Halogen Selected for EnergyUK Role

Edinburgh based communications company, Halogen Communications, has been selected to provide public affairs and public relations support in Scotland by utility trade organisation EnergyUK.

 

Halogen Communications’ Director of Public Affairs, Raymond Robertson said “EnergyUK is a fantastic addition to our client list. We worked with Angela Knight and Lesley McLeod during their time at British Bankers’ Association working with them and we look forward to working with them both again.”

 

Lesley McLeod, Head of Communications & Public Affairs for EnergyUK, said “Having worked with Halogen before, I know we are going to get excellent advice and support. I value their counsel and advice and look forward to working with the team there again.”

 

Halogen operates in both the private and public sectors, working with organisations such as Morrisons, Johnson Matthey plc and British Bankers’ Association.

 

About EnergyUK:

Energy UK is the trade association for the energy industry. Energy UK has over 80 companies as members that together cover the broad range of energy providers and suppliers and include companies of all sizes working in all forms of gas and electricity supply and energy networks. Energy UK members generate more than 90% of UK electricity, provide light and heat to some 26 million homes and last year invested over 10 billion in the British economy.

 

For more information, contact:

John Crawford, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) john@halogencom.com

Minister for Youth Employment shows support for Stow College agreement with Amey

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

16^th January 2013

Minister for Youth Employment shows support for Stow College agreement with Amey

Scotland’s Minister for Youth Employment, Angela Constance MSP, has witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement today between Stow College and Public Services Provider Amey. The official signing took place at around 12pm at Stow College.

The memorandum has been signed by both parties entering into an agreement to continue working together in supporting young engineering students through the New College Learning Programme. By signing this agreement the partnership will continue to help ensure learners receive a level of teaching and frontline work-readiness required by employers.

The Programme, launched by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in 2012, is aimed at 16-19 year olds and offers students a balance of real, frontline work experience alongside classroom time, which provides them with the essential skills to continue into employment.

The layout of the Programme requires students to take part in 192 hours of class based learning as well as 192 hours or work experience. This gives learners the opportunity to work alongside current Amey employees and to experience, first hand, what the real working environment will be like after college. It also offers Amey the chance to meet and monitor the development of students who may one day become full employees of the company.

Commenting on the establishment of the partnership with Amey, Stow College Principal, Dr. Robert McGrory, said: “I am delighted that Stow College and Amey have been able to work so successfully in partnership on this Programme and look forward to sustaining the working relationship for many years to come.

“Amey have been keen to be involved in many aspects of the development of this Programme and have treated our students as if they were real employees. They have given our learners a real taste of what employment will be like, including the finer details. For example, they’ve paid for full disclosure checks; put them through Health and Safety inductions as well as providing uniforms. Amey have also said they will provide employer references for all the students who complete the Programme, thereby giving them a substantial ‘leg up’ when it comes to looking for employment after college.

“Signing this agreement is recognition of both Stow College’s and Amey’s commitment to providing the best possible service to students in paving the way from education to work. We are grateful that the Minister for Youth Employment, Angela Constance MSP, has chosen to be  part of today’s ceremony and are hopeful that she recognises the benefit this initiative could offer to learners all over Scotland.”

Margaret Mayer, Account Director for Amey’s Scottish schools estate said: “Amey is delighted to work in partnership with Stow College to help provide employment and training opportunities across the west of Scotland.  This is an excellent opportunity for the students to gain real life work experience and achieve the necessary qualifications to potentially find employment within the engineering industry.

“Our pledge to delivering over 500 days in work experience to the 20 students on the course reinforces our belief in investing in our people. This is reflected by Amey’s achievement of Investors in People Gold status late last year and gaining Scottish Business in the Community’s Large Company of the Year Award for the second year running”.

22 year old NC Electrical student Kevin Crawford from Drumchapel was amongst the first group to take part in the SDS Programme. He said: “The course was ideal for me as my main objective for going to college was to get a qualification that would lead me into a career. The set-up of this Programme was perfect for that as it meant I would be able to gain invaluable experience of my future working environment. To be able to leave college and approach potential employers with this kind of work experience along with an employer reference is more than I could’ve expected.

“Whilst on my placement the staff at Amey were brilliant and treated me more as if I was an apprentice not like a student. The whole experience was really hands on and I was given the chance to watch, learn and then try out for myself. I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

Commenting on today’s signing, Minister for Youth Employment, Angela Constance said: “This is an important step for both Stow College and its students. Amey plays a key role in the development of Scotland’s infrastructure, and I am delighted to see that supporting young people into employment is being taken seriously by one of our main public service providers.

  

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting more young people into work and have guaranteed every 16-19 year old a place in learning or training through Opportunities for All. I hope that the work being done by Stow and Amey can be replicated elsewhere and more organisations start to make young people their business.”

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The sky’s no limit with James Watt College cabin crew course

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

20^th December 2012

The sky’s no limit with James Watt College cabin crew course

James Watt College has announced plans to create more courses following the success of its cabin crew partnership with the leading leisure airline, Jet2.com.

28 students are preparing to graduate from the part time course, which has provided them with the knowledge they need to pursue a career as a member of airline cabin crew.

The course provides an introduction to aircraft emergency situations, dealing with passengers on board on aircraft and making passenger announcements. Students also learn the foundations of good customer service skills, health and safety, team-working, communication and aviation terminology.

Travel & Tourism lecturer at James Watt College, Beverley Hardie, said: “The taster course was designed with input from Jet2.com and other aviation experts, which ensured the subjects were up-to-date and relevant. The backing of the airline also means that all students who qualify are guaranteed an interview giving them a real chance to get a foot in the door within this rewarding industry. We’ve already been told that 7 of the learners have been offered training places, which is great news.”

With the airline sector continuing to witness growth in the region, the College is now looking for other airlines and aviation firms to consider training and recruitment partnerships.

Beverley Hardie continued: “James Watt College’s location puts it within easy reach of both Glasgow International Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport. That means there’s a workforce of young people in our area looking to pick up the right skills and knowledge to provide airlines with the right candidates. We would urge airlines and other aviation firms to get in touch and consider tapping in to our expertise.”

Plans are also underway to continue the Jet2.com course in 2013. Anyone interested in signing up must be 18 years old by the course completion date, must have two Standard Grade passes at level 3 or above, be physically fit and able to swim 25 metres and must be in a possession of a valid passport.

For further information on this and other courses at James Watt College go to www.jameswatt.ac.uk.

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Image 1: James Watt College cabin crew students take part in a Jet2.com assessment watched on by Jet2.com staff.

For more information, contact:

Brian O’Neill, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) brian@halogencom.com

James Watt College achieves Investors in People Gold Accreditation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

20th December 2012 

PRESS RELEASE

James Watt College achieves Investors in People Gold Accreditation

James Watt College has achieved the prestigious Investors in People Gold Accreditation, the most successful framework for business improvement through people in the UK. This represents achievement of world class best practice.

It shows James Watt College as a truly cutting-edge organisation that is operating at the very highest levels of people management practice using Investors in People to drive their business forward.

James Watt College joins an exclusive group of UK employers eligible to use and display the sought after Investors in People logo and plaque, and enjoy its benefits.

Commenting on the award, Sue Pinder, OBE, Principal & Chief Executive said, “This tremendous accolade recognises our commitment to our colleagues and learners.  At James Watt College, we have worked hard to create a supportive and enabling environment where all staff can develop and grow their skills. Their personal development and engagement with our values means we consistently improve, as an employer and as one of Scotland's premier places of learning”.

Peter Russian, Chief Executive of Investors in People Scotland, said “This is a fantastic achievement for James Watt College. I would like to congratulate the organisation and its people on their commitment to continuous improvement. Investors in People offers a flexible, practical and easy to use business improvement tool designed to help organisations and their people achieve their objectives. I hope that more organisations in the area will be encouraged to sharpen their competitive edge by choosing to work with us.”

James Watt College provides further education opportunities to the communities of Inverclyde and North Ayrshire employing 560 staff within main sites in:  Finnart Campus in Greenock, Waterfront Campus in Greenock, North Ayrshire Campus in Kilwinning; plus Sport, Exercise and Outdoor Studies in Largs along with providing learning through Community Learning Centres.  

The College focuses on vocational or work related qualifications with a strong practical element where students gain hands-on experience to take into the workplace, further enhancing their job prospects.

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For more information, contact: Fiona Miller, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) Fiona@halogencom.com

Actual Reality goes the extra mile to ensure no-one’s left behind

 

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

20^th December 2012

Actual Reality goes the extra mile to ensure no-one’s left behind

An East Renfrewshire primary school is thanking Actual Reality at Castle Toward for their outstanding efforts in making their school trip a week to remember.

95 pupils, from Our Lady of the Missions Primary 7 class in Giffnock, spent five days at the outdoor education centre from the 8^th- 12^th October 2012. It is the 18^th year in a row a group from this school has visited Actual Reality.

Deputy Head teacher Veronica Dowling has been in charge of taking groups to the Argyll centre. Commenting on why she makes sure they go back each year she said: “I think we share many of the same values as Actual Reality and the ethos of the centre goes hand in hand with ours at Our Lady of the Missions. 

“I have been bringing school groups here for 17 years because the week away is a fabulous bonding tool for the student and teachers. The activities offered by Actual Reality get all the youngsters mucking in together whatever the weather which is an experience many of them have never had before.

“We go every year at the beginning of Primary 7 as it’s a very important year for the children as they prepare to go to high school. A few days away working together outside the classroom really boosts their confidence and builds relationships with staff and pupils alike.

“Everyone is challenged during the week with Actual Reality. For some, staying away from home is a big problem, while for others, it’s the high ropes course and the gorge walking that present the biggest hurdles. I would definitely say the trip brings out the best in the students.”

This year the group from Our Lady of the Missions included 11 year old, wheelchair bound, student Nina Miller. Whilst she was unable to take part in some activities, Centre Leader Aidan Doherty, worked to create bespoke abseiling and archery experiences for Nina.

He said: “We wanted to make sure Nina was able to join in the fun with her classmates and by creating specialised activities to fit around her needs we could give her the opportunity to try out things some of the other groups didn’t get to.

“It’s our goal at Actual Reality to ensure every youngster gets the most out of their time with us. We don’t believe disabilities should stop anyone from trying new things and we were happy to put our creative skills to good use. Seeing Nina complete the abseiling course in her chair was a pleasure, as was working with the rest of the students.”

The effort made by Actual Reality meant that Nina was able to take control in the abseiling activity with minimal support from her team leader. The team at Actual Reality also resourced a special archery system for Nina so she was able to hold and shoot the arrows herself.

Deputy Head teacher Veronica Dowling commented: “The Actual Reality staff couldn’t have done more for Nina. They really made sure she had just as an exciting time as everybody else.

“Nina was absolutely thrilled with the set up; the look on her face said it all really. Being able to take part meant she was able to feel that same great confidence boost the rest of the group felt.”

“Overall we had another thoroughly enjoyable week with Actual Reality. In my opinion, residential trips should be part of every student’s curriculum in Scotland. The centre should be booked every week of the year, they really are that fantastic. We have already booked our place for next year and will look forward to returning to the newly refurbished Ardentinny site.”

For more information on all the courses and services available with ‘Actual Reality’ please visit www.actualrealitycentres.com/

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Images

Image 1 – Nina and friends on the abseiling course

Images 2 – Nina congratulates her classmate during the archery session.

Images 3 – Group shot of some of the P7 Class from Our Lady of the Missions.

For more information, contact: Fiona Miller, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) fiona@halogencom.com

This year’s Christmas Number 1 is the Terrace Restaurant @ West Lothian College!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

11^th December 2012

This year’s Christmas Number 1 is the Terrace Restaurant @ West Lothian College!

West Lothian College’s training restaurant ‘The Terrace’ has made it to number one in time for Christmas. The restaurant has hit the top spot in the Livingston section of reviews website Trip Advisor, beating 35 other dining spots in the town to achieve the title.

International Chef, Tony Singh, paid a special visit to the restaurant to congratulate staff and students, after hearing the news. Tony said: “I have been involved and supported the Hospitality Department at West Lothian College for many years now.  I recall being the honorary guest at the grand opening of the state of the art Terrace Restaurant, employing recently graduated qualified chefs into the busy kitchen of roof terrace restaurant Oloroso in Edinburgh and - more recently - joining Andy McDougall, College Chef Lecturer where we were the Official Judges for the National Association of Care Catering at their annual Care Cook Off Competition.

"West Lothian College's Hospitality Department staff and students provide a fabulous restaurant service to students, staff and visitors from the local and wider communities.  The high standard of technical skills learned are transferred onto the plate and into the dining arena by budding Chef and Service students, making the overall dining experience truly exceptional!"

Bob Prentice, Hospitality Centre Leader at West Lothian College, added: “Everyone behind the scenes has been doing their best to encourage people to comment on their experience at ‘The Terrace’. We pride ourselves on providing high quality food at very affordable rates and customer satisfaction is a huge part of our ethos. We’ve often been referred to as the best kept secret in West Lothian, but really we’d rather not be secret any longer! Our location is slightly off the beaten track but hopefully this excellent ranking from Trip Advisor will encourage more people to come and find us.” 

‘The Terrace Restaurant’ is an on-site training restaurant for Hospitality students providing a valuable experience of a real restaurant situation where they produce dishes of the highest standard. The students are supervised by experts in the planning, cooking and serving of dishes and the restaurant operates in a totally professional way. The restaurant is open to students and members of the public for both lunches and evening meals. 

SVQ2 Professional Cookery student, Ian Blair, who works in the Terrace Restaurant, commented: “We aim to provide a high level of customer care and food that matches. We are often compared favourably with quality restaurants in Edinburgh. The Terrace Restaurant is not known to everyone in West Lothian and being on the website will put our name firmly on the map.”

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Image 1: Chef Tony Singh at the Terrace Restaurant.

For more information, contact: Fiona Miller, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) Fiona@halogencom.com

James Watt College celebrates equality and diversity

  

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17^th December 2012

James Watt College celebrates equality and diversity 

Staff and students at James Watt College have celebrated equality and diversity with a week-long series of events.

From the 3^rd to the 7^th December, a range of information sessions, awareness projects and demonstrations took place across the college’s Inverclyde and North Ayrshire campuses. Participants were encouraged to get involved in debates surrounding contemporary equality issues with many students sharing their own experiences.

James Watt College student, Steven Hughes, who uses a wheelchair, said: “I have enjoyed helping out at both campuses and I have also enjoyed the talks that I led, especially when the talks made people aware what folk in wheelchairs have to deal with every day in a college environment. I was also shocked at how many people attended my sessions. It’s really helped to build my confidence and self-esteem. The message I hope I managed to get across was ‘I might be disabled but I am able’.”

Among the vast array of events, nursery children celebrated the Hindu festival of light known as Diwali while students at the Waterfront campus presented their experiences on LGBT issues.

Music Lecturer Hugh Cox, who held sessions on world music, commented: “The general consensus from the students involved was that it was a very enjoyable and worthwhile exercise. They seemed to really enjoy the experience, with a few commenting that it felt good to help the College. Another great piece of feedback from a student was that it was strange playing music out with their normal comfort zone but they enjoyed the experience and the challenge.”

While embracing diversity was the key theme, tackling ignorance and violent attitudes towards equality was also covered with presentations from Strathclyde Police on hate crime and cyber bullying, and an information session involving the White Ribbon Campaign, calling for a zero tolerance approach to violence against women. James Watt College is one of the first educational establishments to work alongside White Ribbon Scotland with future initiatives planned.

Sue Pinder, Principal of James Watt College, added: “It was great to see so many staff, students and external groups taking part in the events at all our campuses. At James Watt College, we have students from many different backgrounds and cultures. This is something we’ve always celebrated and I hope that everyone learned a little more about each other and the importance of understanding and embracing equality and diversity.”

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For more information, contact:

Brian O’Neill, Halogen Communications, (T) 0131 202 0120 (F) 0131 225 3757 (E) brian@halogencom.com