Embargoed: For use until after 17.00 Tuesday 5 November 1996
At 17.00 on Tuesday 5 November 1996 Guernsey's new Study Centre will be formally opened by Lord Armstrong of Ilminster. Lord Armstrong has strong links with the Island through his Directorship of N M Rothschild & Sons.
The purpose of the Centre is to provide a focal point for addressing the Island's future training needs.
The Study Centre in Nelson Place, Smith Street, is the result of collaboration between the Guernsey Financial Services Commission and three States Departments: Advisory & Finance, Board of Industry and the Education Department.
The Commission, working with the Guernsey International Business Association, established the Finance Training Agency (FTA) in June 1996. The FTA has been responsible for designing and equipping the Centre with the support of the States Architect's and States Works Departments.
The Nelson Place premises have been provided rent free by the States who have also contributed to the refurbishment costs. The three States Departments who are sponsoring the Centre are now focusing on the training requirements of Guernsey's non finance sector. To this end the Guernsey Training Agency has been formed and is also located at Nelson Place,
The Centre has a library, study room and lecture room, as well as offices for FTA and GTA staff. It will be open from 07.00 until 21.00 Monday to Friday and 09.00 until 17.00 on Saturdays and Sundays. Other hours will be accommodated by prior notification and agreement.
The library stocks a range of reference books that support the principal courses of the major institutes in the finance sector. It is linked to the Guilles-Alles Library catalogue which enables students to locate books held in that library and that of the College of Further Education and to search UK national library catalogues.
The study room is multi-purpose. It is equipped for use as a small classroom or for individual students to work on its PCs which have access to the Centre's CD-ROM facility and the Internet. Small scale video-conferencing has been provided to improve communications with UK education and training providers, principally the consortium universities.
The lecture room is designed to seat 30 students taking notes, but can accommodate 40 people comfortably. Video-projection has been installed to enhance training delivery to the larger audiences that will use the room, and is fully interconnected with the TV, video, computer and video-conferencing facilities.
The Finance Training Agency has commissioned a programme of education and training which will be provided at the Study Centre. A new course giving an introduction to Guernsey's Finance Sector will run at the end of the month. November will also see the continuation of the integrated courses for staff who give financial advice in insurance, investment or banking. These courses are being delivered for the FTA by OTC Professional Examinations. Details of a Masters Degree to be run at Nelson Place will be announced in the middle of November. Management and Marketing Courses are also being researched and planned.
The Study Centre is available for professional institutes and companies to use for training. Individual students studying for a recognised qualification can enrol for membership for a fee of œ 1 5. This will allow full access to all facilities. The FTA will be encouraging the students to form their own advisory committee to contribute ideas for the future development of the Centre.
Throughout the research, development and implementation of the Study Centre initiative the FTA has worked closely with A&F who are now focusing on the requirements of Guernsey's non-finance sector.
In the first issue of the FTA's Training News Chairman Keith Corbin summarised the Agency's purpose and the role of the Study Centre, "The aim is to develop a life long beaming culture within individual students through making learning accessible, pleasurable and rewarding."
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
For further information contact Peter Crook on Tel: +44 (0) 1481 712 706 or fax: +44 (0) 1481 712 010 or e-mail: info@gfsc.guernseyci.com
Further information can also be obtained from Rick Rowland, FTA's Chief Executive, Tel: (01481)721555.
Visit the Guernsey Financial Services Commission Web Site at Click Contact Link
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