uptake at Level 2 (GCSE) and recruiting and supporting the school teachers tasked with delivering such a new set of digital skills to their students.

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Indeed, nearly half of all secondary teachers in the UK surveyed by The Royal Society only felt confident teaching the lower stages of the new computing curriculum, with nearly a quarter indicating they had not undertaken and professional development related to computing within the last year.

The need to support schools in the UK and internationally with the implementation of a new computer science focussed curriculum and especially to provide supporting resources for teachers in their day to day classes, is being addressed

by NCC Education.

Launched this year, NCC Education’s Digi programmes align with the National Curriculum for Computing (for ages 5 – 16 years) and allow schools to effortlessly deliver up-to-date computing classes which cover digital literacy, online safety, computational thinking and coding. All student and teacher resources are provided to our partner schools, together with supplementary online material, certification, assessment and qualifications at each key stage.

The digital revolution is here? Are we ready? At NCC Education we believe Digi students around the world will answer a resounding and confident ‘yes!’.

Find out more about the English National Computing curriculum at www.gov.uk Read The Royal Society full report at www.royalsociety.org/ computing-education and take a closer look at NCC Educations fantastic new Digi programmes at www.studydigi.com

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ISSUE 1 • 2018

International

FOUNDATION DIPLOMA

Progression with over 50 university partners

United Kingdom Abertay University Aberytwyth University Aston University Birmingham City University Bangor University De Montfort University Glasgow Caledonian University Heriot-Watt University Kingston University London Leeds Beckett University Liverpool John Moores University London Metropolitan University Northampton University Northumbria University Nottingham Trent University Oxford Brookes University Plymouth University Sheffield Hallam University Teesside University Staffordshire University

The University of Central Lancashire The University of Northampton The University of Nottingham University of Cardiff University of Derby University of Essex University of Gloucestershire University of Leeds University of Liverpool University of London University of the West of England University of the West of Scotland University of Westminster University of Wolverhampton University of Worcester University of York

Ireland Galway-Mayo Institute of IT National College of Ireland

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USA Berkeley College Carroll University Eastern Connecticut State University Heidelberg University Humboldt State University Southern Oregon University The University of Vermont University of Idaho University of North Alabama Australia CQ University Australia Taylors College Canada Fraser International College Thompson Rivers University *subject to meeting selection criteria Ofqual regulated qualification

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