LIST OF ACHIEVEMENTS
2007
Lisa McMurray won “Scotland’s Jobfinder of the Year” at LearnDirect Scotland’s Celebration of Learning
Lisa had been a single parent to a 15 year old and in her new relationship had another child of 6. She spent much of her time caring for own family and for an aunt, leaving little time for herself. She was diagnosed as clinically depressed.
She enrolled on our year long Women into Technology Course in 2004 gaining SQA modules and the ECDL. She very quickly overcame her fear, anxiety and lack of confidence about returning to learning and completed all work by the end of that same year, which was astounding and was achieve
d solely through hard work, quick understanding and motivation.
In January 2005 she progressed to the IT Essentials course and found she had a real aptitude for the more technical aspects of technology. With this in mind and inspired by her new found confidence in herself she then enrolled on our CISCO Networking course which is designed to be completed in 12 months. Lisa completed 3/4 of the course in just 7 months. In her final semester she voluntarily designed, drew up layouts, schedules and equipment lists for a new IT network for a local company. This saved the company in financial costs and gained her first hand `live’ experience.
On completion of her course she passed the final CCNA exam and gaining the industry recognized qualification set about actively looking for work. She is now working as an IT/Network Engineer, traveling all over the world.
Lisa is an inspiration to us all, have progressed from her experience as a single parent, living on income support and suffering from clinical depression. Having seen her achievements other members of her family have now enrolled with us.
Her motivation and methodical way of working were exemplary and she models an active way of learning and shows what can be achieved through drive, determination and self belief.
Lisa won the Fife Adult Learner’s IT Award in 2006 and in September this year won “Scotland’s Jobfinder of the Year” at LearnDirect Scotland’s Celebration of Learning.
"Senior Learner of the Year"
Linda Hunter, one of our Women into Technology Trainees who completed in the summer of 2007, was shortlisted at the LearnDirect Scotland’s Celebration of Learning for “Senior Learner of the Year”.
"Overcoming Personal Barriers"
Kathleen Duncan, one of our Women into Technology Trainees who completed in the summer of 2007, was shortlisted at the LearnDirect Scotland’s Celebration of Learning for “Overcoming Personal Barriers”
Both Linda and Kathleen were shortlisted from over 2,000 entries.
Won the Scottish Adult Learning Partnership—Good Practice Award for Sustainability.
Filmed by LearnDirect Scotland as a Centre of Best Practice and Excellence for our CISCO Networking course. To encourage the UK Government to fund existing Centres rather than build new ones. The emphasis was on gender and women into training. To be shown at the Scottish Parliament 29th and 30th January at the World Leaders Forum. Chaired by Gordon Brown and Guest Speaker Bill Gates from Microsoft.
2006
Two former trainees won Awards at the Fife Adult Learners Awards Ceremony held in the Rothes Halls, Glenrothes—Information Technology Award and Workplace Learner Award.
One of our trainees won the Career Changer of the Year Award at the LearnDirect Scotland Celebration of Learning 2006.
Two members of staff were asked to deliver a workshop at the Women’s Engineering Society Conference. The workshop was entitled “The Lost Women”.
LearnDirect Scotland came to the Centre to film work on The Projekt (a short course run for 14-16 year olds during the summer) and our work with Alternative Curriculum students from local schools.
Created a new training course NQ Introduction to Creative Technologies which commenced in August for 16-24 year old women.
Gained Gold Award from Scotland’s Health at Work.
2005
One of our Women into Technology Groups scooped the Group Award from the Adult Learners Award Ceremony in May this year.
Our Young Engineers Club were asked to participate in reading books for the Junior category of the Aventis Prizes for Science Books. They were one of only 8 groups selected from Scotland.
FWTC won the Best Practice Award in ICT and were commended for the Equal Opportunities Award at the European Social Fund Objective 3 Awards.
Gained Silver Award status from Scotlands Health at Work (SHAW). They have asked to use our “Steps around the World” initiative as a model of Best Practice for future participants in this scheme.
BBC Big Challenge Health Works Award—won Most Improved Employer in the BBC Radio Scotland area. The BBC would also like to feature the Centre as a case study for their website.
Commendation from LearnDirect Scotland for Learning Centre of the Year Award, shortlisted from over 490 branded learning centres in local communities all over Scotland. For this we had to demonstrate excellence in training in line with the LearnDirect Scotland pledge to learners.
Lesley-Anne Mitchell, originally a Core student who progressed to the A+ course, won the Fife Information Technology Learners’ Award, in recognition of her achievements as an Adult Learner. She was also one of five nominated for the Overall Fife Adult Learner’s 2005 Award.
2004
Former trainee Sarah Williamson was awarded a Certificate of Merit from Heriot Watt University after successfully completing year two of the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Degree
Six trainees were nominated for the Adult Learner Awards
Centre Manager Lorraine Clark received a Certificate of Recognition from the Elsie’s Hidden Heroine Awards
FWTC won the prestigious Scottish National Training Award. The NTA’s are widely recognised as the UK’s premier accolade for organisations and individuals that have achieved excellence through training
Young Engineers Club started at FWTC
Admin volunteers received a Certificate of Merit from Volunteers in Fife Agency
Gained Bronze Award status from Scotlands Health at Work (SHAW)
Former trainee Angela Rattray received the prestigious Caroline Haslett Award
Jackie Millen (former trainee) won a LearnDirect Champion Learner Award
Pupils from Queen Anne High School completed pilot course in Computer Maintenance
2003
Achieved Microsoft Academy status
Student won prestigious Caroline Haslett Engineering Award
Former FWTC student won The Robert Wilson Award for best HND
‘student of the year’ at the Institute of Applied Technology
Successfully attained Coalfield Regeneration Trust Funding for ‘IT on
Wheels’ outreach programme
FWTC became Approved City and Guilds Centre
Two former FWTC students achieved Diageo Engineering Awards for 1st and 2nd year ‘students of the year’ respectively
Seven FWTC students received Adult Learner Awards Certificates in recognition of their learning achievements
CISCO students gaining CNAP qualifications to date = 100%
Of current CNAP programme 42% students have secured employment in this field
Awarded SQMS branding
Former trainee Sharon McDade won the Scottish Job Finder of the Year and was named Scottish Champion Learner of the Year at the first ever LearnDirect Scotland Celebration of Learning in Edinburgh.
Two of our Women into Networking trainees were chosen to help install the network at the CISCO International Conference in Edinburgh
2002
We launched our unique Women into Networking course and were recognised by CISCO worldwide in their paper “Support for Gender Strategies in the CISCO Networking Academy Program” 2001
Achieved Learndirect Branding
First Prometric Testing Centre in Fife
We were promoted and highlighted by IIP in their publications as a model of good practice—they produced an extensive article about FWTC and it’s work
One of our students won the “Young Scot” Adult Learner Award in the National Awards
A further student won the individual Adult Learner Award for the whole of Fife
Three students from FWTC gained Adult Learner Certificates of Achievement and Awards in recognition for their Achievement in Adult Teaching in the National round of awards
We are the first in Fife to offer full training in A+ Certified Computer Technician Training
We were contacted and visited by The Head of International Affairs and Principal of Uppsala University in Sweden, along with dignitaries from three of Sweden’s technical schools, with the express desire to establish a partnership with FWTC.
At the official launch of IAT the then Minister for Lifelong Learning, Wendy
Alexander, praised FWTC in her opening speech, specifically for being instrumental in increasing the number of women into Engineering courses at IAT by 30%. She went on to say that FWTC was working with IAT in increasing the number of women attending these courses, as the continued under-representation of women was no longer acceptable.
2001
Approached by the Institute of Applied Technology (IAT) to assist in recruitment, retention and delivery of `Women into Engineering’ courses
We scored first and third highest in Scotland for our ESF Applications for the Women into Technology Course and Women into Networking Course respectively
A further student was awarded The UDV Guinness Engineering Scholarship
Two of our students won an Engineering Scholarship named the Caroline Haslett Award from the Institution of Incorporated Engineers
We piloted our CISCO Networking Academy Program for both men and women— part of which currently runs one evening per week
2000
Rachel Squire MP opened our Technical Learning Centre and we launched an Open Learning and one day training facility for both men and women
We launched our website: www.fwtc.net
and achieved Investors In People (IIP) in a record two months of application
1999
We achieved the Adult Learners ESF Group Award
1998
Formalised official partnership with Fife College
A student won the prestigious Lady Finnisten Award from the Women’s
Engineering Society and was presented with the award by the then Chair of the Society, Phillipa Ayton