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The Civil Service has long been respected for its career-long learning approach but in the spate of current belt-tightening it has been forced to re-consider the way courses are delivered. The resulting switch to online learning is expected to save nearly £90m per year on the Civil Service staff training budget according to government figures.

The move away from residential and classroom-based courses to e-learning and work-based training for learning and development of staff is already underway with a 76% increase in online training days in government departments already this financial year. The start of the same financial year saw the Civil Service Learning operation established as central purchasing facility based in the Home Office but covering training for the whole civil service to try to avoid duplication across departments. Part of the changes also include the National School of Government will closing in March to become a commercial traning venue under the name of Sunningdale Park.

Where governments follow, so the private sector is already leading the way. With the rise of social media as a support / networking tool and more budgets being squeezed, e-learning is set to increase in importance. If you run your own business and in-house training that could appear to be a costly set-up but there are many options out there. That includes using Moodle one of the free 123-apps that you can install on your 123-reg linux web hosting. Used and approved by Universities and Colleges across the world, it is simple to use from a teacher and student perspective and is a great way to get started with some online learning modules. There’s also networking tools like discussion forums and wikis built in so those learning need not suffer from the isolation many fear from working in a virtual learning environment.

Even if you don’t have the need to create your own in-house e-learning, you may be interested in knowing that the UK e-learning industry is thought to be worth £472 million  and rising and is the largest European market for e-learning. We all have skills we could promote and others would be delighted in benefitting from so why not set up your own training tools online to share your own knowledge.

Do you already use e-learning tools? Have you used Moodle? Do you have any tips to pass on to thise just making the switch?

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Looking for inspiration from those that have made it? With Christmas coming there are plenty of ‘I did it this way’ type books hitting the shelves along side traditional winners, but they all cost money.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization have linked with online learning resource site Alison.com to create a free online course entitled Stone Soup – based on the book of the same name by serial entrepreneur’s Bill Liao’s.

The course launched this week includes sections on:

• what it takes to become an entrepreneur
• how to start an enterprise
• effective team development
• adapting as your organisation grows

Australian Liao is a member of The Entrepreneurs’ Organization – an invitation only body with 7,500 business owner members in 38 countries – and founder of Xing.com a social networking site for business professionals and neo.org designed to empower global thinking and action on climate change and making the world a better place.

The book’s sub-title is ‘The secret recipe for making something from nothing’ which seems even more pertinent given the current global financial position and the fact that the course is being offered for free.

We’ve not had time to test the course properly but from the opening modules that we have tried it does appear to have a novel holistic-type approach to business. Well worth a try for free.

Have you tried the course or read the book? What are your opinions?

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The new British coalition government is naturally trying to be everything to everybody and that is set to include the internet.

In her role as UK digital champion Lastminute.com founder, Martha Lane Fox has announced plans to get everybody of working age in Britain online by the end of the current Parliament – a population she claims is around 10 million Brits.

Fox’s Manifesto for a Networked Nation is to be official presented to Downing Street later today, but already the Prime Minister David Cameron has been quoting terms such as “digital inclusion” so it is a clear push by all the ensure those that are yet netted up get the chance to at least try.

With public sector cuts however hovvering over every government department it might need a push from the private sector to have the desired effect. What it will probably need is an innovative approach to get the large number of adults in the UK who stubbornly seem to shun and dis-respect the benefits of the internet. Fox’s website Race Online 2012, as well as asking for hardware and support donations, is looking for ideas on how to get people connected, so if you’ve always wanted to make internet history now might be your chance.

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However far you pursued or are pursuing your education, there is no doubt, that feeling of fear and adrenaline you experience when standing outside the exam hall is something you will always remember. Equally so, that eerie silence, almost atmospheric void you experienced once you were in the exam sat at your desk. Yet, now those days may be numbered.

American firm Software Secure Inc have developed new technology, that includes anti-cheating software and could allow people to sit exams from home or at least away from the traditional big examination hall.

Ironically, despite the fears many might have, it may even provide added security against potential cheating. The programme uses a small stand-alone device plugged into a student’s computer, which validates a student’s fingerprint before access to the exam is granted. With a webcam and microphone also switched on, the system can also detect movement or conversations to stop others entering the room or the student conversing via phone or other communication device with others during the exam. As a further precaution the device ‘locks down’ the machine being used, so that the student can’t turn to the internet or previously saved notes to cheat.

With the system already being trialed in some UK educational establishments it might not be long before the Securexam Remote Proctor offers schools, colleges, universities and training organisations the chance to administer computer-based tests 365/24/7 for students anywhere in the world.

Don’t forget if you are a student you can still take advantage of our excellent student hosting offer: hosting for a £1 per month, a free .info domain and loads of free software.

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Any final year students out there? Have you started getting into that tricky job hunting phase yet, when the need to find some way of earning a bit of post-university cash starts jostling for attention alongside revision and making the most of your remaining university months? It’s not that long since some of us here were there ourselves, y’know…

There’s always a lot of competition for graduate jobs, and temporary work can be tricky to come by too. Even opportunities that aren’t part of formal graduate training schemes are likely to see an upsurge in applicants.

That means it can be wise to come up with ideas to set yourself apart from the rest. One relatively easy option is to make use of the internet.

What does Google say about you?

Rightly or wrongly, many employers will Google the names of job applicants to see what shows up. Some jobs, especially those in the creative and web industries, will expect you to supply an online portfolio, so not having anything relevant on the web could be a real disadvantage.

Even if there’s no official requirement for this, it can’t hurt to put together an online CV to complement your paper-based one. And if it pushes any embarrassing Facebook photos further down the Google results for your name then that’s a bonus too.

Using free space

Your university may offer web space to you for free, especially if you’re pursuing a course that’s related to computers or the internet. However, this isn’t always ideal place to create a portfolio site or online CV.

For a start, the facilities on offer might be pretty basic. And if you can get round that, you might find your university deletes your account (wiping out all your efforts and any work examples you’ve added to your website) the day you leave university. Not exactly ideal if you’ve built an impressive website, put the address on your CV and told prospective employers to check it out.

Try our student hosting instead

Our student hosting service has been designed to provide an alternative to this approach. The package includes a Windows web hosting package with lots of useful features (including PHP and ASP.NET, for the technically-minded among you). It costs £1 a month, but when you sign up, you’re guaranteed the package for a whole year. We won’t bump the price up or cancel the package the minute you stop being a student.

So, if you join us on 20 March 2010, your package won’t expire till 20March 2011. And once the year’s up, you’ll be given the option to renew or cancel. You’ll certainly get plenty of notice before any of your valuable online work is in danger of being deleted.

Oh – and we’ll throw in a free .info domain name, so you can put a snappy web address on your job applications. That alone is worth £9.99 a year.

Ready to start creating your online CV, portfolio, or whatever you want to call it? Get full details of our student hosting offer here.

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