futures
futures FEBRUARY 2009
10 HIGHER & FURTHER EDUCATION
PROJECTS CREATE JOBS
P
IONEERING projects from the
University of Cumbria have led to the
creation of 300 new jobs across the
region.
The university launched a series of
support initiatives two years ago and
already 968 businesses, social enterprises
and community organisations have
benefited through economic regeneration
programmes.
A total of 294 jobs have been created
since August 2006, 186 posts safeguarded
and sales increased by �10.95 million.
Schemes offered include help for new
business start-ups and manufacturers
looking to expand their businesses.
The university is encouraging more
businesses across the region to take
advantage of the help and support
available. For more information log on to
www.cumbria.ac.uk/businesscourses.
IT STUDENT'S TOP MARKS
S
EATON computing student Joyce
Longcake has won an award from the
North of England branch of the British
Computer Society for achieving the highest
marks on the first year of her University of
Cumbria course.
She was presented with her award in a
ceremony in Newcastle. The prize was free
membership to the British Computer
Society for the duration for her course, a
certificate and a cheque for �150.
Joyce said: "I was delighted. I am a
mature student and the only female
student in a class of 11, so who says 'you
cannot teach an old dog new tricks'."
She hopes to get an IT job after finishing
her course either as a systems analyst or a
database designer, possibly even becoming
self employed.
If you're interested in studying IT at
the University of Cumbria, visit the website
at www.cumbria.ac.uk or call 08080 024
024.
VIDEO BOOST TO EXERCISE
U
NIVERSITY of Cumbria research has
shown that children will take the
recommended amount of exercise
they need each day if it is combined with
video games.
Youngsters would choose a video gaming
exercise system, over traditional sports.
PROFESSOR HONOURED
A
SPORTS history professor has been
presented with a prestigious award
from the International Society for
the History of Physical Education and Sport.
Dr Mike Huggins, professor of cultural
history at the University of Cumbria, won
the ISHPES Award 2009 in recognition of his
high quality of work in the field.
Giving people the skills to get them � and Bri
CATH
RICHARDSON
PRINCIPAL, LAKES COLLEGE WEST CUMBRIA
T
HE nation had barely finished
unwrapping its last Christmas presents
before the media began tolling the bell
for some of the most visible British high
street shops.
The closure of high street stalwarts such as
Woolworths, Zavvi and Adams with the total
loss of around 30,000 jobs has been headline
news over Christmas and raises the question
how the government is going to get these
people back in to employment in such
desperate times.
In October of last year, Gordon Brown set
up the National Economic Council in
response to the economic downturn,
prompting a direct reach out to Further
Education to help the government turn
things around.
In discussions with the secretary of state
for skills, John Denham, the Learning and
Skills Council Chair, Chris Banks set about
outlining a plan that frees up the way
money is divided up and given to colleges,
which will be great news to our region if this
is the case.
In the time of economic boom the
government's plan with Train to Gain was to
upskill the country's workers, allowing
British industry to compete with other, more
developed European economies effectively
and they allowed the adult responsiveness
funding that covered shorter courses to
wither away to almost nothing.
Certainly now it would be pertinent to
switch some of the Train to Gain funding,
which applies only to those in employment,
to the unemployed who need retrained.
It was only a few years ago, when Corus
Rail announced it was closing its West
Cumbrian depot in 2006, when the college
became integral in retraining and upskilling
its workforce to give employees of the
company the best chance possible to find
another job, so the concept of reacting
quickly to redundancies and retraining the
unemployed is not new to us.
Cumbria's hig
F
OR Corporal Yvonne McKean
life in the Royal Air Force
has meant wild and
wonderful locations,
camaraderie and an
outstanding career achievement.
The 33-year-old from Northern
Ireland now works locally as a
recruiter for the RAF but her career
hasn't always been so tame.
With time spent serving in Basra,
Kosovo and the Falklands, she's the
ideal candidate to advise other
young hopefuls about life in the
RAF.
"I got an inkling I wanted to join
the RAF when I was about 22. It was
the prospect of having a secure job
whilst getting the opportunity to
travel," Yvonne said.
"I worked for the civil service for
a little while after I left school but
the RAF seemed much more
glamorous."
In 1998 Yvonne began her initial
nine-weeks' training and developed
basic skills in everything from
marching to combat expertise.
Yvonne said: "I then moved on to
RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire. I
was there for 22 weeks where I was
given more training and instruction
on my specific role which was
administration."
As Yvonne advanced in her
career she added Kosovo and the
Falklands to her list of locations
she'd visited and served in.
But last year Yvonne was sent to
war-torn Basra.
She said: "I went in July for four
months. I did see some indirect fire
but it had mostly calmed down by
the time I got there.
"It's exciting and you have to be
dedicated but there are downsides
to serving overseas. I was working
12 and 13 hour days.
"But then not many people can
say they've visited the places I have.
"My role was very varied and I
had a range of tasks which changed
on a daily basis."
Soon, before Yvonne was due to
leave Basra, she was told she would
be coming back to Cumbria to
rejoin the recruiting team based at
Carlisle.
"I had worked with the recruiting
team in Carlisle before I left for
Basra so it was nice when I found
out I was going back," she added.
"It's still a shock to the system
though when you come back and it
can take a while to settle back into
it again."
Being a woman in the RAF
wasn't an issue for Yvonne who said
she was an equal component to
every team.
She said: "There are no glass
ceilings for women in the RAF.
There's major emphasis put on a
team environment and you're
trained to play the same part in that
team as any other member;
everyone pulls together equally.
"For me, joining at the age of 22
meant I was more mature and ready
for the challenges but it all depends
on the nature of the individual.
Some people feel ready for it sooner.
"But common sense plays a large
part in serving with the RAF and
the forces in general, for that
matter. You have to be enthusiastic
and have the ability to interact."
R
EECE Nineham is about to
embark on the most exciting
time of his life. The
Cumbrian teenager is one of
only 38 young people across
the UK to win a scholarship with
the Royal Air Force.
Over 1200 applican
for a place on the pr
and 17-year-old Reec
them.
He impressed the
of recruitment office
selection process bu
day's work for the P
who dreamt of joinin
since he was a child
"I had always wan
in the RAF and whe
teens I became even
interested so I joined
Reece said. "It was t
cadets that I found o
scholarship and two
BRIEFLY...
SOUND ADVICE COMES FROM EXPERIENCE IN THE FIELD: Corporal Yvonne McKean of the Carlisle RAF car

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