Cogent: Interactive Energy PC CD-ROM for schools receives Gold Award
Energy Foresight’s interactive PC CD-ROM; Electrical Energy, Production and Distribution, has achieved the Gold Award for e-Learning at the International Visual Communication Association (IVCA) awards ceremony held at The Grosvenor House Hotel in London on Friday 4th April.
The innovative PC CD-ROM will be offered via the National Skills Academy Nuclear as part of its portfolio of products aimed at supporting the uptake of science and technology skills.
The film is for 14-16 year old science students and provides a comprehensive outline of different forms of energy production and distribution, asking the question: how we can use energy efficiently whilst meeting demand and reducing CO2 emissions?
Electrical Energy, Production and Distribution is produced by Energy Foresight and will be a key resource in schools across the UK for Key Stage 4 students studying the QCA National Curriculum for Science. The programme includes full training for teachers using the resource. The award judges commented, “This effective programme used core learning principles effectively blended with interactive elements to make important but difficult concepts accessible to the target audience.”
The Energy Foresight programme is one of the first products on offer via the newly established National Skills Academy for Nuclear. The Skills Academy is an employer led organisation which has been established to create, develop and promote world-class skills and career Pathways to support a sustainable future for the UK Nuclear industry.
Jean Llewellyn, Chief Executive of the National Skills Academy;
“This award reflects the time and effort which has been put into this product from everyone involved. The Energy Foresight film is paramount to the work which the Skills Academy is undertaking to highlight STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) both as a higher education route and career choice. This is an exciting time for the Nuclear sector, over the next ten years alone the sector will need between 5,900 to 9,700 Graduates and 2,700 to 4,500 Skilled Trades personnel to meet the needs of the industry. I congratulate Energy Foresight on their achievement, and highlight this as an excellent example of the standard of products which will be offered via the Skills Academy.”
Peter Waller, Energy Foresight Managing Director;
“We are so pleased to have all the effort invested into this new interactive film recognized by the IVCA through this award. With its new e-learning approach and interactive ‘circuit diagram’ whiteboard screen menu system students will be able to fully engage with the material individually and in groups. My thanks go to the production team and, of course, our sponsor – the National Skills Academy for Nuclear.”
The National Skills Academy for Nuclear is a subsidiary of Cogent Sector Skills Council, Mervin Dadd, Cogent Director of External Affairs added:
“We are delighted that Energy Foresight has received this award, supporting its mission to bring energy issues to a much wider audience.
“The PC CD-ROM will support teachers in bringing balanced information on energy matters into the classroom as well as helping them to deliver the national curriculum and furthering the all-important STEM agenda.”
He added: “Part of Cogent’s role is to promote careers in this dynamic sector, and when taking the message out to careers fairs, interactive and visually stimulating methods are much more likely to engage teachers and students alike.”
-Ends-
Notes to editors
1. The National Skills Academy network will be the new gold standard for industry training, aiming to improve productivity and tackle skills shortages across the UK. Each National Skills Academy puts employers at the heart of skills training for their sector: they influence the curriculum to ensure it reflects employers’ needs; get involved in the Academy’s management; set standards and influence strategic direction.
National Skills Academies aim to:
· deliver high quality training for a specific sector
· provide first-class teaching in a modern learning environment
· be centres of innovation and creativity in skills development for their sector
· be flexible, sustaining the closest possible relationships with employers of all sizes
· build specialist networks with a range of other learning providers, so that new thinking, new methods and higher standards are shared, to the benefit of learners and employers.
The National Skills Academy network was initiated by the Government to address the need for a world class workforce with better skills than ever before. It is managed by the Learning and Skills Council working in partnership with the Department for Innovation Universities and Skills, the Sector Skills Development Agency and the Department Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
For more information see: www.nationalskillsacademy.co.uk
2. Cogent is the Sector Skills Council for the chemicals, pharmaceuticals, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. It is the voice of employers in these sectors and is working with them to create a skills environment that businesses need to be innovative, competent, productive and sustainable.
For further information contact:
Judith Cowan on 01925 515 215
judith.cowan@cogent-ssc.com
Or Mervin Dadd on 01925 515 212
mervin.dadd@cogent.ssc.com
The development of the NSA concept
The NSA policy initiative was first announced in the 2005 Skills White Paper which included a commitment to establish a network of Academies covering each major sector of the economy. The White Paper referred to the need to build on existing models, and it also gave a commitment that employers were going to be given the lead role in developing Academies. The White Paper said that beyond some general principles the Government ‘will not prescribe what an Academy should be’ and ‘it will be for the employers in each sector to take the initiative in working out the approach that will best meet their needs’.
3. Energy Foresight is a programme of YF (Education & Training) Limited, a company specialising in the production of educational training films and support materials for teachers and pupils. When completed, the current programme phase, sponsored by the National Skills Academy for Nuclear, will have delivered Energy Foresight materials and teacher training to half the secondary schools in the country.
Energy Foresight is built on the highly successful Young Foresight programme which develops young people’s innovation skills. A further major programme – Making Sense of Health – has been piloted in 400 schools over a range of ages from 7 to 16. It provides a one-stop health resource for teachers, parents and students, and encourages the consideration of careers in the health industry.
For further information contact:
Derek Wordley on 020 7793 1882
derek.wordley@energyforesight.org
Notes and Contact Details
Additional press and media enquiries should be made in the first instance to Mary Kinsella Communications Manager, National Skills Academy for Nuclear or 01925 607044
Kate Hutchins
Cogent Sector Skills Council
Unit 5
Mandarin Court
Centre Park
Warrington WA1 1GG
Tel: 01925 515220
Fax: 01925 515240
