ACTD has successfully bid for over £200,000 for Showcase for the next 2 years. Over 40 small ceramic manufacturers, many of them showing for the first time, were participating in the fifth annual Ceramic Showcase Trade Show at the King's Hall in Stoke Civic Centre which took place at the beginning of February.
The event was officially opened by the Minister for Small Companies and E-Commerce, Patricia Hewitt MP and invitations had been sent to around 6,000 trade buyers, ceramic stockists and specialist organisations such as tourist attractions.
Orders written came to over £350,000. The exhibitors and Showcase Organisers were delighted with this.
In addition to invited trade customers, Showcase officials were also expecting a number of VIP visitors to call into the Showcase, including the Lord Mayor of Stoke-of-Trent, Barbara Dunne, John Rudge, Footballing Executive of Stoke City FC, and Malcolm Harbour, local Member of European Parliament.
HOTHOUSE DEMONSTRATION OF VIRTUAL REALITY
At a recent Open Day at the HotHouse design centre in Longton, ceramic industry representatives were shown examples of virtual reality equipment by American manufacturers SensAble Technologies. The equipment is to be adapted for use in the ceramic industry within the next twelve months.
Andrew Briggs, Manager of the HotHouse announced that the centre was working with the American Company to carry out this work. 'We are buying into this technology so that when it is finally launched, the Stoke-on-Trent ceramic industry will be well ahead of the field as it will have been developed for their use', Mr Briggs said.
Funds of £40,000 will be used to buy into the development of the Phantom unit and Ghost programme so that key sculptor's tools, virtual clay formats and other design criteria can be met.
The HotHouse will also be linking with Staffordshire University advanced technology unit to research into the equipment. In addition, ceramic industry experts will work to produce a virtual reality system, expected to be commercially available within the next year.
The new technology being planned enables the user to actually touch the computer data. In this way designers can create and form an object. The design can then become a hard copy within hours using the HotHouse prototyping machines, thus reducing even more the expensive initial costs in creating a new shape or design. Hopefully when this technology is introduced it will ensure local manufacturers will become even more competitive in worldwide ceramic markets.
SKILLS FORESIGHT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The Association for Ceramic Training and Development has commissioned a Skills Foresight and Sector Workforce Development Plan for the ceramics industry. The research work was led by Diane Grayston of DG Associates and entailed extensive consultation with some 50 companies in the industry.
The research led to a strategic meeting of senior ceramic industry partners at the Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent in March. The findings and outcomes of this meeting will be published shortly. To see the Sector Workforce Development Plan, please go to xXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
ACTD's Chairman Peter McCarthy said 'XXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'. The Chief Executive of the Ceramic Industry Forum, Sue Evans, said 'XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX'.
NEW VOCATIONAL GCSEs
General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQs) are being replaced by Vocational GCSEs. These will still be practical-based qualifications normally achieved in school or college, but they will have direct parity with traditional, more academically-oriented qualifications.
Vocational GCSEs, available from September 2001, will cover a number of disciplines, all of which relate to a vocation: examples include Engineering, Art and Design, Manufacturing and Business. They are considered valuable in terms of giving young people insight into the world of work and preparing them for the real world. Vocational GCSEs will be recognised as successful alternatives to traditional subjects such as Maths, French and Science.
ACTD is working with the Learning and Skills Development Agency (previously known as the Further Education Development Agency - FEDA) to examine how Vocational GCSEs may be used for progression into employment in, for example, management or higher technical roles. This could be through initiatives such as Foundation and Advanced Modern Apprenticeships.
ACTD has also commissioned the development of teaching materials for use in schools and colleges: these will help to promote the image of the ceramics industry in a positive light and encourage more young people to join the industry. Guidance for teachers and employers on the effective management of work experience and work placements is also being developed and will be available shortly.
Vocational GCSEs...
- introduced in 2001
- practical qualifications aimed at young people...
- ...but available to anyone
- prepares people for work or as a passport to higher education
- normally delivered in college or school, ideally by a combination of school/college work and employer
- based on knowledge and understanding, rather than 'doing' in the workplace
- available at different levels depending on existing ability and knowledge
For more information, contact Keith Marsh on 01782 597019 or fill in our online contact form.
NEW CERAMIC MODERN APPRENTICESHIPS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The new Advanced Modern Apprenticeship scheme for ceramics has been approved by DfEE. The old 'MA' scheme has been extensively revised to attract more quality young people into the industry. Aimed at talented young people aged 16-24, the scheme provides the apprentice with employed status during their training; it also ensures that they receive the quality work-based training and experience they need to help to take our industry forward. It also includes 'transferable' Key Skills to help young people with career progression.
The Ceramic National Traineeship was launched into the industry in September 1998, to replace the Training Credits Scheme. An initiative for young people aged between 16-18 years entering the workforce, the scheme has been revised and retitled Foundation Modern Apprenticeship to comply with DfEE guidelines and the national framework. The FMA includes additional qualifications that can be achieved in the workplace.
The Foundation Modern Apprenticeship includes a foundation stage, Key skills in communication, application of number and information technology and a National Vocational Qualification (delivered where possible in- company), to demonstrate an individual is competent in their chosen occupation.
The Association for Ceramic Training and Development can provide information about possible placements. ACTD and the industry would like to see numbers of achievements increasing over the next few years.
If you know of anyone who may be interested in following a Foundation or Advanced Modern Apprenticeship programme, either now or in the future, please contact Keith Marsh at ACTD on 01782 597016 or fill in our online contact form.
INVESTORS IN PEOPLE
Several ceramic companies have now achieved the Investors in People standard. The standards themselves have been changed, making them far easier to understand, more flexible and meaningful, and demanding less bureaucracy in terms of paperwork and portfolios. Please contact your local Learning and Skills Council (see Useful Links) or Keith Marsh on 01782 597016.
YOUNG DESIGNERS HELPING SMALL CERAMIC COMPANIES
A group of six young designers from the HotHouse in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, are offering their design and technical knowledge to small ceramic manufacturers in a support training programme jointly arranged by the Association for Ceramic Training and Development and the HotHouse. It is expected that during their time within a factory environment, the designers will be able to offer ideas on new designs and on opportunities for new product development.
Five of the designers are spending fourteen weeks at the HotHouse as part of their post-graduate programme while one already has a studio within the HotHouse complex and works as a freelance design consultant. Each designer will be paid a bursary for the training work they undertake within the Companies and this will be taken from a grant made to Staffordshire Training and Enterprise Council from the European Social Fund.
The designers received training for this new initiative through various support networks such as Business Initiative and ACTD themselves, enabling them to understand the importance of cascading information on a variety of aspects. They also have background knowledge to enable them to explain the range of training and other forms of help available to small businesses.
As designers they have expertise ranging from surface pattern decoration through to sculptural modelling, so will be able to service the variety of requests from many small manufacturers who do not have their own design staff.
This new service has been promoted through the Ceramic Showcase information service, in which around 60 small companies take part each year. In addition approaches have been made to individual companies and anyone interested in participating can contact the HotHouse to discuss their requirements.
Manager of the HotHouse, Andrew Briggs says ' This is a training commitment extolling the importance of design and is an opportunity for these young designers to promote themselves while offering a vital information and practical service to small companies.'
This initial project is the pilot for a major project being planned by ACTD for 1999 based around the principle of cascading information through a number of areas. In addition, ACTD will be following up this initial design project with the Companies participating to see if it can be continued or extended.
From the designers point of view this first taste of commercial work and training opportunities may encourage some to go direct into industry or possibly to take up studios at the HotHouse and continue their initial contact with the many small ceramic manufacturers in Stoke-on-Trent.
CRAFT POTTERY NVQS
Craft Pottery NVQs are now available at Levels 2 and 3, covering a wide variety of traditional and contemporary skills as well as design and management. Whichford Pottery in Warwickshire are extensively trialling the new qualifications under the guidance of Elizabeth Monk, who developed the original standards on behalf of ACTD.
For more information on the new standards and NVQs, please call us or e-mail us for a leaflet.
CERAMIC MANUFACTURING NVQS AT LEVELS 1 AND 3 NOW AVAILABLE
ACTD has completed the development of new occupational standards and NVQs in ceramics at Levels 1 and 3, to complete the successful full suite of qualifications.
'Manufacturing Ceramic Products' NVQs, awarded by City & Guilds, are now available at Levels 1, 2 and 3. Over 3,000 certificates have already been issued at Level 2 and we are looking forward to a huge demand for the new qualifications, which ensure that over 90% of ceramic production occupations now covered. Employees at all levels, from design, demonstration, production, quality auditing, servicing the production line and a whole host of others can now achieve a qualification for the work they do, provided they meet the standard. Further development is also in the frame for Team Leader qualifications covering the leading of manufacturing production teams.
ACTD's Director Keith Marsh said...XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Please e-mail us for further information, or call Keith Marsh on 01782 597016.
MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
Management development for managers at all levels is being promoted extensively by the Association for Ceramic Training and Development, the Ceramic Industry Forum and other partners. Our industry can only remain competitive if its 'movers and shakers' have the leadership skills they need.
A number of initiatives are underway to assist managers at all levels with their development needs, including the development of Production Management standards and an NVQ at Level 3.
ACTD's Director Keith Marsh says 'The need for supervisory and management training at all levels within the ceramic industry was identified some time ago and the numbers of enquiries we have received have increased dramatically as more employees and managers buy into the idea of Lifelong Learning. It is good to know that people are recognising the need to develop their own management skills'.
Please contact Keith Marsh on 01782 597016 for further information.
PLEASE SEND US YOUR NEWS!
Thank you to the companies and colleagues who have submitted ideas, particularly those who have good news and examples of best practice to promote. Add this site to your 'favourites' for the latest company success news items - we will be posted some more shortly.
Please send us your news and ideas! You never know, something your company is doing may inspire other employees within the industry. You don't have to write the article - just send/e-mail/call us with some notes and we will follow it through. We look forward to hearing from you!
Story notes and photos should be marked for the attention of Keith Marsh, Association for Ceramic Training and Development (ACTD), St. James House, Webberley Lane, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST3 1RJ, or telephone on 01782 597016; fax: 01782-597015 or Email: actd@actd.co.uk.